2011 Bike Trip Stage 1

 

Heading north from Park City, Utah                  (stage 1)

Preparations for my second bicycle touring adventure was a bit easier, the checklist from the previous trip just had to be reviewed and the packing to be done accordingly. All the gear was still the same as in 07, just worn in somewhat better. The goal was to ride north to Glacier National Park, on to Edmonton and return via the Canadian Rockies Ice-fields Parkway.

Leaving Park City on June 9^th wasn’t as uneasy as the first time, but it was exciting to be on the road again. It was a crisp morning of 45F cycling from 6400 feet over Parley’s Summit to Salt Lake City of 4300 feet. It was still all familiar territory, and the first stop was the Salt Lake Roasting Company in downtown for a great cup of coffee.

Heading north toward Brigham City brought back an all familiar scene, a cyclist’s worst enemy, a constant headwind. Luckily the wind eased up after a while and progress returned to normal, biking a formidable 82 miles on the first day. The second day started with a 10-mile uphill over Logan Pass to Cache Valley, then north on route 23 through green fields and dairy farms along the Caribou-Targhee National Forest to Pocatello, Idaho. I now consider this city the blow out city, as I had two flats, one which punctured the sidewall of the tire. This was more flats in one town than all of Mexico during the previous trip, but all is part of the experience! Good days, bad days, but in the end all that’s left are good days.

Moving quickly out of flat city, I followed route 26 out of the town of Blackfoot past large lava fields and entered Arco rather tired after battling a headwind for most of the way. This little community of 1000 residence was the first in the world to be lit by nuclear power in 1955, by a nearby experimental reactor. It also had a meltdown in 1961 and accounted for the world’s first fatal reactor accident.

The weather was ever changing with sun and rain clouds overhead, making it necessary to keep an eye on the sky at all times. A spectacular day was riding from Mackay to Challis ID, with little traffic, a good road and blue sky. Riding on the valley floor with snow capped mountains on either side couldn’t be any more scenic. Route 93 goes past Idaho’s tallest mountain, Mt. Borah of 12662 feet. There in 1983 occurred a 6.9 earthquake, which ruptured the ground and moved the valley floor 10 feet lower. The ground shift can still be seen today and is a geologist’s holy ground.

After checking into the Pioneer RV Park in Challis, I met Sadoo from Vancouver Island, who in 70’s rode his Kawasaki 1500 Vulcan to this part of the world. Meeting special people like him to share stories, a meal and a couple of beers is what traveling is all about.

The journey continued along the picturesque Salmon River, then up and over Lost Trail Pass of 6995 feet into Montana. Only the weather could have been cooperating better. As I got closer to the summit, it started to snow. Then as I sped down to lower altitude and warmer temperature, it started to rain; but at least it wasn’t constant, just on and off showers. Those elements were making for a good argument, though, against pitching a tent, so I pulled the rig into a “My Budget” motel for the night zzzzzzzzzz. . . .

          Until next time from down the road,

Tony Bike

2011 Bike Trip Stage 2

Bound for Glacier National Park                                                             (stage 2)

The unseasonable cold, wet weather continued. For a taste of global warming I would have to go to some other part of the globe.

Only a short ride from Darby under cloudy skies with the threat of rain, but a nice tailwind, I made it to Hamilton, where I finally exchanged the rear tire that got punctured a week ago. Since leaving on this trip, the weather had dictated the lodging arrangement and the motel bed nights had outnumbered the air mattress so far.

Onward from Missoula on route 93 the weather situation remained the same, lots of clouds, but no rain, which actually made for nice riding conditions, including a wide shoulder to ride on. Having the extra space makes pedaling a lot more pleasurable, as not all the concentration has to be directed to traffic but can be focused on the surroundings. So I really could enjoy the view of Flathead Lake and its stunning scenery riding down to Polson. Riding up, the east shore was mainly tree covered, with the occasional lake view. On the way to Columbia Falls finally the clouds broke loose, dropping buckets of water, which they seemed to have stored for ages. Still the scenery was outweighing the inconvenience of being soaked and again made it for an easy decision on the accommodation that night.

Riding through Glacier National Park didn’t work out as planned, as the Park had experienced record snowfalls last winter and with snow still falling in the upper elevations, Logan Pass on “Going To The Sun Road” to St. Mary was still closed on June 22^nd (global warming). Actually it is now called Climate Change and it did have an impact on the park, as around 1900, there were around 150 glaciers. Today only 25 remain and just remnants of them! The only alternative reaching St. Mary was route 2 over Marias Pass and East Glacier, but I figured I would be riding through the park on the way back a month later. Riding over Marias Pass ended up to be the easy part; however, climbing out of East Glacier on Looking Glass Hill Road started to be a bit more challenging, including a close encounter with a black bear. It was about as close as I wanted it to be, as he jumped out of the brush onto the road. I just had time to stop as he glanced down the road, before disappearing again across the street. I’m still wondering who got the bigger scare out of this! It crossed my mind that on a bicycle one would be rather vulnerable, as it wouldn’t be providing much protection, but on the other hand, hundreds of bikes have passed through here before me. After all, this turned out to be one of the most scenic detours ever.

Rolling into St. Mary scanning for accommodation, I found Johnson’s Campground up on a hill overlooking the town and mountains. It was a great spot with a stunning view, only since crossing the Continental Divide over Marias Pass, the mosquitos had become a real nuisance, or more like pests. Chatting with fellow campers (most of them in luxury RV’s without the buzzzzz problem), I met Mark Matheny the developer of bear spray (UDAP Industries). Mark got mauled by a bear in 1992, as the scars in his face still prove, and he thereafter started to develop the product. He must have felt sorry for a poor cyclist and gave me a can to carry along, which actually made me a lot more comfortable as this was now my secret weapon on the handlebar….

          Until next time from down the road,

Tony Bike

2011 Bike Trip Stage 3

Bound for Canada,                                              (stage 3)

Breaking camp at Johnson’s was a taste of what was to come, the constant companionship of Mozzies. (not familiar with this term, but it’s clear you’re referring to mosquitoes. No ‘ needed.) The only time they seemed to disappear was while I was riding in the rain. Back on the road, I was leaving town toward the Canadian Border along the “Chief Mountain Highway”. This was another scenic ride, with a gorgeous view and more stunning scenery overlooking Glacier Park, but unfortunately in the company of rain and only little sun. There was a small hick-up at the border crossing, where I was able to keep the bear spray, but a small tube of pepper-spray got confiscated. Sometimes it is just hard to understand the logic behind it all! At the same time it started to pour buckets of rain, but then at least the custom officials allowed me to wait out the storm in their shelter, nice….

All this rain had created the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and the last few campsites were just full of those hateful creatures. The dislike of Mozzies is now about on the same level as leeches, if not worse. At least the beautiful scenery continued while riding north on route 6, which then turned into prairies heading north on Alberta’s route 22 with the Rockies in the distance to the west. The skies continued to look threatening, but somehow always after I put on the raingear, those dark clouds moved on without dropping the load into my path. After 16 days of straight cycling and an almost 100-mile day ride, I arrived at the town of Black Diamond. The disappointment was kind of big as the sign read “full” at the local campground. Being tired, I decided to ask for a tent spot anyway which ended up being a wise thing to do. The folks at the Lions Campground were rather bicycle friendly and provided not only a great tent site(,) but also a camping chair and an extra wool blanket for those cold nights. The hospitality of the campground staff was excellent, so I stayed an extra day to rest a bit and to stroll around this small town of around 2000 residents. Black Diamond got its name from the high grade coal that was mined at one time.

Well rested and with fresh legs, I continued north on 22, still riding parallel to the Rockies towering to the west. The riding could have been much more pleasant, if not for those blood thirsty, pesky, ever so hungry buzzers who seemed to attack with entire armies, every time I slowed down a bit. At least the weather had improved and I was able to ride under blue skies for a change along rolling hills, green fields and a generous wide shoulder, excellent to cycle on. Despite the improvements, I was glad to meet Kristie a couple of days later in between Calgary and Edmonton. We loaded the bike and gear into her car and returned to Calgary for a couple of days, to enjoy the city life with its amenities. As special treat and some more R&R, we flew to Vancouver to visit some friends. It was great to be away from the road for a few days and even more so, the company couldn’t have been any better….

          Until next time from down the road,

Tony Bike