Season 4 Episode 8. There’s no good way!

Season 4 Episode 8. There’s no good way!

8/1 Wallace, ID - Quinns Hot Springs, Paradise, MT. 73 miles. 3,052’ climb. 

Today’s ride was the perfect example of how a full day’s ride is sometimes comprised of very distinct rides. (Isn’t this a fitting metaphor for real life days sometimes like that too?)

First: we rode a short, pleasant, flat 7 miles on the paved trail to its end in Mullan, ID. 

Second: we pedaled up the mostly unpaved NorPac trail (the old Northern Pacific railroad) a steady, rail-grade climb of about 1500’ over 12 miles to the summit at Lookout Pass, and the state line of Idaho and Montana. Lookout Pass is one of the original US ski areas and one of just a few where you can ski down into 2 states. The unpaved riding was less enjoyable, but delivered terrific views. 

Third: We once again cycled on I-90, but this time for 34 miles (90% descent) at the suggestion of Sandpoint, ID residents who would have been our WarmShowers hosts had we stuck with our originally planned route, and with whom we were in contact for advice. 

Welcome to Montana sign (on left) leaving Lookout Pass comes with an eerie sign (on right) about all the markings of road deaths.

Fourth and final: we biked from St. Regis to Paradise for 20 flat miles with magnificent river and mountain scenes. 

Without diligently looking for ALL the crosses marking road deaths, I counted 20 by the time we got to our hotel, including this double fatality. Passing each one induced caution on my part, but it didn’t seem to slow down the speeding cars.

Along I-90, there were several (7 or 8?) of these signs beckoning us to exit. But I wasn’t tempted as I reasoned that’s too many flavors for quality. Just lots of syrups.

But just 6 minutes later I did pass a sign that I knew I might have to sample - could it really be “best ever”? Or am I a sucker for marketing?

I was daydreaming of the best shake ever, when this sign startled me with it’s don’t be fooled warning. I’ve never seen such a sign! Scary when you really realize they posted this because of its history. 

Incredibly wide shoulder to enjoy on Interstate. We actually passed another cyclist!

I-90 was actually quite scenic and we never felt unsafe.

In St. Regis, at the travel center, I started “interviewing” random strangers who I saw holding the purple huckleberry shakes - asking them if this was indeed their best ever. I heard replies that it was good, but not best ever. I told this family that I’ve blogged about shakes on my first 2 cross-country bike trips, and was feeling a dilemma whether to try one as it can’t really be best ever? The woman was pushing me to get one even though she wouldn’t say it was best ever. Then Heather emerged with one and reluctantly (!) let me taste it. Aha I knew it! More hype. Not at all best ever.

By the way, we found this region is very into promoting their huckleberries, and learned they cost about four times the price of blueberries as they only grow in the wild so are more expensive to pay people to go pick them. 

I did get a shake (sea salt caramel) which was way better than Heather’s. High rating of “4 straws”. My shake fueled me for the final 20 miles that got challenging due to the heat, however Heather forgot she can’t have shakes like me and felt ill and was wiped. She also may have had some heatstroke. She barely made it to our hotel. 

We feasted on magnificent views around each river bend. I felt like we were in the movie set of Brad Pitt’s  “A River Runs Through It”.

Spelled “wrong” but another sign we are on the right path.

In Paradise, our weary bodies, having ridden more consecutive days than ever before, greatly enjoyed soaking in the hot springs - the hottest at 106 degrees a bit too much- the 102.4 pool was my optimal spot. Just what the doctor ordered!

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8/2 Paradise, MT - Rollins, MT. 70 miles. 3,087’ climb. 

To beat the heat that would rise into the 90s, we left early before any breakfast was available. For some reason I decided to count the roadside crosses (fatalities) in our first hour until we stopped to eat. 12 crosses in one hour. This would weigh heavily on me. 

A gorgeous start to our day, the first hour featured more beautiful river bends along the Clark Fork on Highway 200 until the town of Plains.

We then rode Highway 28 to Hot Springs and onto Elmo on the Western shore of Flathead Lake. It was on Highway 28 that mid-day, the shoulder on the road for cyclists went from slim to none! And it was one lane in each direction with a 70 mph limit. Yikes!

The shoulder of the road disappeared.

Now something started to make sense. Back in May, when planning this trip, I almost chose the route through Spokane, Washington and then to include the Trail of the Couer d’Alenes, Idaho that I’d heard so much about. The trail is not part of the Northern Tier. I wanted to do the trail AND badly go to Glacier National Park, but the two didn’t seem combinable. In fact, I called the Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) based in Missoula, MT and asked how to do this. They told me if coming through Coeur d’Alene, then “there is no good way” to also go to Glacier and we should just continue east to Missoula. They advised to go through the Cascades and to Glacier NP, but don’t ride there this way. Well, that’s exactly what we were doing. Instead of heading east from St. Regis to Missoula, we were heading north to Glacier NP. Ahhhhh. So now I understand what “no good way” means. 

For the next few hours, I rode with my left eye constantly checking my mirror for vehicles coming up on me and praying they would veer to their left to go around me. And if not, then I was prepared to ditch the road and veer to my right into the grass. This was no way to enjoy this ride. (Maybe this also metaphorically is no way to live with an eye on what’s behind you instead of in the present or what’s ahead.)

We pedaled in the rising heat, into a headwind that didn’t refresh, but just blew more warm air onto us, and we barely made progress. There weren’t any shaded spots for lunch. It reminded us of 2021 when Heather stood next to a utility pole in the searing Arizona heat for a sliver of shade. 

There are 3 points of bodily contact with the bike: feet, hands and butt. A rider can change hand positions easily or even alternately take a hand off the bike to relieve pressure and soreness. You can also stand up on your pedals to relieve pressure on your butt. I do both of the above often. I will ride with one hand or even no hands; and I ride at times standing while also stretching my calves. However, there is no relief for your feet. And in the heat, my feet swell and I could feel them burning and uncomfortable. 

As we committed to this route on Highway 28, I’d also been nervous about the fires in the area and on both sides of the road, and the possibility of another road closure. This time we were lucky.

Finally, relief was in sight. Flathead Lake appeared which was beautiful and with the Rockies beyond. And in the town of Elmo, we turned north on Highway 93 (with shoulders!) to Rollins.

More fence/art from old bicycles.

Our tiny 2 person tent.

And with fly cover.

Campground at least had a restaurant and server’s tee resonates loudly with me.

Post-dinner yoga stretch for Heather, and Flathead Lake and Rockies views. I do love camping.

Water is so clean and clear!

*     *     *

8/3 Rollins, MT to West Glacier, MT  63 miles. 2,482’ climb. 

Sunrise in Rollins over Flathead Lake, another camping plus.

A beautiful ride into the mountains and West Glacier.

Sunset in West Glacier.

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8/4 West Glacier, MT to Lake McDonald, inside Glacier NP 12 miles.

Here at last!  One day later, and 235 more miles than originally planned because of fire detour - but we got here!

From the west shore of Lake McDonald in Apgar Village.

Today, with only 12 miles of riding, was essentially a rest day. We’d given up the 2 full rest days that we would have had thus far. 

I sat for hours in a rocker on the back deck of the Lake McDonald Lodge, staring at the lake and the mountains beyond. What is it about this type of setting that always brings me such peace and happiness? I suspect if I were to therapize, that it has something to do with my first summer, at age 9, away at sleep away camp, that had 3 lakes and a mountain we would hike to from the farm.  

I sat contemplating tomorrow - our climb across the National Park and over the Continental Divide on the world famous Going to the Sun Road. (GTTSR). I’ve anticipated this day for six months as we planned. And maybe even for over 3 years since we first spoke with Ken F and heard about his Northern Tier ride when he gave us the encouragement and confidence that we could cycle across the country. Would our ride tomorrow measure up to the anticipation?

As I sat reflecting, thinking and typing a blog entry, I was intrigued by the woman next to me, who appeared to be older than me. In about an hour, she watercolored a painting of the lake from a photo taken at a different section. I was struck by the process in which her blank page was transformed. I asked her about it and if it is relaxing? Or is it stressful trying to paint the image accurately? She shared that it’s incredibly relaxing and she only started 18 months ago. She took a course to learn and was always a science-math person so wasn’t a creative type. I admired her willingness to step into the unknown and take that chance. I was also super impressed as I am a person without skill in the fine arts. 

With her permission, a photo of the image I watched fill a blank canvas.

In our own way, Heather and I were filling up blank pages with our own creative work. I will try to think about having it be relaxing just as this woman describes her creative endeavor. Tomorrow will be a big painting!

Copyright Mark Segal 2024.