We left the Heritage Inn at the earliest hour yet . . . 9:00am and headed south to Waterton National Park and the Waterton Lake Lodge, our home for the night. We are out with the cowboys now!!!!

BEAUTIFUL rising today as we headed back into the mountains. Easy ups and downs, nice temps and blue sky. 66 degrees!!!

We passed this B&B for sale.Most of us bought to many Canadian dollars at the airport in Edmonton and don’t want to cash it back in to USD. So . . . we pooled it our cash and put a down payment on the B&B for a new mbbt clubhouse . . .

. . . room for the hole gang. We’ll collect from everyone else when we get home!!!!

GREAT vistas and we ride bank into the range YeEHAAA!!!!!

Yikes . . .Waterton sounds like fun!!!!

These two beauties came over to the fence to say Hi. I keep forgetting to take apples from the breakfast buffets to feed to critters along the way.

Well look at that . . .TNC of Canada doing the right thing out here in rural Alberta. They have a maple leaf as their logo rather than the oak leaf the US organizations uses.

First car kill I have seen on the road this trip. You can see the car parts strewn around behind it. I’m not sure if I have ever seen one with it’s eyes open. Looked like I had awakened her and she was ready to get up. Sad . . . .

We stopped at one of the many overlooks along the way . . . and TNC was featured again!

One of only about 10 of these I have seen across all the miles we have ridden on Canada . . .

. . . must have been a very happy person, well remember by their friends.

Quite the setting for a home . . . million dollar view out the back window, Snaren!!!

Special meaning for emJay!!!!!

Miles and miles of BEAUTIFUL scenery rolling by. Great road conditions, low traffic, blue sky, mild temps . . . wished we could ride forever!

Nearing the border. Love the French version!

We entered back into the Canadian National Park system, at Waterton Park. It shares a boundary with Glacier NP in the US. We cross the border into Glacier tomorrow.

As we rolled into the park . . . there was the famous Prince of Wales Hotel that has been so prominently displayed in so many photos spreads.

SLOW DOWN . . . bear crossing . . .

Signage everywhere . . . maybe I will finally see one. I did not.

We had a nice little lunchy on the balcony of our Lodges Restaurant. Marissa, a graphics art student from Calgary, put up with our bad jokes and corny behavior. A GOOD SPORT!!

TommyH had a NICE hamburger. Reminded us of Sprechers!

There are so many deer roaming around town that folks need to fence in anything you don’t want them to munch.

I went on a little ride about town. There is the Bear Claw hiking trail that ascends 700 feet to this FANTASTIC vista. Took 22 minutes to ascend and 20 be get back down again!

The Samsung phone takes better panoramas than my Canon. We are pedaling through that tomorrow!!!!

Looking the other way you can see the Prince of Wales Hotel below.

After I descend, I hopped on the bike and tooled over to check the hotel out . . .

Nice digs!!!!

Backroad’s bike tours was there too. They seem to have been shadowing us for the last week. They had the tablecloth topped folding table with goodies set up behind the vans. We have been relying on Cliff Bars we carry in our handlebar bags and water!!!! BUT, our tour didn’t cost $3,000/person either!!!!

I had to get a photo of Connie ‘The Clydesdale’  Cannondale and me in front of the hotel. The Old Girl has a lot of miles and memories of the many trips she has hauled me on in the US, and now Canada too. She has never let me down and been a good riding companion.

Here is the triple for tonight. The G is on the floor right next to our balcony door. Cozy!!!!

We all slept great last night and were up in the restaurant at 7:30am when they opened. We have developed a pattern of being the first ones at breakfast!!!

Right outside of our hotel was a good view of the Bear Claw lookout I hiked up to yesterday.

Greg had  his own room last night with  fireplace in his living  room . . .

. . . and a fireplace in his bedroom. Plus a Jacuzzi tub!!!

We rolled out of the Waterton Valley and began a 5 mile, 8.5% average grade, ride towards the US border. Looking to the west there was a good view of the Prince of Wales hotel.

. . .and there was the Bear Claw lookout point again. Doesn’t seem quite that high when compared to the mountains around it!!!!

Yippee . . . real cowboys????

The climb seemed to go on forever and at such a slow speed one has PLENTY of time to look around and take in the scenery. I was also admiring the new roadbed. Very nice!!!!

In fact, the crews who had laid it were already out looking for areas that needed to be repaired . . .

. . . they also take core samples every kilometer to send in for analysis.

As you can see on my Garmin, the black dot being me, I had just ascended Mt Everest, starting from the left side of the screen, I was ready for one nice downhill. Banzaiii!!!!

 

We passed out of Waterton National Park and into the Blood Indian Reservation. The Canadian government deeded 4,300 acres to the tribe to use as a timber bank.

. . . and it is ONLY for tribal members.

As I made the final climb back up to the US border, the weather started looking a little UGLY!!!!

Soon I was across the border, as my trusty Garmin indicated . . .

The plaque at the border signifying the joint Peace Park designated between Canada and the United States.

Once again, another good change to see a BEAR. I’m still zero for zero!!!!

Right near the birder station there was an outfitter getting ready to head out into the bush.

I no more passed this Montana State border sign and it started to rain. It would rain for the rest of the day, sometimes so hard I had to squint between the top of my sunglasses and the visor on my helmet to see the road. NOT FUN!!  It was about here that it started to hail on BillyyB and me. The hail looked like popcorn bouncing off the road shoulder.

Wasn’t long before I saw this Border Patrol officers rig who was out patrolling out on horseback. Haven’t seen one on these since our Southern Tier ride along the US/Mexico border.

We descended out of the mountains on a really sweet downhill that took us into the small burg of Baab. Not much there, but they had a GREAT statue outside one of their schools!!

I’ve heard about these FedEx depots along the border. Canadians have parcels sent to these private depots near the border and then drive down to pick up their packages. Evidently delivery time to Canada is dreadfully slow because of Canadian customs. Must want them to shop locally!!!!

Off the reservation and back in the Park at Many Glacier . . .

. . . cycling along a 12 long mile road paralleling Lake Sherburne

. . . as I looked  ahead I saw something black . . .could it FINALLY be a bear . . .

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT . . . I finally did see one on the side of the road . . .

As Ranger Bob (who used to work at Lake Kegonsa State Park in WI) explained in his chart. . .

. . . one should give a bear a WIDE berth . . .

I was so excited to see one, I shook his paw!!!

Soon I rolled through the park entrance and had a nice chat with Ranger Linda about the new road construction that will be started next year and take three years to complete!!! Hopefully the Park Service will use the same road standards their Canadian cousins do.

I rolled into Many Glacier in between rain storms. Very pretty setting with  . . .

. . . a big, old lodge, full of tourists!

Nice dining room!

They had a great photo display of how the glaciers are disappearing. This is one of probably twenty photos they had of various glaciers that have all melted. The shot above is from 1903 . . .

The same  vantage point is from 2012!!!

 

. . . another great meal on the road. Only problem was no vino, beer, or liquor of any type. The lodge is on the reservation and the tribe has a special meeting going on for the weekend. Per their local ordinance, no liquor can be served to tribal or non-tribal members during the event. That included mbbt members too!!!

Yesterday was raining, cold, ugly weather and today we woke to a crisp 46 degrees, clear skies and no rain in the forecast . . . Yippee!!!!!

Mirror like finish on the lake as we headed out on our last day our ‘coup de gras’ . . . the climb over Logan Pass!

Heading back into the mountains from the plains . . .

. . . 17 miles of UPPPPPPP . . .

No traffic at 8:30am, but the traffic would build during the day. At least there would be no trucks allowed. The traffic gets so bad during the day on the west side that bicyclists need to get over the pass and past Lake McDonald by 11:00am. If you don’t make it there by 11:00am, you need to take the shuttle bus out, with your bike on the front or have an alternative was to get out. TommyH is driving today and the plan is for him to meet us at Lake McDonald in case we don’t make the time limit.

The start of our climb . . .

BEAUTIFUL fully lit scenes, corner after corner, as the sun shines over our shoulders . . .

Like Yosemite,in an effort to keep traffic down, Glacier offers a free shuttle service to park users. It runs about a very 20 minutes. Handy, especially for hikers that are starting out down the road. No need to worry about leaving a car.

Most of the valley, and mountain sides we rode through, had been burned several years ago. But as you can see, Mother Nature is making a come back. Nature abhors a vacuum.

I met Sally at one of the pullouts where she was walking Jack and Sasha, two Border Collies. She was having trouble getting them to do their morning business because they were not used to being on leashes. They are used to running free and didn’t like an audience!!!!!

On the Going to the Sun Road, east to west . . .

. . . this was a very interesting area, where the road turned back on itself . . .

You can see the road on the left and the right . . . lots of day hikers.

. . .  and lost of water flowing EVERYWHERE!!!!

Here is a touring concept from another era. The Park Service bought the fleet many years ago and the touring cars were recently reconstructed by Ford. Six bench seats and a retractable ‘ ragtop’. Looked like a fun way to tour the park.

After a 17 mile climb, Connie the Clydesdale was winded and we took a break at the pass . . .

. . . looking back over our shoulders we could see what we had climbed up . . .

. . . and looking ahead we could see what was to come . . . YESSSSSSSS an 11 mile downhill. Best and longest downhill I have ever ridden.

Here is part of the route down. Everyone’s hands got sore from the constant braking action needed to keep your bike from running away . . . or hitting cars in front of you on the procession down the mountain.

But . . . the vistas were stunning . . .

Looking back on the way down . . .

. . . on the bottom, we followed the river to Lake McDonald. Crystal clear water . . . you could see every detail on the bottom.

The G was the only one who made it to Lake McDonald within the time period allotted and was able to bike all the way to Whitefish. The rest of us met up with TommyH and, of course being hungry, headed to West Glacier for a little lunchy.

We had a yummy lunch and had a good time with our waitstaff, Diane. She was from Connecticut and, like the rest of the staff we have met, works in the National Parks during the three month summer season. She works in food service back in Connecticut at a University during the school year and has been doing the yin/yan thing for 10 years. She liked TommyH and said he reminded her of Jonathan Winters. When she served dessert, she had changed her mind and thought he resembled Bernie Sanders!!!! She said she had not  felt the ‘Bern’. He left her a BIG tip!!!!

We are staying at the Chalet Hotel for two nights. Also staying the first night were the staff of Austin Adventures, based in Billings, MT. They are starting a tour tomorrow through the Park with nine riders . . .

Kera was busy cleaning out the van. Here is the snack tray they have available at every SAG top along with their mascot. Sounded like a great trip with LOTS of pampering. You can read more about their tours here.

We had a great final dinner downtown at Loula’s, a place that Greg had eaten at many times. I had the Crab stuffed Salmon with Hoppin’ John and broiled Brussels Sprouts.

The G had the Chicken Pot Pie. It was so big he planned on saving half of it for the van ride back to Wisconsin . . .

. . . ten minutes later he realized that was not going to happen!!!!

Peanut butter chocolate cake for dessert and a stop at the local ice cream store, for single scoops, all helped bring our trip to a successful finish.

Sunday morning rolled around an it was time to load up the van for the BillyB and the G to head east back to Wisconsin . . .

Hard to believe everything fits in there but Greg, TommyH’s and my carryon’s. We fly out tomorrow.

TommyH, Greg and I had the day to explore Whitefish and Kalispell. We started at the annual Huckleberry Festival where Greg and TommyH had a corn dog followed by more goodies . . .

From there we walked, out to Whitefish Lake, on the city limits. We needed directions, so walked to the beach with Gwen with her two puppies

One last chance to go shopping. Using the TommyH mantra of . . . ‘I see, I need, I buy’  . . .

Greg was very excited over a jersey . . .

. . . and went gaga over it!!!!

I decided to go cowboy and bought a pair of boots and matching jeans (no belt buckle, though) . . .

And TommyH bought a black leather vest to go with his Harley. Here he is ready to practice his best Palladin ‘quick draw’ . . .

. . . but then suddenly broke into his best Fred Astaire impression of . . .

. . . ‘Singing in the Rain’ !!!!

Time for one last dinner in Whitefish . . .

. . . I think we will pass on this place.

We settled on Tupelo’s, Number #1 Trip Adviser recommendation and it was DELICIOUS!!!!!

clockwise: Greg had the ‘Not Quite Famous’ Mac & Cheese, TommyH had the thick cut Pork Loin girts/cornbread, I had the Low Country Shrimp and Grits with Tasso ham. DELICIOUS!!!

We couldn’t leave Montana without one more dessert. Biking miles today = 0. clockwise: Greg had the Sticky Toffee Creme Caramel, TommyH had the Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, I had the Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chantilly Creme. Nice way to end the night!!!!

Plane boards tomorrow at 5:00am so I guess we will leave for the airport at . . . 3:30am?????????

And so ended a great trip, through Jasper National Park, Banff National Park, Kootenay National Park, YoHo National Park, Waterton National Park and in the US, Glacier National Park.

The whole trip would not have happened without the meticulous planning conducted by Greg, whom we all toasted in appreciation.

His great sense of continuity, logistics, pre-planning, dealing with ‘on the road changes’, PLUS putting up with a minimum of four other opinions on how things should be done was commendable and resulted in this being such a wonderful experience for us all. Here in his typical fashion of, ‘taking one for the team’,  we searches for the best corner of the room to sleep in during his night on the floor in the triple. May not be on the couch!!!!

 

ps. I was the only one who never did see a bear. I REALLY felt left out when I even missed the bear found in a cherry tree in Whitefish!!!!!