Connie, Judy and I made our triumphal return to Glacier today. The crowds were underwhelmed but our spirits were high. We set off down the John’s Lake trail at the north end of Lake McDonald, just off the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It’s an easy hike (they claim) of about 3 miles up the hill to, yes, John’s Lake. On the way, we met a couple of frantic parents looking for their kids who thought they had encountered a bear and ran off to get away. Turns out there was no bear in the area. We split up along separate trails and called their names, hoping to encourage them to come out. Before too long, their dad found them along the road where they presumably felt that help was available. Relieved parents did as most do when scared for their kids. There were hugs and tears and some scolding. The oldest, a daughter of 15 was embarrassed and probably wanted to crawl into the nearest black hole. Despite the absence of a real threat, she reacted in the best way she knew how to protect her two small siblings. We are impressed. After the adrenaline wore off her parents, we hope they will be, too.

We were overtaken on the trail by a group of horseback riders taking the fun and much less strenuous route through the woods. Beautiful animals, but their passing makes footing a little hazardous for earthbound folks. The trail wound through such lush growth. The moisture level is quite high, so mosses, lichens, ferns and pretty wildflowers grow in abundance in dappled sunlight. The air is so fresh and clean. There were moments we felt like we were walking through a fabled Tolkien forest where dryads or wood nymphs might dance in pleasure. The trail did lead us to John’s Lake, a small calm pond a couple of acres big. The ground was so wet still that we couldn’t really get close, but worth the walk.

We continued along the loop trail back to the road where the swollen McDonald Creek came to a fall that thundered beautifully, plume of mist thrown into the air. There’s a bridge that spans the falls and it’s so energizing to have so much water roaring underneath. The trail took us downstream by several rapids and falls on the creek’s way to Lake McDonald. Unlike the riders and youngsters hurrying along because they can, we made our way easily and with dignity just enjoying the pleasure of good company and the beauty all around us. We met a buck close to the trail who was sporting a new 8-point rack. His horns were covered in velvet and which will likely rub off by summer’s end to reveal new larger, hard antlers. Like the does we have seen, he was looking for something tasty, and utterly unconcerned about human proximity. We got a pic. If we were in a hurry, we might have missed him. Dignity has its rewards. (Ben, Dave and Tim: Hush. It’s our story so mute the Flintstones theme.) 😀 

We returned to our car which was parked close to the inlet of Lake McDonald, had some lunch and headed back to the resort for some time in the hot tub and rest before supper. Tomorrow, Connie and Judy are taking a Ranger led walk through an area filled with wild flowers. I’m planning to hop on the bike and tool around the area.  And then we plan to meet for lunch at the Lake McDonald Lodge, an historic building styled after Swiss hunting lodges.

Looking forward to it.

X

X

It was a cold and rainy day today.  We slept in and lounged around.  Lots of time to visit with Judy.   Totally luxurious.  Tomorrow we are off to do another hike in Glacier NPS.  We’ll have more to say and see tomorrow night.

Glad to catch up a bit today. We set out with Judy this morning in her rental car. Nice to have a down day from riding – we’re at a bit over 7,800 miles so far. We entered Glacier through the West Glacier entrance and stopped at the Apgar Visitors Center to get some info and suggestions. (This always is a good idea. The rangers are knowledgeable and readily offer suggestions based on local conditions.) We settled on a hike up the Avalanche Trail, about 2.3 miles each way to see Avalanche Lake. The hike is a bit strenuous in parts, but is so worth it.

As we drove up the Going-To-The-Sun Road, we stopped on the shores of Lake MacDonald and looked across to the mountains of Howe Ridge to the west. Except for ripples made by skipping stones (that was me) the lake was a mirror, giving image/counter image of green forest and tall mountains still with snow up high. We probably got a pic or two.

Upon getting to the Avalanche Trailhead, we followed the Avalanche Creek which is swollen from remaining snowfall and recent rain. There is something soothing about watching and listening to a roaring stream pounding its way over a boulder filled course. Though the weather was ideal, it was a bit warm. The Creek offered some welcome cool. We saw several mule deer very close by the trail. They were quite tame, we think, allowing people to come very close while foraging. They are beautiful creatures, with a slightly shaggy coat and huge ears shaped like a mule’s. We did not run into any bears, we’re glad to say. We had a canister of bear spray just in case. Fortunately it will keep for another day.

The area was named by a Dr. Lyman Sherry who explored the much of the park in 1895. He heard and saw a number of avalanches and thought that a good name. There are a huge number of trees that have been knocked down all along the slopes of the valley, so the area seems aptly named. The Park Service does a nice job keeping the trail clear.

It took a while, but we finally made it to the lake. It’s a placid, clear lake with a greenish cast to the water. Maybe because of the glacial silt that washes down? No matter. Some sunken logs dotted the bottom, beautiful ducks swam and, I imagine, took their ease. But the wonder was to be had with the high waterfalls that cascade off the sheer faces of the surrounding mountains, especially Bearhat Mountain that towers more than 4,800 feet above the lake. The falls (we counted 4) feed the lake at its east end, which then drains to the west into Avalanche Creek. We truly enjoyed sitting at our ease, talking quietly, sharing snacks and taking in the beauty. Something about good company in beautiful surroundings.

The walk back was a lot less strenuous. Good thing because we were knackered. It was so worth the effort and made for a wonderful day. We stopped at a local grocery in Columbia Falls to buy provisions for the evening meal. Then back to the lovely resort where Judy graciously made arrangements for our stay. It feels good to get our boots off and let the toes breathe.

YESTERDAY: On the ride here we stopped for lunch in a little town in Idaho along US Rt. 2, called Bonners Ferry. The restaurant is called Chic-N-Chop and serves abundant good food for a reasonable price. In the lot outside, we met a quiet, good looking man named Ray who runs a diesel repair shop in town. He was curious about our trip which led to a nice conversation about traveling through his neck of the woods. He told about northern Idaho winters (20-30 below) and the fact he takes pleasure living in a small town in an area with not a lot of people. He struck us as a kind, decent, good man, the kind that makes a good neighbor. We met his little dog, Molly, whom he proudly claimed had defended his garden against wild critters looking for an easy meal. The three of us were glad for the conversation and wished each other well. There are a lot of good people all over this land.

X

Spokane, WA to Columbia Falls, MT  (Glacier National Park)

We had a long day riding through beautiful wooded mountains and hills of Northern Idaho and Montana. Everything is so green! The scenery reminds us of Maine and New Hampshire.  For long stretches, we were alone on the road.  There is something romantic about having the road to yourself when you’re riding.  We arrived in the later afternoon and met up with Hank’s sister, Judy.  It’s been nearly a year since we last saw each.  It’s great to be together again.  We took Judy out for a birthday dinner and then walked and otherwise hung out.  

Today, we’re heading into Glacier National Park.  Can’t wait.

Kennewick, WA to Spokane, WA

Short day riding.  Lots of relaxing.  Definitely needed a down day.  Tomorrow, heading to Glacier National Park and will spend five days there seeing the sites and visiting with Hank’s sister, Judy.  Sorry for the short post, not a whole lot happened today and we are beat.

Good night and see ya tomorrow.

Cottage Grove, OR to Kennewick, WA

Today was a traveling day, about 340 miles from Cottage Grove, OR to Kennewick, WA. Traffic was a problem around Portland. Stop and go for no apparent reason. Kind of like Philly but worse. Even fewer folks have the luxury option of turn signals installed in their vehicles. Only refinement and a sense of decorum prevented the Jersey driver side from coming out. Verbally. Loudly, complete with naughty words.

We picked up I-84 and headed east along the Columbia River. Beautiful, lush terrain surrounded us as we rode through the rain. The overcast skies gave the river a steely grey-green look that was striking. We were impressed because the Columbia is a river that meets the definition of a river. It’s true dinky at all like so many western so-called rivers. It looked to be about a half-mile across in places, in the same way the Delaware or Mississippi is wide. It’s big enough to have shipping and dams and things. Like a river is supposed to be, you know?

Eventually, the rain stopped and the terrain became arid, not unlike New Mexico or Southern Utah. These are old, old hills that make up ground above the Columbia gorge, covered with light tan grasses that last saw the rain weeks ago.  Farmers in this area are working overtime to turn the land into verdant circles.  The fields we saw appear to be mostly alfalfa and hay, which begs the question, where is the livestock? We even passed a tree farm!  The fields are circular because the irrigation/spray system that travels around a central hub. I’ve noticed these green circles before when flying over, and on Google satellite.  It’s good to understand the “why.”

We arrived in Kennewick around 4:30 and hit the local grocery to pick up our dinner and some sundries. Heading to the hotel was an adventure. Henceforth I shall refrain from complaining about Jersey or NY drivers. (Pennsy is still fair game.) These people are truly terrible on the road. It seems the worse the driver, the better the car. A young lady suddenly pulled out in front of us forcing a fast reaction. I confess the continued use of foul language and used large, unmistakable gestures. Was the driver sheepish at all? No, she was not. A cheery wave and ingenue smile were her offerings. Akin to the old question about a tree in the woods: is an insult still an insult if it’s not understood? Is being oblivious a valid defense? Such questions are beyond me at this point because there’s too much data. During the three mile ride to the motel, we encountered a number of additional suspects. I don’t think they are actually stupid, the drivers we encountered just seem to make their minds up late on their next maneuver. Thinking a block ahead is rough work. Thank the Lord we didn’t meet anyone driving farm machinery.

The morning promise of a rainy day.

Hello, Portland!

In the span of forty miles, we went from lush to arid.

Take a minute to study the photo below.  Evergreen?

One of several dams we saw while traveling along the Columbia River.

Eureka, CA to Cottage Grove, OR

We had to make a change in our plans today. We were intending to head for Crater Lake National Park in the Cascades in Southern Oregon. It’s such an exciting place to visit (in my mind) – a collapsed volcano that Native Americans had witnessed erupt almost 8,000 years ago. It’s elevation is very high, over 6,000 feet which makes it susceptible to cold weather. Yeah.  Weather forecasts are for snow tomorrow. This is June 8th.  Yea. Snow and motorcycles don’t mix particularly well. So we’ve rerouted our escapade to get around that white sh#!%t. So we headed to the burgeoning metropolis of Cottage Grove, Oregon (it is possible to find it on a map) on our way around that white stuff toward Glacier Nat’l Park in Montana and our meet-up with my sister, Judy. 
While it’s disappointing to miss out on Crater Lake, we did manage to find a wondrous lane through immense and beautiful redwoods. It is the Newton B Drury Scenic Road through Redwood National Park and … it… is … stunning. Pics are attached, wonderfully shot, that give the barest hint of its beauty. Saw some elk in the bargain. It took us almost an hour to make our way through this 5 mile lane. Couldn’t tear ourselves away. Do you have any idea how much peace attends a grove that is filled with ancients like these? I think of the Ents, from Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings. Or maybe Mirkwood, or Lothlorien. (Yep, fantastical fictional settings for a wondrous place.) “Wow” came up a lot. 
On the way through, we passed a man struggling up a hill on a fully laden recumbent cycle who later passed us on the downhill side as we talked with Arnie Summers who’s Harley was parked on the side of the road. (More about the bicyclist in a minute.)  Arnie is on a two month tour like ours and was headed toward Crater Lake, like us.  Arnie is from Florida and was a little disappointed with the weather forecast. But he had so much to offer in terms of riding experience and suggestions on what to see and do on a tour of the US. We had a fabulous conversation and are so glad to have met. He is riding solo and heads wherever the spirit takes him. We exchanged contact information and look forward to hearing from him again.  It turns out we will be in Rapid City, SD at the same time.  Who knows, maybe dinner?
We stopped for lunch at a little diner fashioned out of a log cabin a few miles down the road. We had a simple but sumptuous lunch to die for and met, lol and behold, Mike the recumbent cyclist. He is on a perimeter tour of the country that started on January 1st and (he hopes) will conclude by Christmas. Yep, you heard that right. He’s on a year long tour representing the Fender Music Foundation for music education,  www.fendermusicfoundation.org.   Heis soliciting donations donations for his worthy cause. Though we passed him in the park, he has way surpassed us in the ambition of his tour. He says he’s behind schedule because a truck hit him and his bike in Texas. It took a couple of weeks for him to recover and get a new bike shipped. As you might figure, Mile is disgustingly fit and trim for his ancient stature (by my standards). A really nice guy, to boot.
The diner was situated right next to an emu farm. While Connie and I were getting ready to resume our travels, a young boy came out and had a face-to-face with an emu. All went well until the boy poked his fingers through the fence.  Finger food is tasty, it seems. It was a brief encounter to be sure.
We met the combat vet, Craig, again on the road. We didn’t have a chance to talk, but it was fun riding with him for a while. Someone asked how he can take his dog along on a road trip. (see yesterday’s post.) Seems he has a trailer for his trike that has a compartment in front tailor made for his pup. Remember the folderol around Mitt Romney and his family dog? Same general idea. According to Craig, Sophie LOVES to travel that way. Think in terms of turbo charging a dog’s sniffer. Sensory overload, so forth.
We covered almost 300 beautiful miles today along CA Rt 101, US Rt 199, and I-5. Tired but happy. Lots of twisties and graceful curves. Tomorrow, further on our way to Glacier.

California coastline

Redwood National and State Park

X

Great perspective here.  Arnie’s bike looks so small compared to the trees.

The ride for Mike, a bicyclist from Georgia. 

It’s amazing how many sculptures we’ve seen in Northern California and Oregon.  Very cool.

Mendocino, CA to Eureka, CA

We had another good day. After a terrific breakfast at our Inn, we walked out to the point of Mendocino and took in the waves as they struck the cliffs. Satisfying booms and sprays the surf – it is so soothing to hear and see. The town is small and very cute, like most shore towns we’ve seen, even on the New England coast. Even more than our riding gear, our outfits screamed that we were out-of-towners. Jersey no less, though no big hair! Wide, soft-brimmed hats, down vests and gabardines are the uniform of choice. But the welcome we received was warm and friendly. Again. Nice.  
We filled up at $5.56 per gallon ( yikes, small costal town ) and set off for my sister Judy’s house in Eureka. We rode a bit more on CA Rt 1 and had gorgeous sights all along the coast. The twisties were fun but slowed us down some. It took us about 5 hours to cover 190 miles, with stops. We met a Vietnam combat vet, named Craig, who had just attended an annual convention in San Diego. He is 70 and was on a Victory trike with camping gear and was riding back (by a circuitous route) to his home in Wisconsin. He does this every year, and yes, he camps at night. Sometimes he manages to take his dog, Sophie, along. He showed us pics to prove it. He had a ton of good suggestions on where to go, how to get there, and what to be careful of. He strongly encouraged us to bring bear spray with us when we head into the northern mountain ranges. He does, and there have been occasions when he’s needed it. Consider it done.

We are spending the night at my sister, Judy’s home and we’re so glad for her generosity. Unfortunately she is not here tonight, but is in Boston. A scheduling mix-up. We’ll hook up in a few days at Glacier Nat’l Park in Montana. We can’t wait.

The weather continues a bit chilly, mostly in the 60’s. (Hmmm, what’s the temp in Jersey these days?) we had to layer up some. Looks like it will remain cool as we head into Oregon, Washington and east into Idaho and Montana. Looking forward to what tomorrow will bring.

Mendocino Headlands State Park

From San Francisco to Mendocino, CA

We had a wonderful stay last night with Dan and Alexandra, and their children, Julian and Louise. And their Great Danes, Virgil and Diesel. And their fabulous collection of birds. Had a great chance to catch up on their very full lives and share some reminiscences of family lore. We were plied with wine and sumptuous food. Just a great evening and morning. I was delighted to show off Trixy to Julian and Louise who were interested in its workings in a satisfying way. To say “thanks”, both got a ride this morning before heading off to school. They are super kids; Dan and Alexandra are terrific parents.  
We headed north along CA Rt 1 toward Mendocino, this night’s destination. We missed the chance to cross the Golden Gate Bridge because of traffic. However, the beauty of the roads up the coast more than made up for it. First class twisties and stunning views of the California coast made for a long but beautiful day. We met a trio from Brazil who flew into LA and were riding along the coast on rented BMW’s. Their bikes were beautiful GS1200’s, but were overshadowed by our beast. A little tasteful smugness here. We wound up on CA Rt 128 which took us through a redwood forest. They have grown so high and the canopy is so dense that it felt like we were riding through the shadows of a cathedral. That part of our route was unintentional, but we are blessed to have wandered through it.

We arrived in Mendocino, a small coastal village of about 1,000 souls. Beautiful and quaint don’t quite do it. Had supper in a small Irish pub called Patterson’s and met some of the locals: Judy, who owns a jewelry shop in town, and her friend, Kimberly, who just moved to town. They shared some local color and made us feel welcome.

We’re back at our bed and breakfast, Didjeridoo, which is also very cute. An old mansion built in 1882, its rooms are always booked and every room has a working fireplace. We are very lucky to be here.

Tomorrow it’s off to Eureka!

Our first view of the Pacific!

Came across three identical BMW “little” sisters of Trixy.

Hank’s grand niece and nephew ready for pajama day at school.

Flashing the MC riders’ sign of respect.

Early morning ride with Uncle Hank.

From Groveland, CA to San Francisco, CA

We had a more leisurely day today.  It was a short (er) ride to San Francisco.  We arrived this afternoon and spent some a nice afternoon evening visit with Hank’s nephew, Danny and his wife, Alexandra, and their two young children, Julian and Louise.  It’s late now and Hank is conked out.  But I didn’t want anyone to worry if we missed a blog post.

Tomorrow we head up the California coastline in Highway 1.  It’s supposed to be one of the loveliest scenic rides in the country.  So we’ll have more stories and photos tomorrow night.

Sleep well!