Day 26
June 11th
Thursday
60 Miles
Apgar / West Glacier to East Glacier over Marias Pass
The cold morning did not last long. The sun came out and we were hot by 10 am. We left Apgar a little after 7 am and rode on Highway 2 all day. Traffic was heavy at first then lighter on our side of the road as the day went on. We had very little shoulder until we were out of West Glacier. Roads were good and the ride mostly rolling hills with a gentle climb until we were about 4 miles from the pass. This was our last pass and we will be riding away from the mountains to the plains of eastern Montana. We will miss the rivers, lakes, tall trees, and mountains but look forward to the new scenery.
Our oasis today was the Izaak Walton Historic Inn located in the small community of Essex. We were hoping for a break before climbing Marias Pass so we rode into Essex looking for a store or café. At the Inn we had a relaxing lunch on the patio admiring the train cars and cabooses they turned into 'cabins' for travelers. The grounds were very pretty and this would be a great place to get away.
Marias Pass was the start to the Lewis & Clark Forest. At the pass, a campground held several memorials that tied nicely to the Ranger presentation we went to in Glacier. This memorial honored many of the key people that protect our wilderness and made Glacier a National Park.
Down from Marias Pass we entered East Glacier. Since we were unable to go to Canada we made the decision to see if any rooms were available at the East Glacier Lodge. This time of year is slow and there were a lot of rooms available. We were treated like royalty, given a special rate and upgrade. Best of all, they allowed us to keep our tandem and trailer in an unused conference room. The lodge is a historic icon in Glacier, built with massive timbers. We loved staying in the original lodge complete with balcony. The mountains were an amazing back drop as we watched the sunset.
The cold morning did not last long. The sun came out and we were hot by 10 am. We left Apgar a little after 7 am and rode on Highway 2 all day. Traffic was heavy at first then lighter on our side of the road as the day went on. We had very little shoulder until we were out of West Glacier. Roads were good and the ride mostly rolling hills with a gentle climb until we were about 4 miles from the pass. This was our last pass and we will be riding away from the mountains to the plains of eastern Montana. We will miss the rivers, lakes, tall trees, and mountains but look forward to the new scenery.
Our oasis today was the Izaak Walton Historic Inn located in the small community of Essex. We were hoping for a break before climbing Marias Pass so we rode into Essex looking for a store or café. At the Inn we had a relaxing lunch on the patio admiring the train cars and cabooses they turned into 'cabins' for travelers. The grounds were very pretty and this would be a great place to get away.
Marias Pass was the start to the Lewis & Clark Forest. At the pass, a campground held several memorials that tied nicely to the Ranger presentation we went to in Glacier. This memorial honored many of the key people that protect our wilderness and made Glacier a National Park.
Down from Marias Pass we entered East Glacier. Since we were unable to go to Canada we made the decision to see if any rooms were available at the East Glacier Lodge. This time of year is slow and there were a lot of rooms available. We were treated like royalty, given a special rate and upgrade. Best of all, they allowed us to keep our tandem and trailer in an unused conference room. The lodge is a historic icon in Glacier, built with massive timbers. We loved staying in the original lodge complete with balcony. The mountains were an amazing back drop as we watched the sunset.
Essex, Montana
Honeymoon Caboose
Train tracks behind the Inn
This train car matches our 'rig'
Train on the Hi-Line
East Glacier Lodge
East Glacier Lodge
View from the balcony at East Glacier Lodge
East Glacier Lodge
Mountain Goats West of Marias Pass
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