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So here I am, laying in bed on Sunday morning. It's about 10 AM, I'm slightly hungover from the night before, but I feel pretty good. As I am laying in bed, I hear the house phone ring. Being that I am the only one home all weekend, I rip off my blanket and run upstairs (my cordless was dead) I grab the phone and answer it. On the other end I hear "Chriiiiiiiiis... Whats up?"
And this is beginning to one of the best rides I've ever had!
It was Mitch calling me from Fort Macleod.
He was heading down to Montana to meet the family in Columbia Falls and wanted to know if I wanted to meet up and ride with him for a bit. Sounded like a good idea so I gave him some quick directions to my place and we met up, grabbed a bite to eat, then headed south!
We headed to Cardston then to the Piegan Montana border crossing. We made it there in about 40 minutes and crossed the border without incidence. However I found it a bit odd that the US border patrol guy did not ask me a single question... No hello, Where I was going, How long I was going for... nothing. Whatever. I could have been a serious threat to national security for all he knew!
After arming the C4 explosives which were convienently stashed in my backpack, we were off like a hurd of turles! We headed down through Babb, then to St Mary's and finally to into Glacier National Park and The Road To The Sun!
This is where the fun starts!
If you haven't heard, or haven't been on The Road To The Sun (Which is actually called Going-To-The-Sun-Road... but whatever), it is a extremely scenic, single lane road on the edge of a mountain, literally. It's has more twists, turns and hairpins than you can throw a Honda at! And with a 12 dollar motorcycle fee, I was more than willing to break a 20 for it!
We started off pretty slow, as the "recommended speed limit" was never faster than 45 mph... And for the parts with curves, you're looking at 25 mph.
So along we went, passing the elderly, and tourists as per required. We stopped quite a few times on the way up the mountain to take in the view and snap a few pictures. It actually kinda sucked when we would stop, because when we did, all the vehicles we had worked so hard to pass would catch up to us and get ahead again... : (
We hit some construction that held us up for about 15 minutes or so, and some of the road around the construction was a little iffy but after that, the way down the mountain was UNREAL! At Logan's Pass we stopped and Mitch mounted his camera to his rear packager peg mount, and shot it backwards. The shot got his rear wheel, and me and the RR to the right on him.
It was strange because on the way down, it seemed like all the traffic disappeared. It was mostly clear sailing as far as traffic goes... And this is where the real fun started!
Mitch was at point, he gave me the signal and we cracked'm! Shifting down 2 and smiling from ear to ear! We started TEARING UP that road! Turn after turn! Nothing stupid. We'd slow down at pull over areas because were out of their vehicles. Safety first kids!
Mitch started recording, and we'd take off again. It was awesome to have someone to ride that with. I for sure rode with everything I had! I definitely through the bike around, and I was leaning it over hard! Mostly because I wanted that video to look bad ass!
We definitely pissed some people off on the way down, as there is zero passing allowed on the road till the bottom... but whatever.
We finally got to the bottom, and finished the Road To The Sun. So we pulled over to make some plans. Now remember, I was going on this ride planning on riding with Mitch to like... maybe the top of the Mountain, then turning around and riding back to Lethbridge for work in the morning. But that plan must have fell out of my pocket while I was flying around a bad ass mountain twisty! We were now in West Glacier, about 25 minutes outside of Columbia Falls, so I decided to go the whole way, and say over night with my Aunt and Uncle and just relax, then take off in the morning back to Lethbridge.
I was greeted by a slightly shocked Uncle Glenn at the door. I think he only expected to see a silver Suzuki ride up, and not the Honda as well.
We got in, sat down, had a beer, and visited for awhile. Everyone then wanted to head out for supper... However I was a little on the unprepared side. In the backpack I brought I had a hat... and a camera. HAHA. So I was gonna have to go out in riding gear, and boots... but Mitch borrowed me a pair of jeans, and I squeezed into a pair of Uncle Glenn's runners.
We all had a nice supper, then just hung out at Meadow Lake ( I fucking love it down there. Love love love. I was actually pretty stoked I got to have a mini vacation down there for a day! HAha) then just hit the sack.
I took off at about 1 the next day. Had another nice ride back through the mountains... This time a little slower paced... took it all in this time. Actually took a corner, and had a Black bear standing in the middle of the road, not 5 ft away! Pretty scary actually, but pretty awesome!
So that's my story! Kinda long, but I had so much fun I wanted to post about it.
Thanks Mitch for making that call and bringing me along! Hands down, my best ride! I had an awesome time buddy!
Here a few pics for the ride (My camera died, so I didn't get many)
Myself.
The bikes.
Over the guard rail, down a cliff, into a glacier fed lake. Dead : )
Mitch & the bikes.
Down the valley.
Mountains.
The RR.
Waterfall.
And another.
Another stop.
Done.
: )
