June 30th – East Glacier to Shelby, MT

Mile 5 looking West to East Glacier, MT and the Rockies.

Mile 5 – Looking East to the Montana Plains.

June 30^th Statistics – East Glacier to Shelby, MT:

• Today’s Biking Distance – 69.0 miles
• Today’s Average Speed – 16.7 mph
• Today Ascent – 1,202 feet
• Today Descent – 2,636 feet
• Today’s Ending Elevation – 3,336 feet
• Total Trip Biking Days – 12
• Total Trip Biking Distance – 859.7 miles
• Total Trip Average Biking Distance/Day – 71.6 miles
• Total Trip Ascent – 40,524 feet

Finally a prefect day:  All day sunshine, temperature mid 60s in the morning to low 80’s in the afternoon, beautiful, but different Montana scenery, moderate to low traffic, and wide unbroken shoulders (with some pebbles and rocks).

Another new record for the trip besides hours of sunshine – My fastest speed of the trip (in fact, ever for distance), 16.7 mph for almost 70 miles.  While I would like to claim it was my conditioning, it was greatly assisted by tailwinds and a 1,500 feet elevation drop over the 70 miles.

To my frustration I had to catch a ride in a vehicle for 2 miles today.  Route 2 was under construction with one passable lane for several miles and cars are led through the construction by a pilot vehicle.  Typically, we have been allowed to skip the pilot driver and proceed through the construction.  Today, I was stopped at the beginning of the construction and told that a grizzly bear and her cub were grazing near the construction area and that I would not be allowed to bike through for our own safety.  The pilot vehicle (pickup truck) put my bike in the back and drove me the two miles.  Unfortunately, the bear and her cub were gone by the time we reached the area.

The change in scenery was dramatic today as we passed the Rockies and entered the Plains (see todays photos when posted).  At mile 30 I passed acres and 100s of power windmills scattered over the Plains.  Most of the area I biked today is in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

Tomorrow will be the longest ride of the trip so far and our first century ride, about 111 miles.  We are meeting for breakfast at 6:30 am and hope to be on the road by 7:30 am.  Unfortunately the weather report is for rain in the PM as we approach Harve, MT (our second rest day).