Day 6 + Pics

More pics here: http://web.mac.com/robertgstevens/iWeb/Rob%27s%20Site/Glacier.html









Last day of riding was about 57 miles, nearly all down hill, though the headwind was a bit brutal at times.

Moonlight at Prince of Wales Hotel

I'm lying here in bed at the Prince of Wales Hotel overlooking Upper Waterton Lake, Canada. The night is clear, crystal clear...and silent. The lake, perfectly framed by mountains that are nothing if not majestic, is a bathed in the soft, glimmering white light of the moon. Pure, powerful beauty.

Good night...

Fwd: Day 5 | Epic Ride

Rode 77 miles to Glacier Park Lodge, climbing seemingly endless hills - over 5,000 vertical feet gained - in the process. Felt very strong, had fun & made good time.

Dinner with the Backroads group, then drinks with my buddy Craig before crashing round midnight.

Fwd: Day 3 & 4 | Prince of Wales | Waterton

Rode 50 miles to the Prince of Wales Hotel today. Plenty of uphills and a brutal head wind, along with an exhilarating, v fast and long downhill. The hotel is located in the World Heritage Waterton/Glacier Int'l Peace Park, at the edge of a glacier moraine, overlooking one of the most awe inspiring mountain vistas on the planet.

Grateful that day 4 was a rest day. I squandered it working...despite the great job my colleagues were doing moving things forward at RobinsOak. Finally had Internet access but still no bars on AT&T. Seems they have zero coverage in Montana save for Whitefish.

Day 2

Rode 60 miles on Going-to-the-Sun Road through the heart of Glacier. Crossed the Continental Divide at 6,680 feet after ascending a 12 mile hill. Rode with two very cool people along the way: Bill, a former jr officer on a Trident nuke sub, who moved to Montana two years ago and was biking 100 miles to pick up his car, which he left at the Many Glacier Hotel the day before after completing an 11 mile Apline hike over Logan Pass; and Tricia from Boston, a fellow Backroader, nurse practicioner, former marathoner and current triathelete who is an incredibly strong rider. When we reached the Divide and dismounted, my legs were so tired theynearly buckled. To give my legs a break, I had to grab the handrail and push up with my arm as I climbed the stairs. Saw a family of Rocky Mountain goats near the pass, then rocketed down the backside
>&of the mountain and on to Many Glacier Hotel. Upon arrival, I plunged into the beautiful, cold, blue-green waters of Swiftcurrent Lake. Watched a dramatic lighting storm while listening to John Coltrain on my balcony overlooking Swiftcurrent before going to bed. All in all, a great a day.

Lake McDonald at Dusk

1st day's ride

Met the Backroad's group Sunday AM for the start of our tour (http://backroads.com/trips/BGLQ). Have been without Internet access and mobile service ever since...until today. First day's ride was about 40 miles. We didn't start riding until 2:30; very hot. My rear derailer stopped functioning properly a few miles into the ride. Ended up riding with only 3 gears...made for a good workout.

Stayed the night at the Lake McDonald Lodge, which was probably a wonderful lodge when it opened nearly a century ago. 80+ degrees in the room and no AC. No operable windows either, though the walls were so thin I'm not sure opening the windows would have made much of a difference. Slept soundly nonetheless, despite the best efforts of the Park Service.

Oh. Had a lovely walk along the lake after sunset. Peaceful, silent, still night. Beautiful moment. Put things in perspective...which is part of the reason I'm loving this trip, despite a few minor glitches.

Gotta go to dinner now...

Greetings from Whitefish, Montana

Arrived at the Garden Wall Inn B&B last night 'round midnight. Was greeted by host Chris, who stayed up late to check me in. Went for a walk before breakfast and stumbled upon a Frank Lloyd Wright building a block away! Great way to start the trip. I felt a sense of wonder I so often experience in NYC; a mixture of surprise, curiosity and joy.

I've had some great breakfasts at B&Bs before, but this morning's ranked among the best. A less elaborate version of breakfast at Camden, ME's Hartstone House. I savored the fresh fruit - local cherries and raspberries, and apricots and peaches delivered in a farmer's truck from Washington State. I even had bacon for the first time in decades after Chef / Owner Rhonda explained the meat was from a local farm. The apple French toast w/ maple syrup and (wild) Huckleberry muffins were awesome. The local papers report: "Huckelberry season is on" in Whitefish, MO. The old, fat, shirtless neighbor noisily mowing his lawn outside the dining room window added a touch of reality to a perfect meal.

...gotta go. Cab's picking me up in 15 minutes for the short ride to the lodge where the Backroads trip begins!