So we got up the next morning and went back over the hill into Butte to pick up some Starbucks (again, not for me). I had to do some repairs to the truck so I found a cheezy auto parts chain store to buy some parts. The rain we traveled in yesterday had informed me that my 6 month old wiper blades were no longer effective in removing rain from the windshield. It would seem wiper blades would last indefinitely in an area that gets no rain (like PHX), but the sun is what kills them. Now six months is not normal, they usually last longer than that, but I'm a little too far away to try to warranty them. Anyways, I buy some wiper blades and use my Leatherman to aid in the installation (first vehicular repair of the trip). So the truck has wiper blades that work, my wife has some form of coffee, we're good to go. Let's roll!!
So we hit the road to try to make our destination for yesterday. This leads us west out of Butte through some beautiful country. One thing that I liked about the route we took through Idaho and Montana is there are great rolling hills, mountains, valleys, praries and they are not obscured with dense forests. Now I do realize it was just the areas we were in, but it sure makes for some spectacular views.
A cool old barn next to the highway just past Anaconda:
So we get through Missoula and head north on US93 (again). After a while we come upon Flathead Lake:
This thing is large. It is the largest freshwater lake in the United States west of the Mississippi River. It was formed in the Rocky Mountain trench which was cut by a glacier. It has something like 190sq/mi of surface area. When traveling around it, it seems to go on forever.
Now, our destination for the day is Glacier National Park (GNP). The issue that confronts us at this point is that it is raining in GNP this day. Now I am not afraid of some rain, but heading into an unknown area, in the rain, to camp, is not rating real high on the likely-success-o-meter. Ugh. What to do?? Now if we were already there with camp already set up, some rain would be a non-issue, but I really don't like setting up camp in the rain if I can avoid it because in order to flip the truck from travel to camp mode, most everything from the back has to go to the front and bedding has to be setup etc. Not fun to do in the rain especially when it almost has to be done outside the truck.
We rolled into Kalispell and weighed our options and decided we'd wait out the rain in Kalispell, get a room for the night, and head into Glacier tomorrow after the rain clears out. So we found a room, did our load-in and went into town to check the place out. We got some lunch (a little late) and did some wandering around. Found some neat places and came back into town for some dinner. We went back to the room and got a good night's sleep. We woke up in the morning to, yep, you guessed it, rain. More rain. Ugh. Well, we can't bag a whole day because of rain so we pressed on. We did our load out, found some mom-n-pop coffee joint and we were on our way.
A little while later we found ourselves here:
Ironically, I had been running with the guy getting the ticket a for several miles, but he put the moves on a slower vehicle that I didn't feel like passing, just in time to be seen by the sheriff. So we got into the park and took a quick spin up to the north through an area that burned recently. We checked a couple spots out then headed back down and went through one of the visitor centers. We then took some pictures at Lake McDonald before heading up Going To The Sun Road (GTTSR). Now GTTSR is rarely open before the middle/end of June due to the heavy snows that must be cleared at higher elevations. I had been keeping tabs on the plowing status while on our way up to Glacier and found that it had opened two days before we got there. Woo-Hoo!! Something went right for a change!! Well, yes, it did, but it is still raining. Lake McDonald is another long lake. It has to be somewhere between 30-35mi long. After passing it we found McDonald Creek, a tributary waterway to the lake. Lots of water flowing down the creek:
This is one of the red shuttle buses manufactured by White Motor Company back in the 1930's that ferry people along GTTSR:
(Information about the buses from a Ford Press Release)
Ford Motor Company’s leadership in alternative fuel vehicles is being put to use to restore one of the oldest traditions in America’s National Parks. After 18 months of renovation, Ford will deliver Glacier National Park's famous fleet of Red Buses back to the park in Montana on June 8.
The fleet of 33 Red Buses now runs on clean-burning LPG (propane) and is 93 percent cleaner than the original buses that were introduced in the park back in the 1930s.
Over time, the buses became part of the fabric of Glacier’s lore. The canvas-topped 17-passenger buses carried sightseers back and forth across the Continental Divide for over six decades. Then, in 1999, concerns about vehicle fatigue forced the Red Buses into retirement.
As part of its commitment as a Proud Partner of America’s National Parks, Ford undertook the task of refurbishing the buses back in 2000. TDM of Livonia, Mich., was contracted to work with Ford engineers and perform the restoration.
“Restoring the Red Buses has been a bigger challenge than any of us imagined, but it has also been a labor of love to those involved,” said Bruce Gordon, director of Ford’s Alternative Fuel Vehicles. “We worked diligently to maintain the historic integrity of the buses and applied Ford’s and TDM's expertise in alternative fuel vehicles and safety.”
Key changes made to the Red Buses include:
Powertrain/Fuel System – The original carbureted gasoline engine was removed and replaced with a new fuel-injected 5.4L bi-fuel engine, capable of running on either gasoline or LPG (propane). An all-new exhaust system also was provided.
Chassis – The original chassis was removed and replaced with an E-450 chassis modified to fit the Red Bus body.
Brakes – The brake system was replaced with a production 4-wheel disc ABS system.
Windows and Lights – All windows were replaced with safety glass and external lights were replaced or repaired and brought up to current standards.
Along with the new technology, extreme care was taken to maintain the charm and historic integrity of the buses. Technology and safety were key, but comfort also was important. Examples include:
Body – The original body of the Red Bus was carefully removed from the chassis. Damaged areas were repaired, cleaned and repainted in the original color scheme. New sheet metal or fiberglass components were blended into the vehicle where needed, such as the fender wells and the rear door. In addition, all the door latches were replaced and the plywood floors were replaced with composite aluminum sheeting.
Seating – All passenger and driver seats were refurbished with new comfortable fire-retardant material. New padding was added to the handrails on the seat backs.
Running Boards – Running boards were replaced, but remain consistent with the original design.
Ornamentation – When possible, original ornamentation was refurbished. When replacement was needed, it was done with component designs consistent with the original.
In addition, Ford added new public address systems to all the buses, and retained the original vehicle numbering system.
Ford also is committed to supporting infrastructure for Alternative Fuel Vehicles. As part of the Red Bus project, Ford helped fund two LPG fueling stations at the park. One is located at West Glacier and will be used primarily to fuel the Red Bus, while the second is located in East Glacier. Both stations will be available for use by other propane vehicles as well.
“The Red Bus project is Ford's premiere project as a Proud Partner of America's National Parks,” said Gordon. “We want to provide innovative transportation and environmental solutions that enable visitors to enjoy National Parks, as well as preserve their beauty.”
There is no shortage of Kodak moments in this park:
This is what we were dealing with in traversing the park in the rain:
Tons of beautiful scenery obscured by tons of clouds. Now this issue can be viewed as both good and bad. Good, in that the colors are ridiculously lush with contrast because of the rain, and bad that they are often obscured by clouds. That nets us with a big woo-hoo, immediately followed by a big D'oh!!
We are traveling through an enormous glacial valley with several hanging valleys along the upper edges of it, but the hanging valleys are obscured by clouds. D'oh!!
Still lots of scenery to absorb:
There are many waterfalls on the route:
More scenery with the ever-present cloud cover:
More spectacular scenery (wonder what's hiding behind those clouds....)
In this pic we are next to the weeping wall (not in the pic--its water flowing down the wall next to the road) with the three arches off to the 1 o'clock area. The three arches were constructed to deal with one of the MANY obstacles involved in building a road through this terrain.
So we go up and up and up some more. It looks like it is getting colder up her--and right about now we can't see jack because we are IN the clouds. Swell.
Little bit of snow left on the ground up here:
So it's all down hill after this (literally). As we pass Saint Mary Lake the rain lets up.
At one of the many turnouts along Saint Mary Lake looking back up the hill: (one can almost make out the HD DIY front diff cover I installed while doing all of my steering work/upgrades--almost...)
We get down to the Saint Mary Lake visitor center and plan our next move. Any move we make involves leaving the park and re-entering from another point.
On our way our of the park I stop for a gratuitous truck pic: (I forget the exact number, but I *think* we are about 30ish miles from the Canadian border at this point)
So in the end, we traveled 1350 miles to visit a park that I have been looking forward to seeing for over twenty years and having most of it covered in clouds. Beautiful scenery?? Definitely, but only seeing the lower half of it and knowing what we were missing above it was a little more than disappointing. Obviously there is nothing we could do about it. It is just part of rolling the dice while traveling. Sometimes you hit a home run, sometimes it's just a single. I think we scored a single with two strikes and two outs.
So, where do we go from here?? Do we do the south route around the lower end of the park?? Do we head up to the Many Glacier entrance and take another swing at it?? Do we bag it all together?? Hmm, we'll have to ponder this for a moment and get back with you later....
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