Late yesterday I tried finding accommodations that would get me past Glacier NP over to East Glacier but I couldn’t find anything beyond Whitefish. I needed the rest day anyway.  I was feeling very worn out yesterday as the day went on. One of my concerns for this trip was the ability for my body to recover from day after day riding.  I’ve been running regularly for about thirty years but I’ve never been able to run daily, I just get run down, feel sore, and eventually develop injuries.  I can’t do more than about 4-5 days of running a week, and 5 is pushing it.  I had a very similar feeling yesterday as I did on day 5, thinking I really need a break.  Maybe that’s how this tour will work out for me, after 5 or 6 days I need to take a rest day or maybe my body will get used to it in time. 

I did expect pain and suffering for at least the first couple weeks as my body adapts.  I must say now at about 2 weeks I’m still not comfortable on the bike.  I’m on the verge of saddle sores even with the Chamois Butt’r.  Yes, for the non cyclists out there it’s exactly as it sounds.  Basically diaper rash cream for your ass on a bike.  Every ten minutes or so I have to stand off the saddle to give my butt a break.  My neck has been hurting, although that has been getting a little better.  I’m sure I’m stronger and can climb better but I really feel the fatigue of day after day riding.

After a big breakfast across the street I started to plan out the next few days.  I assumed my options were one of three.  First I could go off route and navigate around the Glacier area.  Adventure Cycling has other routes that criss cross this area. In their navigation app I bought one map segment that goes from Canada to Missoula.  I could head south from Whitefish towards Missoula then head east to join the Northern Tier in Great Fork. My first night out of Whitefish did’t look much better.

Second, I could just sit here at the Silverado until the heat passes. It would give my body time to heal and at $70/night I could stay in this place several days for the cost of one night in a room closer to Glacier and it’s not bad but five days from now the heat drops to only the high 90’s so not much better.  I would have to wait a full week until next Monday before temps drop to about 90 and that puts me right in a holiday weekend.

Third, I could rent a car and drive east past East Glacier, maybe 150 miles. This would get me away from the crowds and some of the heat but it’s my least favored option.  I’m out here to ride my bike across country, why not figure out a way to make that happen without any gaps.  Like my brother Will said, not like I’ll be late for work Monday, I have time to make this happen one way or another.

I knew Glacier would be crowded and expensive.  I didn’t plan any of this in advance because I didn’t know exactly when I would be here. My plan was to camp either in RV parks or the national park.  From what I understand the national parks won’t turn away hikers or bikers in their campgrounds because where are you going to go and all you need is a patch of land to setup a tent.  So that was my plan but I didn’t expect a 1,000 year heat wave. 

I can find places in Whitefish, they are crazy expensive but at least indoors.  I’ve resigned myself to the fact that this will be an expensive few days. I really just want to get out of this area and the heat.  A normal year would likely mean a ride from the Whitefish area over to East Glacier, a distance of about 80 miles in one day but I don’t want to take on a ride that long in this heat especially since it include a modest pass.

With a little more digging on booking.com I found a place between Whitefish and East Glacier.  Booking said something like “good find, usually booked at this time”.   Perhaps a cancellation.  The location is Pinnacle, about 50 miles from Whitefish.  After that I would like another 50-60 mile day but the only room I can find is in East Glacier about 40 miles away.  It will have to do.