48

Tuesday August 20         Cycling Day 40

       Apgar (Mont) to Kalispell (Mont)

Distance:  (Km).  79

Time:  3:30

Average Speed: (Km/ hr). 22.4

Ascent:  (m). 449

Heart Rate: (beats / min). 104

Cumulative Distance:   (km). 4378

Cumulative Ascent :  (m). 37,653

Punctures so far : 2

Notice any change in data above?

A calm dry night in Apgar, no dew and a pleasure to wrap up a dry tent. All looked to be promising weather wise for the day, and that’s just how it happened.

And, of course, today is a very special day to remember......more later.

I felt very much ‘at home’ on two occasions today and such a pleasant ride with not much ascent. Our route wasn’t the direct route from Apgar to Kalispell on Highway 2 as it was deemed too dangerous for cyclist, dangerous for motorists also judging by the reported large number of crosses erected on the roadside.

Out of Apgar by 8, came to the Park Gate...yesterday that was my target of my dash for the 11am deadline before I realized the campground was actually inside Glacier Park.

I cycled through West Glacier village before the crowds came and then onto a bike path running along Highway 2 for a few kms. Easy riding along here.

Then a turn to the right to link up with another road but it involved 4 km along a gravel stretch. Memories of Dempster! Actually the washboard/corrugations along here were worse than what we met up north. Just required less speed and more concentration on the line of travel.

Weather was beautiful today. I had my light rain jacket off at an early stage and 28 deg when I arrived at the motel in Kalispell. It’s as hot as I want it to be, but higher temperatures may be in store as we move further south over the next 3 weeks. Oh, for a drop of cooling rain !!!!

Once off the gravel at 16 km I cycled along country roads with plenty of turns. When our route notes have plenty of turns and junctions it shortens the trip. Always alert for the next flagging tape just a few kms ahead. These roads made me feel at home. No lines, no shoulder, little traffic and something new around each corner. I like that. I suppose the pleasant sunshine was a contributing factor also.

These roads continued till lunch at 49 km by a rail line. Most of the day was done.

  Whitefish.

Just after lunch we rode into Whitefish, a busy town. Most of the riders took time out here to go for coffee and pastries, for ice cream or to the bike shop. I continued on but missed the turn left onto 3rd Ave (less than 100m after 2nd Ave). After another 500 m I sensed something was wrong, enquired in Big Mountain Windows and retraced my steps. Nothing major and added only 1 km to the day.

  Highway 93.

One more turn led me onto Highway 93 which led direct to Kalispell. This was a pretty busy road but a very wide shoulder for cyclists. This was the second time I felt ‘at home’ i.e. like cycling around San Jose. All the same outlets along the road.....Safeway, Home Depot, Pier 17, Ace Hardware etc. Since we crossed the border on Sunday, it’s the first time I feel that I’m in the US. And couldn’t but notice the number of churches.....not of the architectural variety.

   #2

The 20 km to Kalispell passed quickly and it seemed that I’d be at the motel well before noon. Then as I came to ‘Welcome to Kalispell’ I felt the back wheel again acting funny.....flat #2. Quickly I had the back wheel off, tyre off and noticed the puncture in the same spot as last Friday. With the weather conditions more favourable than then, I was very particular to locate the culprit. Found the tiny piece of radial wire, fingers failed to remove the bugger but I had a tweezers in my repair kit and it did the job. Since I had time and distance on my side (only 6 km to go) I decided to patch the tube rather than just replace it. I had a nice spot in the shade of the sign and all fixed and wheel replaced quickly. No problems from there till Motel 6 at the far side of Kalispell.

In shortly after 12 but no check-in till around 3 but I could recharge phone and iPad.

This evening I had the chain replaced on the bike; the old one stretched a bit after 4378 km.

   43rd Anniversary. Slainte.

And for this special day....Margaret and I married on Aug 20, 1976, 43 years ago. How time flies! So, after ringing home, I toasted both of us with a glass of wine (excuse the Waterford glass!). We’ll celebrate it again when I get home.

Ate in the Mexican establishment next door and had a glorious steak from the American section of their menu while laundry was being done.

A nice pleasant, not too demanding day with an early finish.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.