June 3, 2006

Mike called from Libby, MT. They are currently a group of 5. He said Charles is riding stronger and faster than him now. They are happily still accompanied by Pat who linked up with them way back in the Cascades, and newer acquaintances, Heather and Terry, are also with them. They bought groceries in Libby, put them in Heather's car for her to carry to the campground for them for the evening meal.

When Mike called on Saturday, he was sitting on a curb in Libby with his bike parked in front of him. It takes up a whole parking space with the trailer on. He said they had been a total of 450 miles or so. 60 miles is the greatest distance so far. They had passed through low hills enroute to Libby. He said they have seen very few cyclists, so far. But a trio of younger, faster guys had passed them one day, bound for the east coast also. And that reminds me that a couple of cyclists recently came through Margaretville on their way to Seattle from Connecticut. They ate lunch at the "Cheese Barrel" where owner Sue Ihlo took their picture and got their email addresses to give to Mike so he can contact them. It sure would be something if they met somewhere in the middle of the "trans-America northern bike route ! - Becky

June 4, 2006

This afternoon he left a message for me from Eureka, MT. It was cool and rainy, he said, and they are looking forward to reaching Whitefish tomorrow. They will take a rest day or maybe two in Whitefish to rest the sore butt and spend some time out of the rain!! Then they will pedal through (or near) Glacier National Park. The "Going to the Sun Highway" is not yet open, so they will most likely stay on Route 2 that skirts the park's southern boundary. That will put him in Cut Bank to pick up mail (Mike Porter, General Delivery, Cut Bank Mt 59427) in 5 or 6 days, in case anyone is thinking of sending a note. I can't reach him tonight, apparently there is no cell service. He sounded good. - Becky

June 6, 2006 It is rest day in Whitefish,MT. We spent last evening with Dee and Brian Manning at their house having dinner and visiting. What a great change of pace from riding and getting rained on. 2 days ago we rode in the rain from start to finish from one National Forest Service (NFS) Camp to another.

Rocky Gorge camp on the Koocanusa Lake was really splendid in beauty. The ride along the lake was really nice. We found a campsite right on the lake but the one next to ours had a better view without the room for 3 tents. After a camp cooked spaghetti dinner and breakfast the next morning at Terry and Heather's campsite we pedaled off in the rain, Cold and miserable. We rode all day stopping in Rexford, MT for a burger and fries. This was a small hole in the wall place but the food was great. Rode on to Eureka, about 10 miles from the Canada border and bought a sandwich and dinner stuff. I was intent on reaching North Dickey Lake NFS camp and getting in my tent, eating, writing and sleeping. Did all that and awoke to a better day on June 5.

Terry, Heather and Pat decided to motel it in Eureka rather than set up tents in the rain. We all met up again on June 5 on the road. We rode into Whitefish and decided on staying in a State Park instead of at Dee and Brians. The logistics of climbing up 4 miles of pot holy gravel and then 4 miles into town the next day all uphill were not well received. We called and told Dee of our plan changes and headed to Whitefish Lake SP to register and set up camp.

Riding is getting easier with each day. I have had to manage my eating better and continue to get my off bike rest. I feel stronger each day and am looking forward to the days to come. We cannot climb Logan Pass from the west because they haven't cleared out the snow from the winter yet so we will ride via Marias Pass to the south around to St. Mary and do an ascent of Logan from the east where we can get quite a way up the road.

It will be a good climb as we will leave BOB and all excess weight at camp and ride "bareback." Pat will be leaving us then to continue into Canada on the route. Terry had decided to contiune and will ride with us for an undetermined amount of time. We will head east.

June 10, 2006 Mike here in East Glacier along Route 2, IN THE RAIN AGAIN!!! After two more rain days and a decent day in between, we have done some climbing in Glacier Park. 2 days ago we were camped in Sprague Creek Campground at Lake McDonald in Glacier where we were using the site as a base camp for a climb up Going-t0-the-Sun Highway. It is closed to the top but we did go to the first tunnel, about 6 or 7 miles from the Logan Pass.

It was a nice ride, though in the rain it was somewhat closed in. We were able to ride without weight so it was much more enjoyable and at the descent, we had the road literally to ourselves. No cars or others there to get in our way. Because the pass is closed from Avalanche campground, we could ride bikes or hike without cars around.

On the up we passed the pass-clearing crews quitting for the day. On the way down there was noone but us. Really cool to be all alone in such a neat place. Once in a while the clouds lifted long enough to see a mountain looming above us.

We left Glacier and headed south then north around the southern side of the park to East Glacier. In the process we have kept our tradition of riding in most miserable of conditions. Rain and cold. Today was especially miserable as we crossed Marias Pass on Route 2. Unlike the other mountain passes we had done, there was no downhill at the end. Just a rather level ride to East Glacier.

Another laundry stop to dry wet clothes and a Mexican dinner and bunk in the Backpackers Inn behind the Mexican restaurant and the time here on the computer and another day, Day 20 is coming to an end. Pat McCullar leaves us tomorrow to head to Canada for a few days. Terry Hoffert is continuing with us. We may go to his family reunion in ND if timing is correct.

Jay Essington had called to say he might rejoin us but news today is that he has decided not to make the trip. We will miss him the rest of the way.

Thanks to all the people at home who are sending words of support. Mary Jean, even Becky can add stuff to the wiki. Becky, thanks so much for your support and words of encouragement as I travel on this adventure. I will never be able to repay all your support. gotta go and make a few phone calls, Verizon is free on weekends and we have service so I have to make hay while the sun shines, oops, while it is still raining and too miserable to do anything more interesting. I have sent a cd to Bob so maybe he will add some photos from the first 18 days. Bob I will call you this evening.

June 12, 2006 Cut Bank, Mt. Thanks to a new watch battery, I now know what day it is without looking in my journal or for a newspaper. Yesterday we left East Glacier after another rainy day of riding to East Glacier. It was rainy when we woke so we hung around at the Backpacker's Inn with the two other bikers and a hiker talking about our experiences. About 11 the rain subsided and Charlie, Terry and I headed east to Cut Bank. We ran into Andy and Johnny, two kids I had seen the night before as they entered East Glacier. They were heading east at a fast pace, Johnny had a blind date in Minneapolis and Andy needed an optomistrist to fix his glasses. They had broken down and were cobbing a front shifter cable and repairing a cut tire. Talk about riding on a shoe string (Converse All-Star shoe string at that) After riding through Browning, which we had been warned about several times concerning stopping, we hit east bound rt. 2 with no turns. A good tail wind and flat to slightly downhill terraine gave us a straight shot to Cut Bank. Had to help out a trucker who was looking for I90. He could hardly speak English and was somewhat lost. I think we helped. Upon arriving in Cut Bank we took a campsite overlooking the "cut" in Cut Bank. A really neat view of weathering features along the Cut Bank River. Mail call was good with several postcards, cards and notes along with my package of stuff. As it is still quite cool, I am not sending much home yet so I can still keep warm. Hopefully I can send stuff home soon. It did rain in the night so our streak remains intact and consistent.

It is incredible how quickly the terrain changed from Mountains to Plains. Geology is an amazing thing. I can see how a bad headwind could disrupt a great day. All these things begin to crop up when there is no climbing left and only short ups and long downs. Elevation will gradually decrease from 4200 ft in East Glacier to 2200 ft in Williston, ND. Today is bike cleaning day. The drive train takes a beating with the bad weather. Each rest day has been partly occupied with cleaning up chain and some of the crap accumulated on the frame.

East Glacier was an interesting stop. We stayed in the Backpacker's Inn, a hostel like cabin. There were two young guys from Colorado riding from Banff to Colorado for a vacation and a guy hiking the Continental divide trail. We had a good time talking and sharing gear ideas and tips. It was a good time doing things that one would expect to do at a traveler's hostel. A great day.

Read more in the next section of the online journal

Cutbank, MT to Hazen, ND