Menk's Across America - Journal Entry #3
By Jeremiah Menk
July 1, 2002
June 28, 2002
Yesterday we rode from Whitefish to East Glacier, MT. We
started early to beat the heavy traffic heading to Glacier
National Park later that day. The eight miles from Columbia
Falls to Hungry Horse, MT has no shoulder and RV's can take
a biker out pretty easy. We made our way to Glacier safely
and pulled over for our morning coffee. After coffee I rode
on my own ahead of Mom and Dad for the rest of the day. The
ride was nice, it was a gradual climb of 60 miles to Marias
Pass (the continental divide), and then down to the town of
East Glacier with a strong tail wind. The total ride was 75
miles. I met Ben just outside of East Glacier and he road
back and met Mom and Dad before they reached Marias Pass.
It was our last full day in the mountains and everyone had
a good ride. Dan, a biker accompanying us from Sioux Falls,
biked 161 miles. He is a biking machine. He rode to Logan
Pass in Glacier National Park in addition to our days ride
to East Glacier. The pass was still closed, but he was able
to ride too just before it. He said the view was amazing.
I'll have to go back and see it someday.
Today we awoke to clouds and another strong tail wind. We
took our final look at the mountains and headed towards Shelby,
MT. After riding for twenty miles we realized that we should
ride further and use the tail wind to our advantage. Dad was
planning to make it to Joplin, MT, but Ben was unable to find
a suitable campground. We pulled into Chester, MT instead
and Mom was relieved. The total ride was 115 miles. Joplin
is 10 miles farther down the road. The last 14 miles to Chester
was under construction. It was a bruising ride through rough
gravel and loose sand. Ben went out roller skiing tonight.
I was jealous, but I didn't have the energy to go with him.
Now that we are on the plains the winds will decide our schedule.
If we wake to a tailwind we will push further and if we wake
to a headwind we will ride less.
We met two other bikers and a support person in Whitefish,
MT. They are from Wisconsin and are heading to Bar Harbor,
ME. Their names are Ron, Sandy, and Linda. Ron and Linda are
riding and Ron's wife Sandy is driving their supplies ahead.
Ron and Sandy have been participating the in the ride across
Wisconsin since the Seventies.
June 30, 2002
Yesterday we rode 84 miles from Chester, MT to Chinook,
MT. The ride was nice, but I learned that I am cursed in Havre,
MT. I was riding into town and cut my tire on some unseen
object. I pulled over and put on a new tire and tube. Mom
and Dad passed by and said they would meet me in town for
a cup of coffee. I rode into town and found them at a local
shop and pulled over to join them. I was sipping my coffee
when I noticed my tire was flat again. I had a piece of quartz
stuck in the tire and had to patch the tube. I decided I had
better locate the local bike shop for some tubes. Mom rode
ahead while Dad and I headed to the shop. Once there I purchased
his last two tubes and went back outside to find that my tire
was flat again. I looked and had a new hole and proceeded
to replace the tube again. By now we were about half way through
Havre and I had three flats. Dad and I sped off to catch up
with Mom when my water bottle cage broke. After circling back
to reclaim my water bottle I rode out of town as quick as
I could. Ben and I went to the Pro Rodeo in Chinook that night.
It was quite the spectacle. Besides the normal rodeo events,
they had sheep riding for kids five and under and mini bull
riding for kids ten and under. These little kids would strap
a bike helmet on and hold onto a rope for dear life as a cowboy
slapped the animal's ass. Most kids were able to hang on for
three seconds or less. A few were picked up out of the dirt
crying and handed over the fence to their parents.
Today's ride was from Chinook to Saco, MT. The mosquitoes
are vicious in this part of the state. Several swarms managed
to land on me and bite me while we were biking 20 miles per
hour. At Saco they were even worse. We are spending the night
at the Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs Resort. The fossilized
remains of the water slides and outdoor pools from the eighties
surround the grungy caf� and store. It reminds me of National
Lampoon's Vacation. I didn't have any flat tires today so
I was pretty happy.
July 1, 2002
Today we rode from Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs to Glascow,
MT. The ride was short, 55 miles, to allow for us to recover
for tomorrows 113 mile ride to Culbertson, MT. The weather
was nice, but the mosquitoes were vicious. Anytime we stopped
they swarmed us. At the end of the ride we had bloody legs
and arms.
Dad's Top Ten List for the Second Week
- Montana lasts forever.
- In the mountains down is level, level is up,
and up is really up.
- When climbing in the mountains make sure you're
clipped into your pedals before pushing down. (When we were
climbing Washington Pass I missed a clip-in and proceeded
to roll backward into the ditch. I managed to get out and
on my bike before Dad could take a picture so I don't consider
it a crash.)
- Don't be afraid to stop at a Dairy Queen before
meals. (Mom has been teaching us this.)
- The mosquitoes in Montana don't wait for the
evening.
- The ten mile rule: Tell Mary the route is 10
miles longer than it really is so we're done before she
starts complaining.
- The twenty mile rule: With 20 miles left take
off your bike gloves to even out your tan.
- Jeremiah will have a flat tire.
- When descending a mountain you can take at 20
mph hairpin curve at 35 mph on a bike.
- When descending a mountain you can take at 15
mph hairpin curve at 35 mph but it tightens your rectal
sphincter.
Reflections with the Campground Manager (Ben)
First off, I decided to call myself the Campground Manager
because I figured I could use a title, and manager always
sounds good. Next, I learned a valuable lesson in East Glacier,
MT. I headed out to meet Mom, Dad, and Jeremiah on the bikes
so I filled my camelback with 40 oz. of water, then I went
for a bike on my own and filled it with 40 oz. more, plus
a 20 oz. water bottle. When I got back, Mom nicely pointed
out the sign that said "Water may not be suitable for drinking."
Well I thought it tasted funny, but didn't realize it was
that bad. The next morning I found out something East Glacier
and Mexico have in common. Drink bottled water or you're going
to be making a lot of pit stops. Finally, I went for a ride
on my own in Chinook, MT, when everyone else was napping and
headed east. I had a strong tailwind behind me and was 20
miles out when I looked in my mirror and saw a storm coming.
I turned around, but it wasn't long and the winds started
to hit me. They were easily 55 plus mph. I almost got blown
over just standing and putting my rain gear on. I was going
to find shelter in a ditch, but I promised Mom I would be
back in a couple of hours so I headed out in the wind and
rain (which stung as it slammed against me). My legs burned
in my smallest gear going 6 mph, and after biking a mile or
so, I was blown into the ditch by the wind and fell over.
The storm let up after about 45 minutes, I managed to make
it back with no more problems, and was 10 minutes earlier
than I said I would be. Otherwise it was a pretty uneventful
few days (Miah already told you about the rodeo).
Photos
Photoset: June 27-July 1st
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