Day 5
Saturday July 28, 2007
Whitefish, MT to Whitefish, MT
230 miles today (15,157 – 15,387)
1378 miles total
1 foreign country visited today!
I set my alarm for 5AM today. I needed to do laundry for the first time on the road.
Whitefish was at 100+ degrees yesterday, and I wanted to get in and OUT of the laundry early while it was cool. Breakfast was served in the restaurant buffet style.
The hot temps, for several days now, had everyone wilted, or in the process of wilting.
They’ve had several days at or above 100 degrees around here. I would later find out this area of the country was stuck in a heat wave. Bozeman, where I was headed later, had 12 days of at or above 100 degrees. The forecast for the park today was 96-101 degrees, depending upon the location within the park.
I gassed up in Columbia City, just east of Whitefish, about 8:15 and was on my way to Glacier Nat’l Park. (I would later meet “Biker Barb” in Sturgis, a friend of Don and Barbara Brunks, and find out she lives in Columbia City, MT.) There was very little traffic on the way. Once I got into the park, the traffic was heavier, and especially the motorcycles!
I was able to use the Nat’l Parks Pass Nat and I bought a year ago for our road trip to Billings. My pass expires July 31. At the first visitor’s center, I met a couple traveling on a trike. They were from South Carolina (can’t remember where) and were pulling a Aspen Classic camping trailer like mine. They had been “on the road” since May 28th! They’ve replace 2 alternators, had 3 flat tires and some minor problems as well. Not exactly trouble free…
Got up and over Logan Pass
and down the other side of the park before lunch! Lots of people at the top of the Pass. Got my picture made. I pulled over for lunch at a park on the north shore of St. Mary Lake. Peanut butter on Ritz crackers, a banana, trail mix and half a bottle of Gatorade made up the menu. The sobering thing about lunch was the sign permanently posted to the center of each picnic table. It warned of BEARS and their attraction to even the smell of food.
It made me eat lunch with a little extra caution. There were some other folks around eating though, so I felt comfortable laying down on the seat portion of the table and resting with my eyes closed for a few minutes. Still trying to relax and not go, go, go! I did see a couple, with 2 kids, casually walk to one of the tables with their ice chest, picnic basket, etc. They were there just long enough to read the sign then almost RAN back to their car! Pretty funny!
Once I got into St. Mary and gassed up, I thought I was this close to Canada, let’s see what it looks like. Why not?! The landscape changed dramatically once I got out of the mountains. The terrain turned to gentle, long rolling hills, planted with what I would guess is wheat. It was pretty scary getting to the border and seeing the sign saying “You are now leaving US soil.
My experience at the border really soured me on Canada.
The young guy at the booth was all business. I had my passport and driver’s license out and ready. After he asked me what my business was, did I have any firearms, alcohol, etc. and if I intended to sell anything in Canada, he told me to go park and go upstairs.
OK…hmmm, I wonder what this is all about.
As I parked, I met a young couple with Oregon tags in a VW van packed full. They had been to the northeast, and were now going back to Portland via the Canadian route just above the US border.
I made my way upstairs to a little room with 6 other people waiting. The sign that proclaimed “Do NOT leave this room without permission of a border agent” really made me nervous. What have I gotten into? It took 40 minutes before the guy called me to the window. He asked me several questions including how much cash did I have, what did I intend to do, etc. When he found out I only had $300 on me, he wanted to know if I had a debit or credit card. “Yes” I replied, and then he wanted to know how much cash I had access to. I was getting real uneasy with all this. $1,000 on my debit and many times that available on my VISA didn’t seem to satisfy him. He had me sit down again. 5 minutes later he came back and without even looking at me asked “Mr. Brown, where were you born?” When I told him, a big grin came over his face. I thought that must have been a good answer. He called me to the window and explained there was a man with my name from Virginia with a long, bad record. He told me I’d be going to jail now if I’d answered Virginia. He also explained that since I wasn’t employed, had no “proof” of any income and had only $300 on me, it just wasn’t good enough if I wanted to cross the border in the future. He suggested I carry a deposit slip or something “showing” that I had some proof of income. He then released me to go downstairs. Once I had been cleared, it seemed everyone’s demeanor changed a little. There were more smiles, a little easing of the unspoken tension. My whole assessment of the thing was I was guilty until I could prove myself innocent. They certainly did not make me feel welcomed.
On my way, finally, and I headed up to Cardston, Alberta. The terrain was just incredible. Wheat as far as I could see. It was HOT! I got into Cardston and stopped at the visitors center. Again, the young lady was cordial, but I wouldn’t call her “friendly” by any means. I bought some postcards and paid with a $20 bill US. Got all my change back in Canadian money! What was I thinking!!?? Went to a convenience store, bought some Gatorade, got some ice and was ready to head back to the “good ol’ USA!” A guy on a bike pulled up and asked me what part of Oregon I was from. He was just finishing up his 14 day road trip and had been down 101 to the Redwoods. He came back through Grants Pass and Bend. He was less than 3 hours from his home of Red Deer and would be back to work on Monday. We visited for a few minutes with another rider that pulled up, then I was on my way back to Glacier. It was so good to cross the border and be on my home soil.
I gassed up again in St. Mary and headed back over Logan Pass through Glacier. The US 2 highway on the south side of the park would be cooking, I was sure. At least the mountains would be cool a little while. The trip back was much quicker than the first trip over. Except for the border incident, a good day. Fantastic scenary.
Saturday July 28, 2007
Whitefish, MT to Whitefish, MT
230 miles today (15,157 – 15,387)
1378 miles total
1 foreign country visited today!
I set my alarm for 5AM today. I needed to do laundry for the first time on the road.
Whitefish was at 100+ degrees yesterday, and I wanted to get in and OUT of the laundry early while it was cool. Breakfast was served in the restaurant buffet style.
The hot temps, for several days now, had everyone wilted, or in the process of wilting.
They’ve had several days at or above 100 degrees around here. I would later find out this area of the country was stuck in a heat wave. Bozeman, where I was headed later, had 12 days of at or above 100 degrees. The forecast for the park today was 96-101 degrees, depending upon the location within the park.
I gassed up in Columbia City, just east of Whitefish, about 8:15 and was on my way to Glacier Nat’l Park. (I would later meet “Biker Barb” in Sturgis, a friend of Don and Barbara Brunks, and find out she lives in Columbia City, MT.) There was very little traffic on the way. Once I got into the park, the traffic was heavier, and especially the motorcycles!
I was able to use the Nat’l Parks Pass Nat and I bought a year ago for our road trip to Billings. My pass expires July 31. At the first visitor’s center, I met a couple traveling on a trike. They were from South Carolina (can’t remember where) and were pulling a Aspen Classic camping trailer like mine. They had been “on the road” since May 28th! They’ve replace 2 alternators, had 3 flat tires and some minor problems as well. Not exactly trouble free…
Got up and over Logan Pass
and down the other side of the park before lunch! Lots of people at the top of the Pass. Got my picture made. I pulled over for lunch at a park on the north shore of St. Mary Lake. Peanut butter on Ritz crackers, a banana, trail mix and half a bottle of Gatorade made up the menu. The sobering thing about lunch was the sign permanently posted to the center of each picnic table. It warned of BEARS and their attraction to even the smell of food.
It made me eat lunch with a little extra caution. There were some other folks around eating though, so I felt comfortable laying down on the seat portion of the table and resting with my eyes closed for a few minutes. Still trying to relax and not go, go, go! I did see a couple, with 2 kids, casually walk to one of the tables with their ice chest, picnic basket, etc. They were there just long enough to read the sign then almost RAN back to their car! Pretty funny!
Once I got into St. Mary and gassed up, I thought I was this close to Canada, let’s see what it looks like. Why not?! The landscape changed dramatically once I got out of the mountains. The terrain turned to gentle, long rolling hills, planted with what I would guess is wheat. It was pretty scary getting to the border and seeing the sign saying “You are now leaving US soil.
My experience at the border really soured me on Canada.
The young guy at the booth was all business. I had my passport and driver’s license out and ready. After he asked me what my business was, did I have any firearms, alcohol, etc. and if I intended to sell anything in Canada, he told me to go park and go upstairs.
OK…hmmm, I wonder what this is all about.
As I parked, I met a young couple with Oregon tags in a VW van packed full. They had been to the northeast, and were now going back to Portland via the Canadian route just above the US border.
I made my way upstairs to a little room with 6 other people waiting. The sign that proclaimed “Do NOT leave this room without permission of a border agent” really made me nervous. What have I gotten into? It took 40 minutes before the guy called me to the window. He asked me several questions including how much cash did I have, what did I intend to do, etc. When he found out I only had $300 on me, he wanted to know if I had a debit or credit card. “Yes” I replied, and then he wanted to know how much cash I had access to. I was getting real uneasy with all this. $1,000 on my debit and many times that available on my VISA didn’t seem to satisfy him. He had me sit down again. 5 minutes later he came back and without even looking at me asked “Mr. Brown, where were you born?” When I told him, a big grin came over his face. I thought that must have been a good answer. He called me to the window and explained there was a man with my name from Virginia with a long, bad record. He told me I’d be going to jail now if I’d answered Virginia. He also explained that since I wasn’t employed, had no “proof” of any income and had only $300 on me, it just wasn’t good enough if I wanted to cross the border in the future. He suggested I carry a deposit slip or something “showing” that I had some proof of income. He then released me to go downstairs. Once I had been cleared, it seemed everyone’s demeanor changed a little. There were more smiles, a little easing of the unspoken tension. My whole assessment of the thing was I was guilty until I could prove myself innocent. They certainly did not make me feel welcomed.
On my way, finally, and I headed up to Cardston, Alberta. The terrain was just incredible. Wheat as far as I could see. It was HOT! I got into Cardston and stopped at the visitors center. Again, the young lady was cordial, but I wouldn’t call her “friendly” by any means. I bought some postcards and paid with a $20 bill US. Got all my change back in Canadian money! What was I thinking!!?? Went to a convenience store, bought some Gatorade, got some ice and was ready to head back to the “good ol’ USA!” A guy on a bike pulled up and asked me what part of Oregon I was from. He was just finishing up his 14 day road trip and had been down 101 to the Redwoods. He came back through Grants Pass and Bend. He was less than 3 hours from his home of Red Deer and would be back to work on Monday. We visited for a few minutes with another rider that pulled up, then I was on my way back to Glacier. It was so good to cross the border and be on my home soil.
I gassed up again in St. Mary and headed back over Logan Pass through Glacier. The US 2 highway on the south side of the park would be cooking, I was sure. At least the mountains would be cool a little while. The trip back was much quicker than the first trip over. Except for the border incident, a good day. Fantastic scenary.
