Our Road Trips

5/21/14

We are off early again, headed to a two day trip to see Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks. A lot of the roads we will travel for the next 2 days will be the same roads I traveled in 2005 while I was on a motorcycle ride. For those of you who don't know, in July 2005, I flew to Boise, ID, rented a Harley, and spent the next 7 days riding 3411 miles from Boise to Jasper, back down through Banff, Glacier, Helena, Yellowstone, Jackson,WY, Salt Lake, Stanley, ID, Unity & Baker City, OR & back to Boise...what a trip! Now, I want Barbara to see some of the very beautiful and very cool sights I saw on that trip.

We already know that Glacier is mostly closed because of an unusual snow pack through the park. We drove north from Finley Point to Hungry Horse, which included a side trip to the Hungry Horse Dam, and also a stop at the Berry Patch, where everything is Huckleberry, including the milk shakes...very yummy. Then we went into Glacier, where only the first 15 miles of Going to the Sun road are open. We stopped to take pictures on Lake McDonald, Avalanche River's many rapids and a hike along the Trails of the Cedar near Avalanche Creek at the place the road is closed. On the way back out, we stopped at the Apgar Visitor's Center for info on the rest of our trip...those folks at those visitor centers are so helpful.

We then turned east on US 2, which follows the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, what a pretty ride. Going over the Continental Divide is especially cool, you can actually see the water flowing both directions in a short distance. Going down the east side takes you through the Lewis & Clark & Flathead National Forests...very pretty ride. We continued on US 2 past East Glacier to Browning, MT and got us a room for the night at a Holiday Inn. It is really the only decent hotel in town. We are just happy for a clean bed & a place to get a shower. Tomorrow is another day...a welcome good night's sleep is ahead.