In Memory of Warmer Summers

June 28
Assault on Going-to-the-Sun Road, Part Two; Glacier National Park

In order for cyclists to be over Logan Summit by 11:00am, we got up early, skipped our routine hot breakfast and coffee and hit the road with a ration of protein bars and Starbuck’s Via. 

This was the “money” day – certainly a main attraction for the Northern Tier.  The only regret I have is my limitation with a camera as the incredibly striking scenery cannot be captured the way the human eye beholds such things.  I’ve been to some beautiful places, but Going-to-the-Sun Road?  Oh my!

Side Note:

The final 12 miles of the climb up Going-to-the-Sun Road is a steady 6% grade, the pavement is terrific, but it is a bit narrow and there can be a lot of traffic.  A few unladen road cyclists passed us on their way up and were duly impressed by the very heavy loads we were hauling.  All of them offered words of encouragement and two of them called us “heroes”.  As traffic is quite slow with the switch-back turns and gorgeous vistas, several people in passing cars offered encouraging words as well, and at least two also attached the term “heroes” to our efforts.

Heroes?

Maybe in my life I’ve done some things that might attract interest, but I’m no hero because I ride a bicycle up mountain passes.  I’m flattered by the remark and I understand the gesture but no, I’m not a hero.

It could have been the protein bars, it probably was the Starbucks Via, but I thought long and hard about that term we overuse these days.  Too hard.  I started thinking of the heroes I’ve known.  Real ones.  I broke down and cried during that climb.  Twice.  I kept riding, but was sobbing terribly behind those sunglasses, safe in the knowledge that anyone looking at me as they went by might regard my expression as the result of exertion.

Heroes?  Yes.  That was for them.

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June 27,
Assault on “Going-to-the-Sun Road”, Part One; Glacier National Park

Bicyclists are restricted in two areas of Going-to-the-Sun Road between 11:00am and 4:00pm, so this requires a bit of strategy.  We rode from Whitefish to Glacier National Park and had to stop for a few hours at the Apgar Visitors Center to await the 4:00pm start for us to get to Avalanche Creek Campground (the closest campground to Logan Summit at the top of Going-to-the-Sun Road).

It was interesting visiting with folks and watching the crowd coming through.  We concluded this wasn’t the typical American crowd one might see for instance in say, a Walmart.  It was very encouraging to see folks out and about taking the opportunity to see our national parks.

Glacier took my breath away.  It is Magnificent!

1

McDonald Creek (really)

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June 26, Whitefish, MT

On our way into Whitefish, we ran across Ryan once more.  He was still having bike problems as some welding he had done on his frame to secure his rear rack failed.  We worked on it some and he was going to re-position the rack onto the fender mounts.  We all camped together and Ryan went out to see what was what in the town.  Sallie and I went to see what was happening on the inside of our eyelids.

Whitefish is very pretty and well developed.  It’s the up and coming hang-out of some of the rich and famous in the country so naturally, we felt right at home.  Well, that’s true for Ryan anyway.

This is where they grow seed-stock of ragweed for export to the east. 
(Actually it’s canola; I’m told the price is depressed to about $8 a bushel)

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June 25, Fortine, MT 

There’s a real estate deal out here for anyone interested.  For the discriminating individual or group of investors, Jerry’s Saloon and Restaurant and Golf Course, and Casino, and RV Park is for sale.  22 acres of land, a custom home, all buildings and improvements for $1,000,000 (he says he’s firm at $950,000, but you didn’t hear that from me, okay?). 

As we had our tents here the night of June 25th, we can assure you clientele are already established and they will remain on the premises until closing time.

The area is beautiful as pictured just down the road is Dicky’s Lake – a pretty large body of water (that’s not a dog swimming, that’s about an 18’ boat).

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Montana marks the roadside where fatal motor vehicle crashes take place with the use of welded steel crosses on red poles.  We haven’t gone very far into Montana and we’ve passed far too many of these.  I am reminded at each one of these of the previous topic on this journal from five years ago and the effort conducted to reach out to those who have suffered these losses.

Dear Readers:  Please note my intentions as mentioned in the tab for the 2016 ride are different for this 2016 ride journal. 

The 2011 ride remains a remarkable journey in many ways, not the least of which is the life-changing effect on me.  The 2011 journal is an expression of grief from the perspective of one traveling a healing journey.  Those are not empty words, and the trip was not a false device, but a genuine movement through resolution both physically and physiologically.  The very hard work, exhausting hours, and deep introspection all came to a completion during that journey. 

I cannot go that deep this time. 

As stated, this is a victory lap for me, so I invite you to enjoy the pictures, maybe have a chuckle at the comments and like the reflections seen in the surface of a lake, we’ll skim the top, speak of bike travel and enjoy the journey as it comes. 

Thank you for reading.  Let’s travel on.

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