Backroads to Bigfork

June 28, 2024

Kalispell to Bigfork; another gravel adventure, getting used to heavy bikes again, skipping dinner, can you believe it?

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Our bikes fully loaded seen here resting while we ate vast amounts of Bigfork-style Mexican food.

This morning the four of us met in the motel lobby for a quick breakfast before we all packed up and went our separate ways. Last night Jim and I performed what I called, “The Great Sort” -separating the bare essentials we need to carry from all the extra stuff we brought along because we could, having a vehicle with us. So this morning our duffles disappeared into the depths of the truck bed, unlikely to see light before Amber and Rich arrive in Napa, 3 days hence.

Jim’s and my main purpose in going back to Bigfork is to visit with my stepfamily, however, my stepmother was hospitalized here in Kalispell 3 days ago. We attempted to rearrange our accommodations to continue the rest of our stay right here in Kalispell, but would have forfeited 100% of our expensive Bigfork motel cost, plus the motel we stayed in that is across the street from the hospital could not extend our stay and other relatively close by motels are not that close, or down at the bottom of a steep hill, or also couldn’t accommodate us,…take your pick. So the compromise was that I walked over and visited yesterday afternoon while Jim did laundry and Jim and I both visited this morning before our ride to Bigfork, and I will ride over tomorrow with my stepsister, which will give us more time together as well. And then we leave Montana the following day.

So… we left Kalispell shortly after noon and wound through older residential areas trying to avoid traffic. Eventually we crossed the “Old Steel Bridge” and started the best part of the ride through farmland growing safflower, grains and hops. We also saw many small residential developments being carved out of previously farmed land.

Roughly 5 miles of today’s route was on gravel roads, which surprised Jim. One road which was gravel when we last rode it twelve years ago, is now paved.

As we entered the outskirts of Bigfork we did divert off route to go by my stepmother’s neighborhood in the Eagle Bend area. While we were there we took a peak to see what had become of “The Secret Garden.” This is a property that had a gorgeous Japanese garden and Koi pond that, according to my dad, was sort of gifted to the neighborhood with a trust to pay for its upkeep. For years it was open to the public to use and a skilled landscaping outfit maintained it beautifully.

When we were visiting 3 years ago, the property was for sale. We never got a straight story but apparently the owners had let the landscaping service go a few years earlier and took it over themselves and it became too much. The only building on the property that had been used as a garage by the landscapers, had now been converted into a small residence.

Jim and I actually walked through the place with the listing agent and considered buying it and running an event venue there in the garden with the help of my niece. But at that time I was just retiring, the pandemic was still a factor and, and… So we passed.

We were happy to see that the garden is still intact and there was some construction project going on centered around what was previously a storage shed. I will try to get more info about it from my stepsister.

We then rode into downtown Bigfork in search of food. Pocketstone was closed for the day ( we were 20 minutes too late) so we went to a Mexican bar/restaurant across the street which served mostly tacos of various types. We were so hungry that we ate a huge bowl of chips and salsa before the food arrived and then finished off the meal by sharing a generous piece of Tres Leche cake. We both kind of gasped at the bill- some of the most expensive Mex we have ever eaten.

We waddled out to our bikes and rode uphill back out of the downtown area. You all know how hard it is to ride uphill with cold legs and an overfull stomach, right? Well that was us, well, mostly me because Jim could use his motor. When we got to the uber-steep driveway to the Timbers motel, Jim kicked his motor into turbo mode for the very first time ever and he said he still had to work hard to ride up. Me, I gave up after the first 30 feet and walked up.

So tomorrow is an off day. No riding planned and I hope to visit with my family.

The Old Steel Bridge over the Flathead river

Jim was a little worried as we hit this gravel now that his bike is under load. Worry was unfounded, the bike handled it well.

Safflower fields. This is, or was, a major crop here but many of these fields are being developed into “Ranchette” style developments.

I just liked this view with the mountains in the background.

The first time we rode this it was gravel and we were newbies to bike touring. Riding up the hill coming up on too heavily-loaded bikes was hard!

I liked the contrast between the blooming safflowers and the mountains and other fields in this pic.

Today's ride: 28 miles (45 km)
Total: 520 miles (837 km)

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Kelly IniguezDon't you enjoy the no pressure-ness of the low mileage days? I'm afraid I'm getting to like them too much.

I hope you have a nice visit tomorrow. Good timing, in that you are visiting while you can.
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