This ride story actually began a few months ago when Dave asked me if I could pick up a Centurian Pro Tour he’d bought on Ebay from Seattle Goodwill. “Of course!” I said, “”It would give me a reason to drive over for some skiing at Whitefish”. Health and family issues kept me from being able to do that so the bike sat in my garage as spring arrived and my sports interests changed from skiing to biking. We’d been in contact as I had hoped to one day ride the Going to the Sun Road before it opened to cars in the spring. Finally this past weekend, conditions aligned and I was in my small car packed with bikes for the monster drive to Kalispell. When I arrived, there was BBQ Steak and Dawn’s awesome Rhubarb pie for dinner and a comfortable bed for the night. Dave and Dawn are tremendous hosts, making me feel right at home.

Awoke by a knock on the door at 6:30AM, a hot breakfast and we are soon on the road for Glacier National Park. “We start early to avoid the crowds” Dave says. I had no idea just how popular this was with the locals. Even this early, there were a lot of cars parked at the Avalanche Campground inside the Park when we got there. This is where the road ends for cars. The road is gated just past the campground and folks are excitedly getting ready for a day of riding or hiking.

Soon, we are on the bikes. It is cold and I am wearing everything I’d brought - a base layer, a wool short sleeve jersey, a wool sweater over that, and a windbreaker…long fingered gloved with glove liners and I was still cold but it was thrilling to be on a closed road heading up to Logan Pass.

Dave and Dawn ride out from Avalanche Campground by NBend, on Flickr

We are hopeful the skies will clear by NBend, on Flickr

Sun and Clouds battle for supremacy by NBend, on Flickr

We soon met up with some of Dave and Dawn’s friends.

We meet up with some their friends by NBend, on Flickr

The gradient on the climb is steady, somewhere around 6% most of the way.

Tunnel just before the Loop by NBend, on Flickr

We pass by many riders and walkers including these ‘corn doggers’ riding up to catch some spring skiing on the corn snow at Logan Pass

Corn Doggers on their way up for the goods by NBend, on Flickr