Day 12 - REST DAY Columbia Falls to West Glacier 18 miles

Today was another rest day for us so we enjoyed a good lie in and I tried my hand at something more ambitious than the usual porridge with raisins: pancakes with bacon and maple syrup cooked on the gas stove. It worked out better than you'd expect although the gargantuan portion defeated Jake and Owen!

We resupplied, went to the library to do some admin on their computers before setting off to West Glacier. While at the library I decided to try making a Warm Showers profile. It is a website dedicated to cycle tourers where people can offer bed/ floor/ camping spaces to passing tourers. I sent a few enquiries to a couple of people in West Glacier in the hopes of a response.

On we went and halfway to Glacier I checked and we had a reply and a place to stay for the night! We carried on through some stunning scenery, with towering peaks around, and a river valley below. In West Glacier the buildings took on a more alpine feel. It also started raining again.

We found our hosts house, on a residential community for people working for the national park. Her name is Jamie and she works in Glacier as a Park Ranger, doing talks and guiding groups in the park. We got chatting with her and Siobhan her housemate about the local area, their work and the state of Montana, as well as her very interesting and entertaining recounting of her various travels.

She treated us to a cup of tea and a curry dinner, the best way to make us Brits happy! We then ventured out as the rain subsided to eat desert by the lake. This was stunning, with the larger mountains towering up on the other side of the lake, wreathed in cloud and looming over the surrounding area. On the other side a wildfire is being battled by over 600 local firefighters.

The evening passed quickly as we spoke and enjoyed pumpkin pie with ice cream. We rode back through the forest in the dark. Tomorrow we are set for an early start. The larger pass through the mountains, Logan Pass, is closed currently due to the fire, so it looks as though we will have to take a more Southern route. We only hope the views will still be good.

Day 11 - Fortine to Columbia Falls 50 miles

None of us wanted to get out of the tent when the alarm went off in the morning, with the rain thundering down outside, so we slept in an extra half hour. After breakfast we set out on route 93, a rather busy two lane road with not much hard shoulder. The road conditions were very poor, particularly on the edges, and at a number of times we were glad for the sturdy steel frames of our Dawes Galaxy bikes. Later the traffic became very heavy and the drivers were not as switched on as they have been so far, making for a stressful morning.

It was a gradual uphill most of the day, and certainly faster going than yesterday, with more towns and settlements to look at as we passed. We leapfrogged a couple of other cycle tourers carrying a lot more kit than we are, which made us wonder what they could need with an extra three panniers
(two on the front and a large one on top of the rear rack).

We stopped for lunch at Whitefish, the first large town in 100 miles of cycling. By the riverside we had a run in with a family of ducks. They were not phased by humans at all and the ducklings were clambering over and around our feet looking for food. They would nip at us occasionally if we put our fingers too close. It was one of our more unusual and enjoyable lunch breaks!

10 miles on and we made it to Columbia falls where we are stopping for a rest day tomorrow before tackling the main pass through the Rockies on Tuesday. A barbeque and beer tonight presents a welcome change from the usual spaghetti we have been living off!

Day 10 - Libby Dam to Fortine 67.5 miles

Today was a stark contrast to the morale lows of yesterday, despite the long stretches of road with no amenities and the plentiful and steep hills.

We set out north from Libby Dam around Lake Kukanusa. The lake side road climbed up and over a many spurs and down into re-entrants where creeks would flow into the Lake. The Lake itself was actually a large reservoir. We stopped at the dam for a water resupply after using the river water last evening. This would be the only opportunity to get water before Eureka in 55 miles. The Dam reminded us of something out of Goldeneye.

We have seen a number of eagles swooping down and picking fish out of the river this morning, with perfect precision. Other than the eagles we have seen groups of deer crossing the road, seeming unbothered by us on our bikes.

The last few days I have been having a few pains in my knee from an old running injury, however I am glad to say that with a saddle adjustment and cleat adjustments on my shoes, today has been relatively painless despite being the third hilliest day so far.

We kept a steady rate through the day and the mileage crept up. A lunch on the go meant we pushed through the area of no services without trouble, reaching Eureka by 3pm.

We took the Old Tobacco Road to Fortine from Eureka making it there by 5 after a couple larger hills than we were expecting.

At Fortine we are staying at a Saloon Bar who put us up in a field on the side, next to posts where the tie the horses to. Today has been raining on and off, and the main downpour came through as we got the tent up. It makes a difference from the heat of the last week; It barely crept above 20C today. We are getting well into the mountains now.

At the Saloon, with Elvis and various Country and Western tracks playing in the background, we have been sat speaking to the regulars, one of which we had a run in with on the way into town, where he hailed us from his Jeep. One local, Roy Don Maile, a US Marine for 30 years and 3 months leaving as a Master Gunnery Sergeant. He spoke of his time in a foxhole in Guantanamo during the time of Castro, as well as Vietnam, Okinawa and Tunisia. He offered us a warm shower but we are pushing on tomorrow towards West Glacier.

Day 9 - Heron to Libby Dam 76.3 miles

Yesterday we rode in three states, Washington, Idaho and Montana, and two time zones. The jump forward an hour between Idaho and Montana hit us this morning, and we didn't get away until 0940.

We set out up route 56 through a stunning valley system, very alpine and craggy. We are truly out in the sticks now, passing areas named "Wilderness" with high towering peaks and dense evergreen forest. Yesterday the high screes falling into the lake below was reminiscent of the Wasdale screes, and there are some towns here with Cumbrian names.

People have been fantastic so far, but we had our first unpleasant run in today, with someone launching a full litre bottle from a car window in our direction. Luckily he couldn't aim. A little riled, the scenery soon calmed us back down.

It was 50 miles to the next town, Libby, and the eatery in between us and there where we planned to pick up lunch was not open until 2pm, so we had to push on. We wound up the valleys past rivers and lakes to reach Libby by 2:30pm very much in need of a good meal. A local diner would suffice.

We had a 2/3lb double stacked burger each, which we struggled to finish. We also tried a local
'home comfort food" according to the waitress, called biscuits and gravy. Expecting a soggy plate of digestives with  Bisto, we were pleasantly surprised with the real thing, a sort of bready dumpling with a thick sauce.

We stocked up on food as the next 70 miles have no services. From here we followed route 37 out to Libby Dam, taking a 40 minute detour up Fraser River when we took a wrong turn at the bridge. We were tiring by this point and back on track we pulled in at the next campground, a national recreation area with no water/ amenities, but with good access to the river. We got the tent up, took a dip in the river which according to a local was around 50 degrees F, whatever that means. Still full from the burgers, we are having a quick brew by the river, with some music. We plan to take advantage of our remote location and see the stars tonight.

Day 8 - Newport to Heron 76 miles

We packed up early in the morning and watched the local squirrel/ chipmunks dropping pinecones on our camp, thudding in the dirt sending up little plumes of dust. It was a dirty and expensive campsite, and the host was not very welcoming on our arrival. Old American Kampground it was called. Not cyclist friendly.

We had to wait until 9 for the post office to open to collect our maps for the rest of the journey. To kill time we visited the local gun store which boasted a large number of semi-automatic assault rifles and shotguns as well as pistols of all calibres. Although rather worryingly had a smaller selection of ammunition that the Walmart we passed through in Colville earlier!

Once we collected the maps we set out through Newport to Highway 2, leaving route 20 behind along with the State of Washington! We attracted a fair bit of attention all day today with a few people asking us as we cycled past where we were headed/ from. All friendly people so far on this trip.

Today was up and down all day following a large river the Pend Orielle then around the Lake Pend Orielle and up the Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. We lunched just after Sandpoint, where Jake and Owen experienced their first Taco Bell, a kind of Mexican McDonalds.

Along the gorge we saw what looked like a bald eagle swooping over the road, reminding us of what a special place we were in.

On the way towards the campsite a kind man who passed us stopped ahead to tell us where the best campsites in the area were, which struck us as being very considerate of him.

This campsite was a world away from the dusty, dirty one of the night previous. With a secluded campsite area, a fire pit with complimentary wood, full amenities and at only $5 each it has been fantastic. The host of the site was warm and friendly too, offering us fresh towels as well! (I have been using a small hand towel. What a luxury a full sized bath towel has been!)

We are sat around the camp fire now, with Jake looking at the Montana state map of the route ahead and Owen filling in his journal. A few big climbs tomorrow.

Day 7 - Colville to Newport 84 miles

We opted for an early start today to beat the heat, knowing it was straight up a pass from Colville in the morning. This worked and with plenty of trees for shade, cooler temperatures around 30C and a shallower gradient made for an enjoyable morning. We made the top of the pass by midday and the next town soon after after a short, sharp and winding descent.

The store at Tiger was closed so lunch would have to wait, so we cracked on up the Pend Orielle River still along Route 20.  A constant headwind ate into our reserves and it was a welcome break when we reached a campground with a shop around 2pm to buy a quick lunch.

To combat the headwind we rotated through taking turns at the front and this was the first time we noticed the effects of this. It was remarkably easier in the middle or back.

We grinded on and made Newport on schedule at 6pm, passing a materials manufacturing plant that had apparently exploded the previous day! Plenty of fire engines around the site.

Day 6 - REST DAY Kettle Falls to Colville 8 miles

Today we set off from the city park in Kettle Falls early to ride to Colville, the next town on our route, before the heat kicked it. We stopped on the way at our first large Walmart we have seen on the trip. This was an experience in itself. A shop where you can buy your grocery shop alongside NATO 7.62 calibre rounds off the shelf. And literally everything in between!

We looked around then left with our food for the next few days. We also tried our first pumpkin pie, which I have always associated with America in my mind.

On to the campsite in the local fairgrounds/ showground we set up the tent and ventured to town in search of a launderette and a post office where I sent home a few garments that were not holding up to the heat.

When we got back we had a conversation with the campsite hosts and a local intern, Earl' who is staying at the site. We had a long and interesting chat with Earl who then accompanied us to a local bar and grill with some fantastic burgers at good value too. After a beer and burger we left and returned to the camp. We are now sat on the benches at the showground watching locals training on their horses, enjoying a hot brew.

One more pass tomorrow but not so large. We are also picking up some more detailed maps in Newport if we get that far.