Sunday 21 June, 2009
Whitefish, MT Rest Day
Today we woke to a sunny day and a large breakfast. After breakfast, I did a couple of loads of wash and Kevin and I, the two Stillwaterites, compiled a box of things to send home to lighten our loads. I also wrapped Jess’s earrings and left some money so that John or Jane could mail them on a weekday after we left.
Sean appeared, loaded up my bike to take to the bike shop, and offered to drive us up Going to the Sun Road. Kevin saw his bike ride fast turning into Diane’s bike ride, so refused the offer, also telling me that he was upset that "the cow" and her husband had been invited to dinner at his aunt and uncle's. Rick was riled at this presumption also. I told Rick that he couldn't complain as he had eaten well at Pam's expense the night before and had stayed free last night and planned to stay free tonight in a lush expensive room compliments of Pam. Kevin wanted me to speak to Diane, but I thought that as ride leader that was his responsibility.
After breakfast, Kevin borrowed his uncle’s car and drove me and Bill Upton to his cousin Leslie and her husband Chris’s house in the hills behind Grouse Mountain Lodge. We toured their large new house and took many pix. Then we borrowed Leslie’s car, and Kevin drove us as far up Going to the Sun Road into Glacier National Park as we could get. Cycling up GTTS (the main reason I'd signed on for the ride) would have been a trial and I'm sure I would have pushed my bike a ways, but oh the experience . . . and the bragging rights. Logan Pass was closed due to a 71-foot snow slide and road construction. Tomorrow we must cycle the AC Alternate Route to East Glacier. Phooey!
 |
In this photo, one can see how high up we were and we were not even to Logan Pass; one can also see the faint line of Going to the Sun Hwy as it cuts along the mountainside
|
We could get only 29 miles into the park, but the ride was very beautiful. When we got to the Weeping Wall and the turn-around, mountain sheep were down far enough for a photo. I wanted to take a photo of the Weeping Wall, also, and rolled up my window in preparation. Suddenly I was drenched. I said, “Oh damn. I thought I rolled the window up. I must have rolled it down.” Kevin said innocently, “Gee how could that have happened?” The Trickster had rolled the window down as he drove under the water. Ha, ha.
 |
| Mountain sheep coming down near the road |
 |
| My wet photo of the Weeping Wall |
 |
| Storm brewing on our way down |
 |
| Tourists and the Glacier National Park tour bus |
On the way back to Whitefish, we stopped at Huckleberry Farm and bought ourselves all sorts of goodies. Kevin and Bill each had huckleberry shakes. I bought a huckleberry white chocolate candy bar. Everything is huckleberry in this area.
 |
| Bill posing near blades of a snow removal machine |
 |
| Those are not white socks I am wearing, just white feet protected by my bike shoes and socks so with no suntan |
Rick bought Jane flowers on the way over from the Grouse Mountain Inn, and she immediately arranged them in a vase with a couple of her neighbor’s peonies, earning Rick a gold star and first at the buffet line. Before dinner we all sat in the backyard and ate Vidalia onion relish (from Katie to Kevin for Father’s Day).
Our dinner tonight had a Mexican theme: enchilada casserole, and tacos, followed by sorbet desserts in pineapple, orange and lemon halves. Uncle John kept us laughing with endless jokes and then played his banjo and sang. We loved visiting with John and Jane and appreciate their fine hospitality. We also appreciate Pam and Sean for all their hard work procuring hotel rooms and bringing us dinner at Dickey Lake, shuttling our gear, and taking my bike to the bike shop. The Grouse Mountain Lodge deserves kudos also for giving in to Pam’s tenacity and comping out two beautiful rooms.
 |
| Pineapple, orange, and lemon sorbet in their own shells |
