July 24, 2020
Swan Lake - Whitefish, MT
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1,338 elevation gain
I stayed up until 11 PM (!) last night, texting about the route with Jim. I had routed through Columbia Falls, thinking that was 'the' way. Then Jacinto's routing programs took him to Bigfork. I wrote Jim. "Oh, yes - stay off of 83 as much as possible." You know me, I'm insecure about routing anyway, so last minute changes make me anxious. But I am interested in better roads. I think I'm all set.
CG Harvey Surrena will be in Whitefish today and we are hoping to ride into town together, or at least eat dinner. I wrote him with a copy of the new route map. Let's see if he rolls with changes better than I do!
Dinner last night was excellent, if expensive. I had a 20 oz. ribeye steak and finished it all. I thought that might help me fuel for the day today, but my stomach was growling loudly before I even got out of bed! There is a coffee station set up in the courtyard. It has hot water for tea. I decided to make some oatmeal to supplement the dainty breakfast. The water was stone cold. I had to go in the kitchen and ask to heat up my oatmeal in the microwave. I'm sure Kathleen (owner) wondered why I was eating instant oatmeal when she would soon be serving breakfast.
It's going to be a late departure today. I'm trying hard to be okay with that. I have relaxed my times somewhat, but It's going to be after 9 AM and that's very late for me. Going Jim's route has added 3 miles to my day, so it will be a little longer. I have only two days left - more time on the road (good roads!) should be fun.
OK - I'm off to see what's for breakfast. Jacinto went outside already so they would know we want to eat. I got in trouble for not wearing a mask earlier, when I went for ice . . . it seems people are one extreme or the other. Kathleen held her hands up in a surgical matter after she handed me the ice bucket and vigorously washed them after handling the ice bucket after me. I did wear my mask back when I went with the oatmeal. That time she did not wash her hands . . .
Please send messages to Bertha (ridewithGPS) on my behalf, asking her to be on the job today! Yesterday I was on one road all day. Today I have numerous turns.
The last time we stayed here, breakfast was 1/4 slice of ham and an egg roll size cheese blintz. I went back to the room and fixed oatmeal. Today breakfast was eggs, sausage, hash browns, and pancakes. It was a regular country breakfast! I ended up stuffed.
The owner, Kathleen, is a very busy woman. It appeared she was the only one on duty this morning, cooking, serving, and clearing tables. She had a full house. She did take time to sit down and ask where we were going and what roads we were taking. I had just finished rerouting and mentally reconciling the new roads. Then Kathleen had more suggestions. She drew me an map and wrote down names. I did end up taking her suggestion of Helena Flats Rd, as it would keep me away from Columbia Falls. I turned the computer on one more time to make that update. Would I ever finish changing things and get riding? There are some advantages to being in a one road area, such as Sula.
The upside of eating a very large breakfast is that I wasn't hungry all day. I ate a half a bar eventually and I did drink my Spiz, just as much for the liquid as the calories. I do think the calories made my day go better. Eating that much early in the morning makes my stomach flip flop. This morning was later than I like to leave, I had a chance to get hungry and want to eat that much food, but it was so much I waddled out the door!
I had 11 miles of Highway 83 before my first turn. I still had a minimal shoulder, which was enough. What traffic there was all went around.
I took Highway 209 to the dreaded 35, with a two mile side trip onto a dirt nature path right outside of Bigfork. I recognized it once I got there. We had ridden this path last time we were through here. That was part of Jim's routing. Only someone who had spent time locally would go this way. Today the path was FULL of people. Now I know what they are talking about when they say there's no social distancing on local trails. I saw only one couple with masks on. Riding was a little slow, weaving in and out of walkers. The trail lasted two miles and dumped me out right in Bigfork at the top of a big hill. I remember coming up that hill last time!
Kathleen had assured me I didn't want to ride Highway 35. At first I was agreeing with her. For about a mile there was zero shoulder and heavy traffic. Then we got to the top of a climb and there was a shoulder. I could ride just fine with traffic and a nice shoulder.
The wind had been from the south all day, favorable. Now my route wiggled around some and so did the wind. I had a couple of turns to the west, which gave me a direct headwind. That's no fun. At mile 21, I made one of those west turns onto Riverside Drive. Jim had said it had a couple of miles of dirt, but I didn't find any. It would have been possible to stay in the country longer. I saw 10-12 road bike riders and one trike in this area. Later, when I was riding on 35 again, I saw a couple of road riders on Mennonite Road.
At mile 35, I turned off of 35 onto Helena Flats Road. I could have stayed on it much longer, but the wind had really picked up. By the time I got to a T intersection at mile 41, I decided to take a left to highway 40 rather than a right, which would eventually mean even more time battling a west headwind.
I was now off route. Look at me! I talk like I was bushwhacking on the Great Divide instead of riding major highways - but I had abandoned Bertha and struck out on my own. My goal was to ride on the nice wide shoulder and let the traffic pull me along as much as possible. It was a great plan and it worked! I ended up saving two big miles from my original route, but most likely a fair amount of time (and energy) not fighting the headwind.
I had a message from Jacinto he had a flat tire. He said it was a wire that had gone so far through the tire that it was still stuck in the tube when he disassembled everything. This is on the Marathon Tour Plus that he has ridden so long the tire has a blue stripe. Finally, finally, Jacinto admits the tire is used.
As I rode into Whitefish, I looked at food options. Across the busy highway was a Subway and a Chinese Food. I would like either of those, but not bad enough to try crossing the road. On my side was a McDonalds. I could have a salad there. I pulled in. The dining was closed and the drive up had a long line. Jacinto had been refused service at Taco Bell in Missoula because he wasn't in a car. I didn't want to waste my time here and have the same result. I decided to keep going. Maybe I would see something on my side of the road or I could go to the Buffalo Cafe next to the motel. I bicycled straight to the cafe. I was 15 minutes past closing time. Darn! I tried to turn the bike around and caught handlebars with a bike in the bike rack and dumped my bike in the gutter. It wasn't very graceful, but at least I didn't go down with it. I went to the motel to check in. Downtown Whitefish is a very busy town and very full of masks. We've been traveling through rural Montana where the statewide mask order doesn't seem to matter, but here in Whitefish, it does. At the motel, she said our room doesn't have a coffee pot because too many people touch it. They don't have coffee in the lobby for the same reason. The would bring us a coffee pot if we really wanted one. When I asked for ice, the clerk looked a little alarmed and said they weren't responsible for all of the people who had touched the ice scoop, etc. This is a different world than the one we have been traveling in . . .
We have a king room tonight, but not one of the convenient rooms, I had to walk around back, through the alley, to the opposite side of the building. It was quite a trick getting my bike up the large step and past the metal door, but I did. Our room is large. It has only a fridge (that doesn't have a lot of people touching it). They had unusual toiletries, like the applesauce in the squeeze packets. The downside is, once you open the shampoo, you have to use it. The hand lotion has an interesting stopper. I will take a photo.
As much as I was full from the large breakfast, now I was hungry. I ended up going to a wrap place right next door. Two men out front were eating something in takeout trays. I could still order breakfast and got a steak breakfast. I thought I was getting a take out box, but ended up getting a burrito! While I was sitting waiting, Jacinto pulled up. I asked him how he knows I was there, but he said how could he not recognize me after 34 years of marriage? He was ready to get in the room, I showed him which side of the building to enter and gave him the key.
We are going to dinner with Harvey. More later.
Today's ride: 54 miles (87 km)
Total: 2,249 miles (3,619 km)
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