Into the Lower 48

Hello now from Missoula Montana. This town has engaged me and I’ve decided to set some root here. Those roots will last no more than thirty six hours, but that is my longest run in one place sine Dawson City three weeks ago.

I pulled into town yesterday afternoon because the bike needed (big surprise) a new rear tire. From here to home, I’m going with street tires as they last at least twice as long as the more-fun-but-less-efficient knobbies.

But to jump into the details of Montana would be to shortcut a few experiences since my earlier-this-month encounter with a couple massive buffalo. . .

After flinging dirt and fear at a dejected buffalo, I flung my way down to Dawson Creek where I enjoyed some much welcome sunshine and even went for a run of non-trivial distance. In confidence of the Super 8 desk attendee, I learned that the police activity I witnessed when in the same town weeks earlier was a response to a drug-related gun killing. I was glad to learn this detail after I had completed my runs, both prior and more recent.

My return to mile zero of the Alaska Highway represented –for me- the end of the “oh man, you are way out there!” part of my ride. From there on in, all things would be resourced and calculated, right? Perhaps.

I rode the next day to British Columbia’s Jasper park. Jasper is at the north end of the Icefields Parkway which reaches southeast down to Banff, by way of Lake Louise. Wanting to allow ample time to enjoy these adjoining parks, I opted to stay overnight in Jasper. With very good weather, I set up my tent and headed out for a run. Funny –how even after a day of mind-cleansing riding- a run can really set everything right with the world. Great scenery doesn’t hurt.

Ok time for a couple photos, first of the riverside trail, then that evening’s river. . .

The next day I made good on my plan to ride the parks. As many report, the scenery is exceptional. The mountains are dramatic and usher glaciers downward form icefields that are unseen from the road – yet their cooling winds are felt. Parked at one moment, I could have sworn that a certain glacier has plans on encapsulating me and my bike. But realizing that it would take many centuries for the glacier to reach us, I acted –in relation- like lightning when I pulled away forty-five minutes later.

Leaving the Jasper/Banff area, I headed south toward the US. Wait, on more photo from Banff. . .

Entering the lower 48, I headed directly for Missoula’s BMW shop. Having made plans to stay there (here), for the night, I became enamored with the town and decided to spend a “day in place” so that I could enjoy the town’s amenities including highly-great running trails, lovely brewpubs and an opportunity to do a “star-wars volume 4” caliber clean-up of the bike.

Remember how in the very first released star wars, droids R2D2 and C3PO both received a good cleaning at some point mid-movie? It wasn’t the thorough cleaning they got before the movie’s end, but it was pretty darn good. That’s the treatment my bike got earlier today, while I got a back-load of sunburn. In other words, all is well!!!!