Biking to the Sun

mountains in lake mcdonald

There have been few places that I have cycled to in the last 3 months that have left me nearly breathless due to their profound majesty, beauty, and magicalness.  Glacier National Park is one of those few places, and despite the cars and crowds, the grandeur and sereness that exist there are well worth the annoyances of all the other travelers.  Of course, I didn't just pop into the park, i first floated.

My rest day in Missoula saw me being a local and floating down the Clark river on a tube, getting dinner with Food Not Bombs and giving Eduardo a little service.  The next day turned out to be my longest day thus far, leaving Missoula and following the valley out only to turn northward into another amazing valley as I cycled 111 miles to Swam lake and collapsed.

A scant 85 miles the next day and I was in West Glacier where I got a little taste of the park by camping at the biker sites in Apgar campground near lake McDonald.  But i wasn't ready for the park just yet, so i headed out and passed south of the park, along the flathead river, up and over Marias Pass and my 6th continental divide crossing to end the day at East Glacier.  From there it was the up and down hills to St Mary and finally into the park, camping at Rising Sun as Glacier doesn't allow bikes on Going To The Sun road from 11-4pm.  I had heard there was construction so for the first time set my alarm for 4:30am so I could have the whole road to myself.

mountains in st mary lake

The next morning at 5:30, after my alarm clearly didn't wake me, I greeted the rising sun casting a pinkish hue on the snow and glacier tipped mountains as I headed up towards Logan's Pass, and yet another continental divide crossing.  It was a slow, bumpy downhill due to the construction but from one valley to the next, the sights and sounds of Glacier never failed.  My Glacier ride ended at Whitefish State park where I camped along the lake.

wild goose island

mcdonald valley

And it is now that I find myself on the edge of America and Canada in Rexford.  Tomorrow I cross and enter British Columbia for a while as I cycle due north towards Banff National Park and Jasper National Park.  Till next time, enjoy all of Montana and Glacier pics at picasaweb.google.com/rossbikepics, send me mail in Seattle, and keep on pedaling!!!!