West Glacier, Montana to Rising Sun, Montana - July 30, 2021

Glacier Gate

I woke at about 6:30 this morning knowing I had a memorable day ahead. Upon entering Glacier National Park, I picked up groceries and proceeded to the entrance booths.

There, I was made aware that two portions of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, were, for safety reasons, closed between the hours of 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. I knew that I could get through the first section before eleven o’clock. The upper part would have to wait until four.

Red Portions Closed Between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM

This turned out to be advantageous, as it prompted me to spend more leisure time in the park.

I cycled to McDonald Lodge where I poached WiFi, uploaded a blog entry and called Anders. I sat by a small creek and ate a chicken sandwich while sipping coffee and contemplating the day.

McDonald Lodge

McDonald Lights

McDonald Lobby

With plenty of extra time, I cycled up the road to Trail of the Cedars. I ate lunch and wandered the trail, and side trails, of the area. The forest offered a sense of calm before the climb.

Trail of Cedars - Water

Trail of Cedars - Flowing Around the Trunk

Trail of Cedars - Silhouette

Trail of Cedars - Begging Lunch

I left the trailhead, timing my ride to enter the previously off-limits area by four o’clock.

Entering the Climb

The ride to Logan Pass, and the Continental Divide, needs to be experienced to be understood. It was a good challenge for me. The slow grind required staying in the moment at all times. Much of the upper section consists of sheer drops off to one’s right. There are countless blind corners and the roadway is often narrow.

Tunnel 1

Peanut Butter Stop

The state of Montana has made a good call in disallowing RVs on the mountain road. I can’t imagine the vehicles on some of the narrow, curvy parts. This helps keep traffic down. Also, medium-sized tour busses take sightseers up the mountain, taking cars off of the road.

Going-to-the-Sun (Surely)

Steep Drop

Drivers were very courteous, giving me plenty of space. With the exception of one man stating “Not a good idea”, I experienced countless forms of encouragement. Gestures such as clapping, showing thumbs up or the peace sign were common. Statements such as “Awesome!”, “You can do it!” and “Almost there!” were said with sincerity. “You must have really strong legs!” was an interesting take. I don’t, comparatively speaking.

One woman, who I spoke to about a mile from the top said, “You’re my hero. Thanks for talking with me.” This was stated in all earnestness. I couldn’t help but chuckle and smile.

One Mile from the Top

I did appreciate these gestures of good will, although I certainly didn’t deserve them. It seemed, after all, just an unusually challenging day on my bicycle.

I reached the pass at about 8:30 PM - just in time to take a picture of the official sign. A man prompted my movement from the space, as he was on a tight schedule. His attitude was a good challenge for me, just a little gremlin planted as a test.

Summit

I FLEW down the road to Rising Sun Campground, carefully watching for wildlife at high speed. I pulled the brakes a couple of times to allow cars by. The light was fading when I turned into the campground and noticed the “Camping Closed” sign. Another challenge.

There was little light when I entered the office. The young woman at the desk was extremely kind, handling me well. The campground was, in fact, closed. The KOA in Saint Mary was seven miles away. I didn’t really want to get back on the bike in the dark. I inquired about sleeping on the floor of the cafe, which was closed for the season. This was a non-starter. I settled for paying for a cabin, which, after I was settled in, was pretty nice. 

Money greases the gears.

After dragging my bike into the cabin, I walked back to the office to poach WiFi. I talked with Beth and let my family know that I still existed, in living form, on the planet.