Rivers, lakes, and mountains

Sometimes you would think that no one lives in Montana at all.  On the side roads, a car might pass me every half hour. On the major roads, there might be a lull as long as five or ten minutes.  For a US-designated highway. as compared to a state route, that's damn little traffic.

Apparently I've only seen the tail end of all the rain. It's been the wettest June in years.  With only two days of real rain, and several days with mere sprinkles, I've had it pretty good actually. The water rushing down the Kootenai River is phenomenal. From Libby Dam, they've had to release 32 million gallons of water a day to cope with all the precipitation.  In the accompanying video [which will eventually work!], you can see the highest water flows since the Libby Dam was built in 1948.

When they dammed the Kootenai River, the engineers created a lake that extends from this part of Montana all the way up into Canada.  With a name like Lake Koocanusa, I don't see how it could be anything other than "Kootenai" + "Canada" + "USA". 

I cycled along state highway 37 the greater part of Friday.  There are unending views of Lake Koocanusa.  I never saw any signs of human development for about 50 miles.  I suspect it's a protected watershed.  If you're a tree lover (as I am), there is more love than you can possibly imagine.  Other than the lack of food (save Cliff bars and Jelly Bellies), I was in heaven.

 

Flora and Fauna

The flora you can see in the photos.  The fauna include, most notably, the infamous Montana mosquito.  These creatures have an incredible communication network that humans have yet to fully comprehend.  As I crossed from Idaho into Montana, the mosquito network started buzzing: Howard has arrived.  Immediately, numerous phlying phlebotomy clinics were established to deal with the new and desirable source of highly-oxygenated red corpuscles.  Mosquitoes from all over Montana were called in to deal with the newfound bonanza.

From a Montana mosquito point of view, the accompanying photo reveals me in my most appealing state.  Bare arms, bare legs, clean shaven:  I am a mosquito's dream come true. 

There are not many defenses.  Long pants and long sleeves don't work when  cycling or when it's 85 degrees out.   However, if you are willing to smell like a chemical factor, there's always REI "Jungle Juice" to deal with the onslaught.  Jungle Juice is 100% DEET.  They don't even add Aloe or vitamin E.  This is the real thing, and mosquitoes don't like it.  Aw shucks.

 

Sunday, a day of rest, in Whitefish, Montana

Whitefish is outdoorsman's paradise wrapped in a quaint little town.  It has its own lake and Big Mountain ski resort.  For rafting and kayaking, there are plenty of rivers (most notably the Flathead River) and numerous other lakes in the area.  Kalispell is 15 miles to the south, and West Glacier is 25 miles to the east.  Bars, grills, restaurants, saloons, and all manner of establishments that an upscale tourist could desire are present in abundance.  And it also has the best bicycle shop within 300 miles (Glacier Cyclery).

Unfortunately, it's too late to get in on the ground floor in the real estate market. Whitefish has been discovered.  A "fixer-upper" is $200,000 and a luxurious spread on a few acres is $850,000.  Folks who are priced out of the market move to nearby Columbia Falls, and commute to Whitefish for their livelihood.

My friend Sharon had already told me about the great bicycle shop in Whitefish.  They have a pump outside the shop for anyone to use to inflate up their tires.  As soon as I saw that, I knew I was at the right place.  The visitor's log at Glacier Cyclery is a delight to read.    Bicycle tourists from all over the world have added their poems, narratives, advice, maps, cartoons, post cards, and photographs.  One guy wrote: ""So I am apparently not the luft mensch, velo-maddened, tour wacko I thought I was. There are so many people on the road, and now this journal."  A Swiss couple wrote of their trip from Vancouver, to Alaska, back along the Alaska Highway and Icefield Parkway, continuing to Yellowstone and Pueblo, Colorado, and finishing in San Francisco.  Humbling, isn't it?

I spent a few hours of my "day of rest" strolling around downtown Whitefish while Glacier Cyclery did preventive maintenance on the bike --- clean the drive train, rotate the tires, and so forth.  At 750 miles, the rear tire is already showing signs of wear.  It carries the brunt of my own weight as well as the tent and sleeping bag.  I'll need new tires by the time I get to North Dakota.

Here are the photos for the last few days.