God continues to shine, and the weather gets better too

Leaving Seeley Lake on Monday morning, we wore our raingear even though it wasn't raining - yet. It was just really cold, and the cold lasted all day long. Riding north through the Swan Valley along MT 83, we had great views of the Swan Mountains on our right, which were getting new snow on them whenever a storm cloud would pass over. We would just get a periodic shower of cold rain. I don't think the temperature went above 50 all day.

Not many towns along the way, but just before the town of Condon we found a small enclave of buildings including a general store, a restaurant and a ranger station. We stopped in the ranger station and got good advice on where to eat, where to get groceries, and also how to deal with bears, which are quite prevalent in the area: bear spray, which is a really powerful and potent pepper spray. We bought our bear spray there, which looks like a small fire extinguisher (red, and about 8 inches tall) and got to try it out before purchase with an inert demo canister - that thing can really shoot. If a bear is threatening and within about 30 feet, you aim below him so that the spray rises up into his face. One second of spray should do it, but if not you have an 5 or 6 shots remaining. Hopefully that will do it. Probably take us down, too, if we use it all up in one small area. Need to be mindful of the wind, too.

We enjoyed lunch and coffee at the nearby restaurant, and got to spend a little more time there when it began to rain hard as were about to leave. The rain lasted only a few minutes and so we pushed on to Condon for a few groceries as we planned to camp in Swan Lake. While Teresa was inside the store, a group of folks came out and started asking about the bike and our trip. Another small world event, one of the folks was originally from Turlock.

Other than being cold and rained on a few more times, and also getting a great glimpse of Swan Mountain, which rises nearly 10,000 ft and is completely covered with snow, we had an uneventful ride to Swan Lake. As mentioned, we planned to camp, and came across the Swan Lake Trading Post which had campsites and small cabins. Teresa was pretty well done by then, so we asked about camping: $13 including showers. But, since it was Monday and Monday's are completely dead, we could get a cabin for $25. Didn't take too long to decide on a cabin. Really nice folks running the place, they've had it for 8 years and are gradually adding the rustic cabins, which have a nice secluded setting across a wooden footbridge over the little creek that runs through it. They also run the post office and it appears they have a weather station out back probably providing info to the forest service. Great coffee in the morning is also included in the price.

After a totally quiet night of good rest in the cabin, we had hoped to ride from Swan Lake to the West Glacier entrance. However, as we looked for the camera in order to be sure we had a picture of the trading post, we couldn't find it. Thinking where it could, we have decided that we left it one of two possible stops during our ride the previous day. So we lost the pictures from Sunday and Monday, including the kayak races, the cyclists Steve and Shelly we met in Missoula, and the Swan Valley/mountains. What to do - we had to get a new camera. The folks at the trading post said the only really good place would be Kalispell, which would take us off route about 20 miles, and would mean we would spend Tuesday night in Columbia falls, 15 miles from West Glacier. So we re-routed for Kalispell to find the nearest Best Buy.

We found a whole new perspective on Montana: the skies began clearing, the temperature began rising, and the wind began pushing us from behind. A great second breakfast at Echo Lake Cafe, and the espresso was the best we have had yet. We really cruised along on MT83, and then MT 82 which took us along the northern edge of Flathead Lake. Reaching US93, we were very pleased to find a well designed and paved bike trail running parallel to the highway, which we took immediately. Outside a series of dippy-dips for drainage cutting across the path here and there, which we learned to slow down for after the first couple (bump!, ouch!) we sped into Kalispell and found the BB. Found a really good Canon camera at a really great price, the picture with this blog entry were taken with it. The old camera required a special adapter and cable for charging and downloading, this one doesn't so we can get rid of a little more gear.

After lunch at Subway just across the parking lot from BB, we were heading out on our way to Columbia Falls, and spotted a woman giving her dog a break on a grassy area nearby. Teresa said hello and we started east again. About 2 miles later, as we hit the bottom of a downhill and a street intersection, there she was standing in the middle of the road waving her arms and shouting at us: "stop, stop, I need to talk to you! You're going the wrong way, you must go to Whitefish the farmers' market is tonight, it is the greatest! You can stay at our house, you just can't go through here without going to Whitefish, it is the best place ever!" So, what do you do when something like that happens? You go to Whitefish.


Joyce and Tim Murphy, and their University of Oregon bound daughter Hayley have graciously put us up at their home and have shown us around Whitefish. They have a beautiful home in an area that has lake access via a nice little trail, and are absolutely right about Whitefish. Fantastic farmers' market where we enjoyed kettle korn and a brief massage, a great little brewery that makes a very fine stout, a really good bike shop, and they treated us to dinner at The Lodge on the lake. Tim has been an agent for State Farm for 24 years and Joyce was a special ed teacher.

Like very good neighbors, they have really been there for us. As we were riding through Kalispell, we noticed a wobble in the rear rim. When we got to Joyce and Tim's, I took a look at it and tried to true it but it was beyond my skills. Joyce called the bike shop and we took the wheel them, they said they would true it as best they could and have it back to us by morning. This morning they called to say that it wouldn't be ride able for long, it really should have a new rim, which would take at least a couple days to get in because it requires 40 holes which aren't too prevalent here. But, they did know of a couple who owned a Co-Motion tandem and who had recently upgrade their wheels and were looking to sell their rear wheel. So we are going to buy it and have bike shop get it setup for us. This will all happen tomorrow. But we have reservations for Glacier Park for tonight. So Joyce has offered to take us and our stuff to Glacier today, we will leave the bike at their house tonight, then she will pick us up tomorrow and bring us to the bike shop, get the wheel, go to here house, get the bike set and ride it - unencumbered with gear- to Glacier. What truly generous folks we have been blessed to meet. Praise God.

The next piece of really good news is that the Going to the Sun Road is supposed to open over the next two days, so we should be able to depart the park on Saturday by going up it and over Logan Pass, as had been our original plan. We understand from another cyclist, Walt Chauner, whom we met last night, a very good friend of Joyce and Tim's (he is going to Louisville, KY this weekend to compete in the Master's National Road Race which he has placed in the top 10 more than once over the past 5 years) that it is not that terribly steep, probably not more than 5% grade. So we (or at least I) am really looking forward to it. Teresa is concerned that there may be alot of traffic, I hope that if we get an early start we can beat it.

So we will be in Glacier later today, and then heading across Montana by the weekend. Blessings to all our followers, friends and family.