Forest Service Road 763, Olney, MT
The Pilgrimage: Day 3
Left Rexford fairly early and rode the East side of Lake Koocanusa. It was overcast and a bit chilly, but everything was fine. I back tracked to Libby to get gas, before I hit Forest Service Road 763.
Bear Grass, on Forest Service Road 763
This little jaunt through the Kootenai National Forest between Libby and Olney was the best part of the day. It sprinkled on and off but for the most part I was distracted by some fun twisties and then some fun dirt (which btw is even more fun with proper tires ha!)
I got to Whitefish, stopped at the gas station to ask the people working there if they knew anywhere that had some good soup. Had to explain why I couldn’t just look it up on my phone, before they determined it would be best to just go to Super One (which is a grocery store chain in Western Montana.)
Got myself some chicken dumpling soup, sat down next to my bike in the parking lot and enjoyed my warm soup while people drove by and stared at the weird biker chick, eating soup like a hobo, next to a loaded bike, in a grocery store parking lot. Good Times. At least, until I spotted the storm coming in.
Repeated ‘shit shit shit shit’ to myself while I threw my rain gear on and hit the road right when the rain started to pour.
The bike died multiple times just going down the road. Pulled into a gas station for the second time to see if I could fix it and hit a low point. Sat on the ground at a gas station, watching it pour, next to a bike that just wasn’t having this wet stuff.
Indian Paintbrush on the side of the road.
It was also there I realized I lost my little fold up chair. It’s gone. I wonder how much stuff I’m going to loose on this trip. I should probably start a list.
Pulled myself together after a few calls and made my way into Glacier National Park and set up camp at Apgar.
The silver lining, I guess, is I got to set up my tent in the small gap in the rain before it down poured again. Ha!
Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana
The Pilgrimage: Day 4
After my damp Day 3, I wasn’t in a hurry to get up and put all my not-so-dry gear back on. Sometimes, when you’re on the road, the only thing that can motivate you is yourself. So, I kicked myself in the ass and got everything packed onto the bike and began the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
It stayed overcast until I got out of St. Mary’s Lake, but even overcast Glacier doesn’t disappoint.
It was colder than all get out, and Lazarus was continuing her streak of loosing power, then being just fine. Going-to-the-Sun road is always packed with tourists, but it’s worth it, and the slow pace is good because around every turn is another jaw dropping sight.
By the time I reached the East entrance to Glacier, my spirits had been thoroughly restored. i meandered over to Cut Bank.
I had a bad burger at a bar in town, then managed to find Glacier Mist RV Park. I say ‘managed’ because it was a pretty fortuitous find. Carol, an amazing woman from Colorado, runs a pretty awesome set up. She had a few cabins, showers, and laundry!
So, I scored a little cabin for the night that was still within my budget, not to mention, we fell into natural conversation for two hours. We talked about old adventures, about the trips we’d like to go on, and a tiny bit of philosophy about never letting anything get in the way of your dreams.
A pretty amazing woman, that I wish I could have spent way more time with.