July 6 - Going to the Sun - Worth the Wait

July 6

Wow! It was worth the wait! Today I got to ride the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier for the first time solo. I have had the privilege of riding the road on the back of a bike several times and even rode my own bike there with a riding partner two years ago. But last year on my first solo trip I was turned away because the road was closed. This year through persistence and a little ingenuity I managed to snag a ticket into the park and get a horse ride as part of the bargain.

The ride from Cut Bank to the St. Mary entrance to Glacier this morning was stunning in its own right – the mountains seemed to rise straight out of the meadows below, highlighted by the deep turquoise sparkling water from Saint Mary Lake.

Driving the approximately 50 mile long Going to the Sun Road inside Glacier today, I felt like a kid in a candy store with hundreds of dollars to spend – there was so much to feast my eyes on and all of it was breathtaking. The road winds and curves past one mountain peak after another, many of which are adorned with glistening white glaciers. The glaciers not only dress up the majestic mountains, but they also are the source of numerous waterfalls throughout the park. The water features come in all sizes and shapes – little trickles falling down between cracks in a wall, larger streams gushing over cliffs, and in one particularly beautiful display – water cascading off overhanging cliffs on the side of the road, creating a shower effect several car lengths long.

The convergence of so many mountain peaks in one area creates a myriad of spectacular valley views – deep V-shapes that highlight both the breadth and depth of the mountains that loom over them. This is one place where I really don’t mind following the 25 mile an hour speed limit!

I was so grateful to be able to do the Going to the Sun ride today but getting in took a little bit of ingenuity. For weeks I had tried to obtain a park pass through the Recreation.gov website. However, every time I looked the message was the same – “not yet released.” With my departure date looming and no passes in sight, I made a few phone calls and discovered another way to get in the park – purchasing a tour from a company located in the park. I wasn’t sure if I would actually use either of the tours I purchased (one on each side of the park). However, after a full day riding my bike in the park, I decided to be adventurous and ride a different kind of steed – the trusty horse named “Pilgrim.” Unfortunately, Pilgrim turned out to be rather mischievous. He had a penchant for going off trail. But after a few firm “conversations” back and forth he fell right in line.

After leaving the park today I had a magnificent ride south along the shores of Flathead Lake to my Bunk a Biker host in St. Ignatius. Having taken so many wonderful pictures earlier in the day I decided to just enjoy the beautiful lake views and the wind in my face as I headed to my resting spot for the night.