Today will be our second 70 miler in a row. I forgot to mention yesterday most of the riders were very tired right out of the shoot because of our night in Clark Fork, We were set up right under a  huge Maple tree at the High Scholl but neglected to check that the restaurant right next door was also a bar that had karaoke on Sat night. So we were all in bed by 8:30pm and then is when the driving around the school by all the high school kids started , oh and with the squealing of tires too. Soon the fireworks next store started and as the evening went on, the karaoke that was happening on  the deck of the restaurant got louder, louder and the singing worse, worse. About 11:30pm the kids started running through our camp on the mini-bikes and on foot. Lucky that none of them hit the guys ropes from our tents!!! Finally at 2:00am Allison went over and asked the owner when the whole thing would end. The woman was understanding and shut the whole works down.

When we woke in the morning we discovered someone had zip tied our bike together, zip tied the chainrings to the pedals and used baling wire to attached the chain to the sprockets.

Getting coffee at 6:30am at the gas station, Wade asked the cashier if he had some naughty kids in town and describes what had happened. She rolled her eyes and said, ‘Oh, that’s our Joey’!!!  Lucky for us Joey did not do anything to damage our bikes. Slashed tires would have presented a problem being that is was a Sunday and we were 40 mile from Sandpoint which probably had the closest bike shops.

so . . most of us started out the 70 mile ride with about 3 hours of sleep!

The lake produced by the Libby Dam would be the main route we would bike today. 50 miles of lake shore to admire as we biked along. The road went up and down, up and down. over 3,500 feet of climbing and we landed at the same elevation in Eureka!!!

The start of the lake behind the dam . . . would run for over 50 miles

We think this might have been a pier for employees of the dam company to use on weekends with their families’. Nice!!!

The lake made many bends and twists as we biked along it. More elevation than yesterday, just as hot BUT overcast sky’s made the biking MUCH more enjoyable. Still . . .  really pushed the liquids!!!

Really nice biking.

All the up and down we did was because of the desire not to ‘flatten out the road’. Here is one place where they did blast though the surface to avoid an uphill. Yeah!!!!

After 73 mile we reached Eureka. Some biked over 90 miles because they missed a turn right out of Libby. But we had a surprise when Allison, Mike N. and I reached Eureka. The city park was still there for us to use  . . but the city hall staff would no longer ‘loan’ out keys for groups like ours to get in and use the facilities’ through the night and to get potable water. So having restrooms that closed at 4:30pm and would not open until 8:00am tomorrow morning was not going to work for us. Weird thing was Allison had checked with them last week to verify our reservation and  everything was peachy keen!!! Now it was MOTEL time!!!!! . . .

On the way to the motel we met Hank and Aaron, two riders who were doing the ACA Great Divide Ride which goes from Banff, AB to Baja, Mexico. They figure it will take them two months. Safe riding!

Luckily Allison was able to get us into the Ksanka Inn. 8 rooms available. . . .Yippee!!!

Brenda ran the Exxon stations and the motel operations was super helpful in getting things squared away for us

Tonight Allison and Mike N are our cooks and they are using a jar of some peanut butter we have for lunches that is too soupy, to make peanut chicken pad thai. Turned out wonderful and we had ice cream for dessert!!!

D. heard it was time or appetizers and showed up ready to go . . . everyone was hungry and the food quickly vanished.

Shouldn’t be any trouble sleeping tonight!!!

Morning came too soon after our first night in three weeks on a regular bed, with a regular pillow and regular sheets. Big thunderstorm last night so it was  great we were inside. We all covered up our bikes before bed . . .

. . . and so did the boys on the first floor. They stayed up a little later than us and were not up yet by the time we left.

Time to saddle up Connie for a 59 mile ride to Whitefish.

Mike and Allison had the kitchen duty and one last thing the cooks need to do each morning after breakfast, and before handing over the reins to the next crew, is . . . take out the garbage!!

m m m m . . . would have like to meet this dude but the shop was still closed!!

. . . as we rolled out of Eureka, the rest of the crew saw the city  campsite Allison, Mike and I had visited the day before. Would have been a a nice place if we had solved the water issue.

Still some storm clouds around from last night that hid the sun and the temps were much more moderate. Great riding today for the first 22 miles before we got back on Hwy 93.

Not sure if we made a wrong turn into Canada, or not, but suddenly there was this USA and Montana border type crossing!!!!

These folks had a GREAT setting including their own lake!!

You know you are in a remote area when they have air medevac landing zones!!!

These rigs looked AWESOME and are probably a blast to drive in the winter. Would be a tough sell at this time of year!!!

Some great local art popped up as we biked along . . .

Hey, what’s this  . . . a bunch of bikers outside a bar at 10:00am in the morning . . .

. . . No, a bunch of bicyclist outside of a pie shop at 10:00am in the morning!!!

They also sold plants that were grown in their own covered bus greenhouse. One of the most creative use of old machinery we have seen on the trip so far!!!!

Joan was working the counter this morning . . .

. . . while Sally was on pie duty. Bad reflection off the glass panel used to drooling bicyclist away from the goodies!!! They were very interested in our ride about.

10:00am, 22 miles under our belt, strawberry rhubarb pie, alamode, with coffee and half and half . . . all is good!!!

But you don’t want to sit too long or the old legs stiffen up and you need to warm up all over again.

Before leaving though, we had to check out the ‘collectables’ available next door . . .

. . . some of our more discriminating shoppers were waiting for the place to open.

David found a ‘slightly used’ bike pump for 50 cents . . .

. . . while Mark was figuring out a way to attached this to his Topeak trailer. Since Allison had bought a second French Press to use for our morning coffee we decided to pass on buying this.

All of us who stopped had to take the secret ‘Rolling in Dough’ pledge before we could leave . . .

Five riders have seen bears on the road while riding. Similar to the experience I had on the mbbt ride last from Banff to Whitefish, I am still batting zero in the bear spotting department.  Except for this one.

We biked by this VW which is very similar to the one I had in the early 70’s. Brought back a flood of memories from that time period, as I biked along singing ‘Cherish’ by the Association!!

As we returned to what might have been the scariest section of road so far on the trip, 10 miles of uphill, twisting, narrow, no shoulder and busy Hwy 93, I saw what I think might be the ugliest house, in the wrong setting, I have ever seen!!!

. . . looks like it is for sale too. Wonder why?????

Soon we arrived in Whitefish and were happy to get off of Hwy 93. Tonight we are staying at Nikki’s house, a friend of Allison’s.

. . .where I set up camp under a tree in her backyard. Sweet!!!

Garden party at Nikki’s . . .  with beer!

David, our English gentleman, bought a Thank You gift for Nikki for putting us up overnight! Great gesture of appreciation.

Allison and Nikki spent 6 years together teaching on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.Nikki is now a Regional Correspondent for National Public Radio.

Mark  and Allen made a great chicken, pesto ,Parmesan Alfredo. And we had ice cream for dessert. Nikki’s dog Neko was VERY interested in Allen’s ice cream!!

Here is a shot of the whole group except Mike N. who was visiting relatives tonight in Whitefish. We are all holding a feather David procured for each of us. It is intended to replace the railroad spike Wade had procured for each of us to carry across the USA!!!

 

Déjà vu All Over Again . . .

About a year ago 6 of us from mbbt rode from Banff to Whitefish hitting all the Canadian and American National Parks along the way. We also stayed in Whitefish for a couple of night . . . it was a different type of trip. Motel stay and the food . . .

 

 

There also was some shopping done in neighboring Kalispell. I walk into this store with shorts and flip flops on and walked out with knee high boot socks, new boots and boot cut jeans. NO LARGE BUCKLE BELT though!!

II woke up early at Nikki’s this morning. Allen and Mark had the hot water going for coffee by 5:30am. I got out of camp early too because I wanted to ride around downtown a bit and see some of the places we visited last July on our Banff-Whitefish bike trip. Interesting art scattered around town . . .

. . and here was our favorite ice cream shop . . . I think we went there both of our overnights last year.  Not open until 11:00am today!

Soon it was time to head from Whitefish to Glacier National Park, our home for the next two nights. Interesting way the Whitefishonians try to disguise their cell phone towers with fake branches. Wonder if they put lights on it at Christmas time!!!

Along the way to Glacier there was this artesian well . . . but I don’t think any of us took a chance  drinking from it !!!

More interesting art along the way  . . . but no chickens!!!

We crossed a bridge over an interesting crossroads, where thee North Fork and the Middle for of the Flathead River come together. The Middle Fork , on the left, had a much more blue turquoise color.

. . . with some geological action too, right around one of the bends.

As we neared Glacier we were able to see some snow capped mountains again. First ones we have seen since he Cascades!!! Nice.

The final four miles into West Glacier had a bike path which was really nice to get us off of Hwy 2. With the ‘Going to the Sun Road’, constructed in 1932, finally opening today for the 2017 tourist season, the roads were VERY full.

Oh yeah, don’t forget to exit!!!

Of course, the first thing the six of us rolling along together had to do was stop for chocolate milk and treats!!!!

. . . and of course for the obligatory destination shot. Mark, me, Anne, David, Denise and Wade

. . .we rolled through the main gate as a group. Allison had already called ahead and made our reservations. The US Park Service knew we were in town!!!

. . . but hopefully the bears don’t!

We have two ‘Hiker Biker’ sites. Only $5/night per adult, good deal. But NO SHOWERS anywhere in the park. Some are talking about jumping in the lake!!! Jennifer, the Ranger Lady as we called her, stopped by to make sure we were settled in OK.

She was very chatty and welcoming. As season campground host that is what she does! Her and her husband both retired from the military after 37 years !!!

Snafu on the food today (we probably left tonight’s dinner at Nikki’s) so we had to eat out again. . . .yippee, huckleberry peach pie for  dessert!!!s

Today was a layover day on Glacier so everyone slept in until  about 6:30am.!!!! Corvin and Allison are on breakfast duty and since we had Nikki’s car to use for shopping yesterday it included fresh pastries, eggs and hashbrowns!!!

Corvin and I hung at the HQ last night using their wifi and I left first. Said I would see him in the morning. When I got up in the middle of the night to make a ‘nature call’ I saw his tent had been removed from the pad he was sharing with D_____E. I thought he had abandoned us!!!

. . . until it was daylight and noticed he had moved his camp about 15 feet from his neighbor. Ends up they snored a little too much and he moved about midnight . . .

. . .  but they are still steadfast buddies!!!

Allison and Rod get the scrambled eggs going . . . .

. . . we have a neighbor from Canada in the Biker/HIker site with us and he has quite the rig. Will be interesting to see how he packs up and carries his cowboy hat!!!

Rod and Wade discussing the upcoming climb over Logan Pass.

Bob walked by with Chelsea and Steel, both 13 years old. Very gentle and friendly dogs who both still enjoy their morning walk.

Somebody had an ‘accident”!!!!

Corvin, the ‘King of Hashbrowns’ added  a touch of German cuisine to his recipe!!!

He and Doctor Mike discussing the finer points of cooking over a roaring blowtorch without burning anything!!!

Time for eggs and hasbrowns. custard filled pastry and muffins too. We are living large!!!

Yum . . .

Lunch fixin’s for those who are not eating out today . . .

. . . discussion regarding our 4:30am departure tomorrow to get over Logan Pass by the mandatory 11:00am curfew for bikes on the road. 23 miles of flat before we start a 11 mile climb!  Gulp . . .

. . . but lets’ forget about that for now and enjoy the sunny, bright day!!!  Allison proposed an ‘apple bob’ in the lake but after Doc Mike described his dip in the icy glacial fed Lake McDonald yesterday, there were few takers!!

‘Cleanup Corvin’ faces the aftermath of the morning breakfast and lunch making rush. To quote Marlin Brando , ‘The horror . . . the horror’!!!

There were even a few viddles left for over for Chelsea and Stella!!!

We are sort of trapped in the Twilight Zone today because bicycles are not allowed along Lake McDonald from 11:00am-4:00pm and believe it or not the free park shuttle doesn’t start until July 1!!!! Talk out customer service . . . right your Congressman!!!!

I sat in the shade of the bus stop at the HQ typing away and noticed June, her son Kitar and his friend Gustavo, hanging around and chatting about what they were going to do today. Only when Allen stopped by and we discussed the sign regarding no shuttle did they realize they were waiting in  vain. But they have a car and live in the area so can  come back again.  None of us had a pencil for them to write down my URL so they memorized it. I gave them several verbal tests to see if they remembered it. Ahh . . .to be young and have a mind like a steel trap. Very pleasant and polite young men!!!

Time to get out of camp . . .

Some connected with their home base via Skype . . .

As I was typing away on the journal, I listened to Ranger Bob scare the the heck out of his audience with his bear talk. . . which concluded with a live demo of bear spray (bear not included)

Some exercised another set of muscles before the big climb tomorrow, both young . . .

. . . and old.

. . . eight of us lunched out at Eddie’s and I worked out with my jaw muscles. Got to ‘load up’ for tomorrow! YUM!!!!!

Today we would cross the highest pass on our trip, Logan Pass, in Glacier National Park. There is complication because the Park Service does not allow bikes on the ‘Going to the Sun Road’ from 11am – 4pm, so to make it up the pass in time from our camp in Apgar Campground we felt we needed to leave about 4:30am.

We have heard different stories of Ranger Enforcement depending on who stops you if you are still on the road at11:00am. Some may give you, your bike and gear a ride to the top; some may fine you $75; and some may fine you $75 AND make you ride back down to the bottom again. The 11:00am curfew is only for riding UP the road.

Best plans . . . Mike, Mike and I were the first out at 5:30am!!! It was dark. Good thing we had our lights onboard!

Nice of the Park Service to have facilities staggered along the way . . .

. . . unfortunately, I guess you need to be a ‘card carrying; member to use them They were all locked along the way!!!

Lots of streams’ like this along the way . . . falling water is a powerful thing, look at all the uprooted trees!!!

What?  . . . is that Hannibal Lecher in front of me at 5:45am in the morning, on a dark desolate road . . .

. . . no ends up it is just Joe, from Nashville, who is also doing part of the Northern Tier. He found the mask in Maine and attaches it to his bike when touring. A great conversation starter!!!

One of the two tunnels we will pass through today . . .

Had some neat cut outs that let the light through.

Eventually the sun popped over the mountains about 9:30am it was just like someone turn on a a floodlight . . . FANTASTIC!!!

. . . and you could finally see all the waterfalls you could only really hear when it was dark.

Lots of snow left in the park.

This was a really cool natural feature . . .

. . . a lot longer than just this, it gives the cars quite a spray as they travel downhill . . . loud too!

Great peaks and a Kodak moment around every corner!!

As we climbed and climbed and made another corner we saw far below McDonald River which we had biked along at O’ dark thirty this morning!

Nice!

Looking down the valley from another angle . . .

Still lots of snow. That is one reason the ‘Going to the Sun Road’ did not open until Wednesday, one of the latest seasonal openings ever!!! It had been open to just bikers and hikers for the last two weeks. If we had ridden up on Wednesday, rather than today, we would have had the WHOLE road to ourselves. No traffic . . . but we were two days too late. The traffic really didn’t start building today until about 9:30am.

Higher and higher, Baby!!!

This was a little interesting section of road construction. Wonder what will happen if that natural rock pillar gives way!!!!!

5 hours and 15 minutes after leaving camp at 5:30am, we passed over the top at 10:15am, well within the 11:00am curfew for bikes. I think the Park Service ties critters out for the tourists!!

I took this same photo last year with Connie when he mbbt rip traveled the opposite way rom Waterton National Park in Canada  to Glacier, but she was unloaded and we were heading down the pass. This year it was UP the pass 11 miles, at 6% grade and fully loaded. She is a good old girl and performed well. She may retire after this trip . . . we’ll see!!!

YES . . . made it by 10:15am.

WOW  . . . looks like a bike convention!!!

Of course we had to have a group photo. Everyone made it to the top. Some took a ride up, some had their gear hauled up and rode their bikes up and some of us came over the top fully loaded!!!!

There was a great ceremony going on at the pass. The opening of Logan Pass for 2017 was dedicated to the first Park Ranger from the Blackfoot Tribe. It was quite the ceremony. LOTS of speeches!

Francis Guardipee.

And take a look who was there covering the big event for NPR, Nikki, our overnight hostess for the night we stayed in Whitefish. Yeah . . . she had stopped at our Apgar camp about 7:00am and hauled up, in her car, all the panniers folks did not want to carry today.

Soon it was time to load everything and head over the top and onto our home for the night at Johnson’s RV and Campground in St. Mary. Here is Mark riding though a recently plowed section of the road!!!!

We biked along St Mary’s Lake and it was another BEAUTIFUL day!!!!

I came around a corner and up from the edge of the road, just like a deer, popped up a brown bear. I was as startled as it was!!! He looked at me and stopped briefly but then scampered across the road in front of me and up into the woods on the other side of the road. By the time I got my camera out all I could see was it’s butt!!!!  YIPPEE, finally a bear sighting for me. Bear #1.

Another mile down the road was a typical ‘Yellowstone style traffic situation’ so common in that park, as well as here in Glacier, I guess. When someone see some wildlife EVERYBODY just stops where ever they are. Even the middle of the road . . .

. . . what were they watching? a bear up in the field, about a half a block away . . .so Bear #2  for me but I pedaled on . . . not as impressive as another quarter mile down the road when . . .

. . . I saw a grizzly and her cub coming up through the grass. The mother had a tracking collar on and when she saw me she stood up and looked around. By the time I got my camera out again she had turned her attention back to the road . . . wanting an escape or me as a meal? . . . tough decision.

. . . they scampered up the ditch onto the road . . .

. . . and she gave me the ‘evil eye’. I stopped and considered backing up but when an oncoming car startled her,up into the grassy field she and her cub went. The cub was really cute . . I would have like to given her a big puppy hug  . . . but it may have been the last thing I ever did!!! Video in the works!

It was quite a day . . . riding loaded over Logan Pass on a picture perfect day and seeing four bears within a mile of each other. If only Smoochie could have been here, too!!!

EVERYONE slept very well last night after crossing over Logan Pass. Today we would leave the US for two days in Canada. Great morning for biking as we paralleled Lower St Mary’s Lake. Not a ripple in the water and the reflections were unbelievable. Hard to tell where the real thing ended and the reflection began!!!

One great view after another as we biked north along the lake.

Looks like there might be a meeting of the elders . . .

Along the way we passed the Two Sisters Pie Shop. The place was closed when we bike passed it last year on our mbbt Canadian Trip and it was closed this year too as I biked north.

Sticker on he ‘Two Sisters’ door just about covered it all . . . .

Good Point !!!!

Even thought the place was closed I thought I might be able to use the bathroom. Sure enough all I had to do was  . . .follow the yellow brick road!!!!

They had a great side building too for serving pie with a big map . . .

. . .that had license plates from just about every state. Maybe they will be open the next time I pass through. Snaren and Roxanne, this is something you could do in retirement!!!

Next town was Babb, located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. It was raining when we passed through last year and we stopped to get out of the rain. This year D and Anne stopped to get out of the sun! Hot already!!!

There is a great statue outside the local school donated by the Professional Rodeo Association. I stopped to check it out again on this trip.

Yippee yae yay . . . only 25 miles to the Cowboy Trail!!!!

What a great scene . . .

As we turned onto to Chief Mountain Peace Memorial Road we came upon this sign. . . .don’t think it will be an issue today!!!

Now the Big Chief may have known something about diplomacy and making peace but he didn’t know much about road grades . . . we climbed for ours up the highway!!!

The first bump we went over after about an hour, Crusher Hill . . .

. . . which barely register on on the landscape!!!!

These guys knew how to keep cool . . .

Lots of folks use road signs to sight in their rifles. Montana DOT is VERY accommodating by just routinely putting out blank signs to shoot at. Everyone is happy!!!

We passed back into Glacier Park, which abuts Waterton National Peace Park, before crossing the border . . .

Only 3.5 miles to go!

. . . and  BIG downhill right into Canada, YES!!!!

. . . I was the first one to pass though customs into Canada. Today is the 150th Celebration of Canada day  . . .

. . .and they were passing out free flag pins!!!

Connie’s second time north across the border. You go girl!!!

Canadian’s  are happy to have Americans come and visit . . . but be sure to leave your elm firewood at home. They are trying to keep out all kinds of terrestrial and aquatic invasives from our lower 48!!!

Soon we we on a HUGE downhill parrelling Waterton Village. About 40 miles an hour on the decent. All that climbing elevation evaporated in abut 10 minutes!!!!

Along a final seven mile flat section I could use some water and  noticed one of the little pump shelters the Canadian’s have along the park way. I remember I filled up last year too . . .

. .  oh, oh . . .something has changed!!!!!

As I turned off the highway towards our campground I notice this flashing sign flashing proclaiming ‘Celebrate Canada Day 150’ . . .

. . . I’ve heard about high winds in Alberta and it must be true. This block of cement is not going to let that sign blow away!!!

Next to our camp was sign for this Centre and Trail sponsored by the Nature Conservancy. Going to have to check that out!!!!

Yippee . . .  finally on the trail!!!!

We ended up being pushed back one day on our trip due to the closure of Loup Loup Pass so we missed our reservation in Waterton Village. There was a wedding reception scheduled in the area we need today to camp. The gall of some people!!!! So . . . we camped outside of town at the Waterton Springs Campground. The place was PACKED due it being Canada Day weekend.

Some took the shuttle the campground owner provided us this morning into Waterton to walk around a bit and soak up the local scene . . .

. .  . of course one of the most famous building in town and in the world (you see it on many calendars) is the Prince of Wales Hotel.

. . .  this is the view out the dining room window, without Connie and  me of course!!

There is a great trail right out of town, the Bear Paw. that in about an hours hike takes you far above the city . . .

Great views in all directions!!!

. . . and there is the hotel in the lower part of the photo.

Soon it was time to load up and leave the park, heading east towards Cardston, our home for the night.

Great scenery and we were leaving the mountains behind . . .

. . . a TNC protected marsh along the way. The Canadian logo has the traditional leaf but also a bird silhouette above the word ‘Nature’.

Big Chief Mountain still dominated the horizon as we pedal east . . .

it wasn’t long before we were definitely in the wide open, prairie areas of Alberta. Most of the days riding consisted of these long ‘Alberta rollers’!! You can see D ahead of me in the red circle.

. . . TNC featured again!

It’s Sunday and I was trying to go to Mass as I pedaled through Mountain View, Leavitt and Cardston all which had tall steepled buildings. Upon further investigation I found they were all Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon). No Catholics around here!!!

Looks like some type of escarpment going on around here . . . going to have to put Smoochie on the investigative trail to finds out what it is all about . . .

A great name sign at the entrance to one of the many ranches we were now passing.

With lots of Red Angus cattle grazing everywhere . . . we are definitely on the Cowboy Trail!

Couldn’t figure out what this was all about with the painting of the flying saucer. Might be Alberta’s version of our ‘Area 51’ !!!

. . . as we rolled into Cardston, I was looking for a directional sign, like so many communities have, pointing to the library.  Although it is Sunday and It would be closed they usually do not turn off the wifi. No library in sign Cardston, but there was one to the rodeo. Giddy Up!!!

Tomorrow it’s a 70 miler back into the good old US of A with an overnight in Cut Bank, MT. Wade and I are cooking and we are thinking of ‘Wally’s Stew’ a concoction a tour leader he  knows came up with.

I have also picked up the trail name Wally. Rod kept calling me Wally the first week of the trip because I reminded him of a buddy  of his named. Wally. I told him I liked it and to keep calling the that . . . and he does!!!

 

Today was Jim’s 60th birthday and the early morning (5:30am ish) crowd welcomed him to the category of old!!!  Jim usually is the last out of his tent but turning 60 today he cowed to turn over a new leaf. Of course the 85 degree predicted temp today may have had more to do with his early morning get up and go. He vows to change his ways and become an early riser. We’ll see!!!!

The early birds get the water boiling and help get out the breakfast and lunch goodies , , ,

The biggest hill of the day may have been this one out of town. Some were not warmed up enough yet and had to walk it!!!

This looks like a great example of a large operation trying to do the right thing. Even TNC is a sponsor!

Here was a good use for an old piece of junk . . .

. . . not a faded blossom to be found. Snaren . . . how about for your front yard?????

We still can see Chief Mountain in the distance. We can’t get away from it!!!!

Canada has several religious sects who are active in farming. The Hutterites are one group. They live in sort of communal colonies and there farming practices are always top notch and their farms VERY tidy!!!

The Alberta rose growing everywhere in the right of ways!!!!

. . . not the question here is, What happened to the rest of the deer???

As we neared the Canada/US border to reenter the United States we turned into a headwind, we would have for most of the rest of the day. Here Connie has one hoof in and one hoof out!!! The monument says USA on the left side and Canada on the right side.

The Canada entry side looked very pleasant for a custom station, and had signs welcoming you to Canada and not to bring in the Elm Bark Beetle. Our US station looked like Guantanamo Prison. Eight foot fences topped with barbed wire and cameras everywhere. We all crossed within an hour of each other and many of us had Officer Friendly who must have had a bad weekend. Not so friendly. AND  . . . he didn’t say. “Welcome Back home” as they have many times before. Which has always left me with a warm feeling. Not a very pleasant experience . . . but we all got back in!!!!

. . . and no official ‘Welcome to the USA’ sign only this lonely sign out in the middle of a field provided by the Lions!!!

We headed south from the Del Bonita checkpoint and soon reached the steep banks of the Milk River. Whisky Gap had been a favorite smuggling point for liquor . . .

. . . which some tried to smuggle through in hog carcasses!!!

Yes . . . we celebrated Canada two days ago and soon we would celebrate the 4th of July!!!

After a long and hot ride we reached a very windy and dry Cut Bank, our home for the night. Cut Bank, like a lot of small town, have murals painted on some of their buildings. This one didn’t seem to paint a very happy picture of the oil industry!!!

Here is where we are staying for the night, right off Hwy 2. Very windy and it took two people too pitch a tent to keep it from blowing away.

Lots of rock but the owner was very nice and took us Wade, Allison and me to town in his pickup to get our groceries. Easy  . . peasy!!

Even though it is only the 3rd of July, Wade and I chose a 4th of July picnic theme. Johnsonville brats, Polish sausages, potato salad, coleslaw,  potato chips, baked beans and apple pie with whipped cream for dessert.

Everyone was beat from the 70 mile, HOT, windy day . . . but had great appetites’!!!

Interesting  . . . on the side of the campground, overlooking Hwy 2, was this figure of Christ and a crucifix. Evidently someone donated it 20 years ago and it has been there ever since!!!

Everyone slept well last night even though there a few fireworks going off during the night. Wade and I were up at 5:00am to get the coffee going, and get the breakfast and lunch stuff out. When I bought my little ‘Mom Approved’ lunch kit it came with two little snap containers. I didn’t need them and gave them away. Wade took one and transports his daily dose of  ‘Goldfish crackers’ in it. He calls it his aquarium!!!

We rolled out of Cut Bank and the downtown area was so empty at 7:30am you could have rolled a bowling ball down the middle of the street. Of course it was the 4th of July.

Cut Bank’s economy seems to be based on liquor, bars and ‘casinos’. They have 11 casinos in a town of about 3,000!!!

But they also have some great murals spread around town . . .

. . . and as you may know they have the record for the ‘coldest spot in the nation’. It was –40 here last winter!!!

Soon we were out and down the road heading 68 miles to Chester, our home for the night. Cooler temps in the morning and a slightly overcast sky made for great riding conditions!!!

Oh yes, it’s not ALL  about oil in Montana . . .

. . . as I pedaled on I wonder why a rancher would have put such a skinny scarecrow out in his field, but in closer inspection realized it was Rod. Truly a man , outstanding in his field’ !!!

As we rolled in Shelby, MT it was easy to see they were ready to celebrate the 4th . . .

. . . of course we pulled into the first place we came to for coffee, Gatorade and apple fritters . . .

While we stood outside and ate, we chatted with Miranda who was cleaning the Exon Station Complex Casino windows. We learned all about the casino business . . . ends up it is run by the state. What was really amazing is how she could hold her coffee and cigarette in one hand and use the window cleaners and cloth with the other!!! Ambidextrous!!!!

Shelby at 9:00am looked a lot like Cut Bank. . .

. . . but the fired department had all their trucks out on display and the truck bays filled with picnic tables for the free community barbeque this afternoon!!

Interesting local advertising slant on quitting smoking and chewing . . .

After about two hours we were looking for a place to have a little lunch and get out of the sun. We rolled up to this ‘fixer upper’ along the road that offered some shade under the awning . . .

. . . might be a good deal for someone, but the current owner is their own worst enemy, ‘Looks worse than it is’!!!!

. . .  believe it or not the outdoor phone still worked but Rod could not dial out and could only connect to the ‘local operator’. Who knew they still have such a thing!!!!

We rode 72 miles today on Hwy 2 which has rail tracks running alongside all the way to Chester. Every little town along the way has one of these . . .

. . . it is a VERY busy line for BNSF and at 11 miles an hour, you can see them switching and making up the trains as we rolled along. Most have about 75 cars. It’s common to see trains waiting on siding before they get the word that it is OK to proceed, once the oncoming train has passed . . .

. . . and Amtrak shares the rail line too. Same train we took out to Washington almost a month ago . . . my how time flies!!

GREAT graffiti on he railcars parked on the sidings. Some of the painters are GREAT artists. Maybe they can put their talents into a career!!! Even political commentary about the Trumpster!!!

in the middle of this train were two cars from the Wisconsin Central. They are a LONG way from home. Headed to Madison???

On the road near a rail downhill was this brake shoe. You can see the rail bed where the red arrow points. Good thing we were not riding on the road when that ‘hot shoe’ flew off the car!!!

Rod bought some chalk and has been leaving messages along the ride all day!!!

We finally reached Chester, after a 30 mile headwind from Shelby, and are staying at the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Very nice of the Pastor to let us stay inside, in air conditioning, and away from the noise there is sure to erupt tonight from fireworks . . .

. . . oh, yeah, we sort of take over anyplace to use . . .

. . . we have the run of the place with sleeping upstairs and down, and two full kitchens.

It would be great if some of the local ‘church ladies’ showed up and cook up some viddles for us in these Nescos!!!

My little nest even comes with a swimming pool!!

Lots of action in the upstairs kitchen . . .

. . . as chef’s Allen and Mike N. do the nightly cooking tonight.

Corvin and Bernie battle it out before dinner.

Great dinner tonight AGAIN celebrating the 4th of July.  Fried chicken, salad, baked beans, corn on the cob and ICE CREAM for dessert.

Hot again tomorrow so we are moving breakfast up to 6:15am in order to get an early start!!!

Today should be another ‘hot, dry day’ as we head out to our next home for the night, Havre, MT. A high of 86 means a early start today. We were all out the door by 7:00am, except Corvin.

It was a cool 66 degrees out when we started riding. Another reason we start early is shown by the flags above in downtown Chester . . . no wind!!!

. . . another ‘bowling alley’ stillness in small town USA.

This looked like a sweet little stop on the outskirts of Chester  . . . but doesn’t look like it made it.

MT DOT had a weather station out on the road and you can see from the anemometer we had a NW wind bout 6 mph and we are heading due west. NICE!!!

Along the way be came to this unique ride . . .

. . . away we go!

. . . too much coffee this morning . . . hallucination out on the prairie???  . . .  no just a great ad for the “Museum in Rudyard” . . .

. . . where there are 596 nice people and 1 old sore head!!!

. . . first one of these guys I have seen along the way and he didn’t seem to like my bike!

Different than the last several days , we passed a number of small towns on today’s 60 mile route. They were evenly spaced along the railroad bout every 10 miles. Kremlin, MT . . .

. . . bowling alley at 9:30am.

Not much else out here other than a few rollers to keep things interesting.

Jonathon Livingston Seagull, I presume????

Of the five town we passed only one had a store out on Hwy 2. The others were all 1/2 mile or so off the road . . .you you can guess which one we stopped into . . . The Hyingman Store’s front marquee said’ Help Stamp Out Home Cooking’!!!  . . . so of course we stopped . . .

. . . as I turned in, and hit a bumpy patch, my front left pannier flew off. Same thing happened on the Trans Am 8 years ago . . . maybe I should check the fitting???

. . . what a great little stop . . .

. . . with lots of fun signage!

Riders continued to roll in until we ‘owned the place’!!

Nashville Bill was there too. He added some color to the eyes of his hockey mask find from the state of Maine.

Corvin was late for breakfast this morning but made of for it with this cinnamon roll ‘as big as your head’!!!

Someone else had one too but I promised to protect their identity . . .

. . . actually this has become standard wear for me in this hot, dry weather.  My lips have become chapped and swollen even though i am using sunscreen and chapstick. Got to keep my lips kissing soft for when I meet up with Smoochie in late July in WI!!!!

I got to check this out . . . whether the MT DOT thinks talking on cell pones is so dangerous they provide these pullouts  (not likely) or the cell phone coverage is so spotty out here (I had none) that where there is a signal they provide a pull out. Either way . . . it’s a good idea!!!

As I entered Havre,  at noon, there was this prairie paddleboat sitting out in a field. You see the strangest things out in rural America.

Tonight we are staying at the fairgrounds.  Showers and shade guaranteed . . . we’ll see!!!