Oh well I nearly went to the sun!

I'm not sure how well you'll see it but the ol' girl just clocked 300,000 Km!

It felt good to be back in my little tent, all alone in the silent camp ground and I slept soundly. Whilst I had my knife, axe, torch and bear spray within easy reach in the tent. I don’t think I would have woken up if a grizzly had crawled in next to me and snuggled up!!! Whereas I have been waking up around 5am I didn’t even stir until nearly 7, but there was no rush and at an altitude of nearly 5000 ft there was a definite chill in the air. I made tea and breakfasted on granola and creamed rice, an unusual but tasy combination, and loaded up. Just as I swung my leg over the bike there was a flash of lightening followed immediately by a huge clap of thunder. The wind started to rise and the first few drops of rain hit me just as I past the entrance to the camp site. I debated turning back to shelter under the trees until it past but as I didn’t think it would be much I headed off. Mistake! Before I had got to the park entrance there was a full on storm blowing. I spotted a picnic area and hoped I’d find a bit of shelter. I was in luck as ther was a a fully roofed shelter into which I could even drive the bike, so we sat out the worst of the storm in comfort. Or at least I stood it out… every surface in the shelter was smothered in hairy caterpillars and whilst they weren’t in the least harmful I neither wanted to squash them or disturb them; after all it was there home not mine.

 It wasn’t too long before the rain abated and I made a run for it, although as I was heading higher up into the mountains to the Chief Mountain Border Crossing I suspected that the respite might not last for too long and I was right. In fact for most of the morning it rained on and off with the temperature which had been in the low thirties all week, struggled to make it into double digits. The border crossing into the USA was quick and simple, although it did have me a little worried when I was asked why I had crossed into and out of the US on the same day! I had completely forgotten my quick trip down to Porthill to collect some of the bike spares which Joel had ordered. However that was soon cleared up and it turned out that the border guard’s son actually worked at the Porthill crossing.

The mountains all around me were shrouded in clouds and mist, giving the scenery a surreal atmosphere. The road was almost empty other than  a long convoy of RV’s coming in the other direction at one point. I guess they feel safer in numbers even in the US. I arrived at Babb where I was to turn right and head for West Glacier and onto the Going to the Sun Highway; I kid you not, that is it’s proper name. But as I turned I spotted another right turn almost immediately signposted to Many Glacier Park. As I rounded the corner there was another sign stating that the road ended in 12 miles. Ok, so a 24 mile detour, it was worth a look, and once more it did not disappoint. After following the river for a few miles there was what appeared to be a relatively recent dam, or at least it had recently been renovated. This was holding back a huge lake in which the surrounding mountains were mirrored magically. There were a few tour groups in funny little busses, but as it was still quite early both in the day and in the season I could enjoy the peace, quiet and isolation of the place.

On the way back down I stopped by a waterfall for a brew and whilst sitting in quiet contemplation a lady and her father stopped for a chat. She took one look at the bike and burst into tears and gave me a big hug. Her son had also been in Afghanistan and he had been badly injured. Although he is now fully recovered, she understood and empathised. Yet another touching and very emotional moment travelling the US.  

A little while later I turned onto the Going to the Sun Road…. Only to find it closed! They were doing extensive road works and it will not reopen until the 19^th June, Friday, but even that could not be guaranteed. Damn and blast! I stopped at an historical Rangers cabin that I saw signposted just as I had made the turn, got out my maps, GPS and notes from Joel and spent a bit of time deliberating the options. There were three that came to mind. Firstly I could hold up in a camp site and hopefully also sit out the bad weather that had now returned with a vengeance. But as I’d been sitting around at Taz & Joel’s for over a week, that didn’t really appeal. Secondly, I could ride round to the other side, go to the top and back down the same way but that meant I’d only get to see half of it. So I took the third option and carried on straight through Glacier and south towards Yellowstone. I had to come back up this way fairly close to Glacier to get back to Creston, so I reasoned that I would Go to the Sun on my way back.

It rained on and off for most of the day, but by around 5pm the sun had come out, the temperature had climbed to about 24c and I was approaching Great Falls, Montana. Although not without having to negotiate several miles of road works on the US 89 which reminded me of Vietnam earlier in the year. Rather than do one side of the road at a time they had just chewed the whole lot up and sort of left the traffic to work its way through it. They did have an escort vehicle to keep speed down but that was the only concession to H&S. I’m really not doing too well on the wild camping on this part of the trip either. Montana is just so flat and for the most part treeless, there is simply nowhere to hide so once again I’m in a camp site surrounded by huge RVs. Although at least this one has a pleasant grassy area between some trees reserved just for tents, of which there are, with mine, three. A fellow biker who’s bike is by his tent, but no sign or site of him, and a young couple, who for some reason I can’t properly explain, give me to think I should make sure all my kit is safely locked away tonight!  Probably all in my mind, but I like to think that such feelings or awareness if you like, is what keeps me and my belongings safe on my silly trips! 

Today started well enough and just kept getting better; well apart from some thoughtless idiot who thought it a good idea to let his noisy 4x4 tick over for at least half an hour before getting in and driving off. Now if it was -40 perhaps he would have a point, but it most definitely was not! It really is amazing how thoughtless some people can be¬! In complete contrast, two cyclists arrived at around 10.30pm, set up camp right next to me and I was quite startled to find them there when I looked out to see who’s truck was making all the noise at about 5am. Oh well, it takes all sorts and even that couldn’t bring out Old Grumpy as I was still in a good mood after yesterdays pleasant ride.  I was continuing on US87 or the Lewis-Clarke Trail which I had joined at Great Falls, heading more or less south east via Lewiston to Red Lodge and the Bear Tooth Pass which I had heard so much about. From there I would enter Yellowstone National Park to spend a few days seeing the sights. So with all that in mind I was on a high, not least it was where I was supposed to have been heading when I had all the oil leak problems a week or so back and having paid $80 for my pass to all the parks it had looked as though I was going to miss out on one of the biggest and best..

I just liked this Historic Ranger's Barn with the contrast of the caulking!

There are many Historic Points marked along the road side as you drive through mystical America, giving lots of information about, well, history! It doesn’t make for fast progress but is a far more fun way to learn about the Wild West than I was ever taught in school. So every few miles I’d pull over and read the board or see some monument or other. Lewis & Clarke were two early explorers who opened up the region to settlers, Having had my interest sparked I think I’ll be doing a bit of reading about the early days out west when I get home. As well as more of the extremely long road works I managed to find another very lengthy off-road section shortly before Red Lodge and at one point though I might well be camping in the middle of nowhere when I get my front wheel well and truly stuck in a deep rut. Incredibly, I managed to keep the bike upright and slowly inched it forward until I finally lurched out at a rather odd angle and shot off! That warmed me up somewhat I can tell you.

I little way before Red Lodge I stopped for some supplies at a little supermarket in Absaroka, a neat and tidy little town which appears to be just about in the middle of nowhere. I spent quite a while in the store and one of the check-out ladies was really   helpful looking out things I couldn’t find. Eventually I walked back to my bike to find that someone had left a silver medallion on the seat! It was put there in such a way that it had to have been carefully placed to ensure I found it! I can only think that someone had been reading the inscription on the brass plaques. I can’t tell you how touched I was by such I simple gesture. In fact I returned to the shop and asked the woman that been helping to thank whoever it was for me if she managed to find who had left it. 

My first sighting of the Yellowstone River.