Glacier Trip - Day 7 - Aug 24
September 29th, 2005
Not the best looking day to start out on. We have a 24 mile ride today. The first 12 of which are uphill and tend to be into the wind. Melissa and Shannah have given us some encouraging news stating the usually when the weather is overcast … the wind is not so fierce. We can only hope.
We got all dressed for cold and wet. I’m actually wearing my coldest weather riding gear. If the forecast of 45 is true, we are going to be chilled.
Chilled is definitely the word for it. Standing around for the trip meeting, it is chilly and windy. This will be a fun ride. =)
This first leg is into a head wind that is for sure. Liz, Joanne and I have formed a nice little line and are taking turns pulling. I’m really amazed at how much of a difference this makes. Shawn and Mellisa have come back for stints pulling too. Woot. Nothing like rain and wind in the am. Oh and did I mention uphill?
We finally hit the crest of the hill and our first rest stop. I’m soaked but thankfully mostly warm. Standing too long starts a chill, but this is all doable.
Joanne and I opt to continue on and head out. This next part is all downhill to the end of our road riding adventure. The first 2 miles are thrilling and terrifying all at once. I’m completely convinced that I will hit something slippery and wipe out. So this descent isn’t quite the enjoyment that others have been. Unfortunately, it is also bracingly cold with the wind and the speed.
Poor Joanne is freezing and when Melissa catches us … we find she is too. We start looking for a spot to warm up and there on the left is Glacier Meadows RV Park. Doesn’t look like much, but the office is open so we drop our bikes at the end of the driveway (so they will be spotted by the van) and then head in. It is nice and toasty.
I decided that I was still doing ok and would like to actually finish this ride, so I go back out into the cold and ride on. =) And … almost miss the turnoff for the van. That will teach me for not watching ahead. *snicker*
Today, we have 2 vans since Danny is waiting for some of the bikes we are using to transport them south for another trip. They have designated girls and boys changing vans. *snicker* I let Shannah know that Melissa and Joanne will need a pickup. So she asks Danny to go fetch them. His only comment “but I have naked dudes in my van”. So those dudes get to go pick up the girls. *snicker*
All I can say is boy it is nice to get out of wet clothes. After Danny brings back Melissa and Joanne, we head off for the rafting. And let me tell you, this is so not sounding like fun. All my warm clothes are in a muddy pile in a garbage bag. No way I’m putting those back on. So the decision to skip the rafting is easy. *snicker* Turns out none of the ladies are interested in rafting. Melissa is nice enough to haul us with her in the van to West Glacier where we will kill time before heading to the rafting place to pick up the guys.
At the rafting place, we were able to see pics of our guys rafting on the computer. Before they were even back yet. *snicker*
After collecting the rest of our gang, we had a long ride in the van (45 minutes) back through Whitefish and then up to Big Mountain. We arrived at the best lodging we had for the trip. Kandahar. Ahhhhhh.
Can you say down comforters? Sound proof walls? The best food we had on the trip? Well …. this is the place. =)