Tuchuck to Whitefish

I think that it's spelled Tuchuck, it may not be... Hey, I thought of a paradox today. It's down a few paragraphs.  (Not a Pair of Dauchs, dog people, sorry)

Today was a long, cold, rainy ride. I woke up at 5:45 to rain (it rained all night and yesterday afternoon, and all day today), and was riding by 8:30. It was a slow morning. I made it to Whitefish at 4pm (7.5 total hours) with 5:13 on bike - going over a 2,000ish climb and lots of hard gravel for 62 miles.

Today was beautiful but challenging (photos in a different post). It was pretty cold and rainy all day, and I didn't stop much.  Everytime I would stop I would be swarmed by mosquitos or the cold rain would pick up. I ate a bit - a bagel with peanut butter here, M&Ms there, slightly soggy cheese and crackers, etc but for the most part it was best to keep riding.

Which brings up an interesting paradox that I was thinking about today. Often, you end up eating fewer calories on a bike tour than not touring.  When I get hungry on a bike tour and need a snack, I may eat half a snickers to give me some energy, and push on. Meals are frequent but light as well, because peanut butter, bagels, and cheese aren't really binge foods. 

At home, however, if I'm out and I get slightly hungry, instead of eating a half a snickers I do something crazy like order three McDoubles (catsup only), a small fries, and a drink. If I'm super hungry I don't eat an extra peanut butter bagel, I order and eat an entire pizza and sort of feel bad about it.

You eat less food when you have to carry it all, even if you are burning way more calories, that's all I'm saying. Maybe not a paradox, maybe just counter-intuitive if you are focusing more on calories burned rather than convenience.

Case-in-point, tonight, Jenny and Tim took me out to Jenny's work party where they just finished building a Mexican Resteraunt, and I ate all-you-can eat free Mexican food.  Do you think that I ate a TON of awesome free little burrito crunchy things, guacamole, and fajitas after riding 60 miles in the rain and being cold and hungry all day?  I did do that. So I hope that's what you thought.

Tonight I stay at Tim and Jenny's place in Whitefish again, where I ran some errands after two days of riding to dial in some components, water proofing, etc and tomorrow I ride 60 mostly paved (rare on this trip) miles to Swan Lake Campground - where they supposidely have full services (food, etc). Sweet! It's also not supposed to rain (maybe)!

Tuchuck to Whitefish photos

Ride description in a seperate post :)

I think this is an avalance scar. I read that grizzle bears like them for traversing the woods and mountain biking.

Jimminy Butts, I rode 60 friggin' miles over a pass and I'm only 6 miles from the friggin' border still.

This is a view of Glacier National Park (the far hills). I was right on the western border of it. There was a big fire here in '88 I think, in the same bad fire season that hit Yellowstone.

I think this is another avalance scar

Red Pond Lake

Does it look cold and wet in this photo? It should,  becuase it was very cold and wet alllll daaaaay.

I wrote a song, wanna hear it, hear it goes:

Riding down a hill I don't wanna hit a bear

Riding down a hill I don't wanna hit a bear

If I turn the corner, and a bear is there

We're gonna have, a little bear scare!

If I turn a corner and a bear is there

If I turn this corner and a bear is there

I'll fix the bear with a little bear stare

As I take a crap in my un-der-ware

I sing this song loudly when on windy descents, in hopes that bears hate my singing. Damn my dulcet tones, fight my siren call, bears. Repel! Repe! *sigh*

Whitefish Lake (pano)

Ride into Whitefish

My hopme sweet home! Thanks Tim and Jenny!

Canada to Tuchuck photos!

I'm hot boxing with waterproofer fumes as I write these captions, so bear with me. It's a little rough.

Hey, look, it's my bike, Saunter Snaphopper, and I at the border. I don't have my passport, so that was the closest I felt like getting.

The border from father away. Those far hills are in Canada!

1st Wildlife = horned sheep

This sign said "Iowa Flats." Wrong on both counts, Montana.

I thought this inviting bike path was my route into Eureka, but it actually was a 4 miles wrong turn. Good game, Montana.

Eureka!

A local roady who chatted with me.

I take photos of all the roadside signs, because I like them.

Thanks, how did you know my name was Jendro?

Climbing towards no pavement.

An avalanch scar. There are lots of these. I read that Grizzly bears used them as cooridors.

Finally, my first dirt of the trip!

Folks I met riding from the border to Helena. They did 70 mile that day (I did 50), so I doubt I'll see them again.

Snow!

Camp for the night!

This was taken during the only 45 minutes that it didn't rain.

Someone left dry firewood in the bear box!

Where I spent much of my night, the only dry place.

Inteeresting route, Great Divide Trail...

My first "oops" moment.

This appears out of order, but it is how I spent most of the night. Bugs!

Another photo of the first dirt on the US section of the Divide!