Montana - Idaho Bike Loop Part 3

Day 12 07/11  Libby, MT to Rocky Gorge Campground (Eureka, MT)

42 miles 

The main attraction on our route today was the Libby Dam.  We ended up at Rocky Gorge campground, which was another great USFS campground with a lake to ourselves. 

Libby Dam high side...

Libby Dam low side...

Rocky Gorge Campground - on a lake formed by the Libby Dam. 

Day 13 07/12  Rocky Gorge Campground (Eureka, MT) to South Dickey Lake Campground (Fortine, MT)

45 miles

Today's ride took us to our most northern point, about 15 miles from the border with Canada.  We saw a border patrol truck in Eureka, MT.  

Scenes from today's road:

Dickey Lake - we had to walk a block to use the beach, but still a nice campground. 

Day 14 07/13  South Dickey Lake Campground (Fortine, MT) to Whitefish Bike Retreat

30 miles

We booked 2 nights at the Whitefish Bike Retreat.  This place caters more to mountain bikers.  They have a mountain bike trail system and lots of people use it as a launching point to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.  But they had camping, showers and most importantly a shuttle to Glacier Park.  We had planned to ride to Glacier and end our trip there.  But we were running short on time so we decided to stay here and have them shuttle us to Glacier.  This saved 2-4 days of riding and camping in or around crowded Whitefish.  

I didn't take any good pictures on the ride, mostly just shoulder of a highway.  But here are some pictures of the entrance to Whitefish Bike Retreat. 

They have lots of families with little kids riding bikes so there are lots of signs for cars to slow down coming into the camp. 

If you can't read the yellow font it says "Slow the F Down."

Day 15 07/14  Whitefish Bike Retreat to Glacier Park/Going to the Sun Road

93 miles by shuttle

42 miles by bike

Shuttle route (both ways): 

Bike route (elevation included): 

Going to the Sun Road is a well known road for cyclists to bike.  The park lets cyclists use the road long with cars - but bikes have to reach the top by 11am (when traffic picks up).  Marlene was feeling sick, so I did this day by myself. 

Here is some info about the road from Glacier's website: 

"Much of the climbing, however, occurs over the last 10 miles where the road tops out at the pass at an elevation of 6646 feet. The average gradient for this section of the ride is roughly 5.7%. To put those numbers in perspective, L'Alpe d'Huez, one of the most famous and notoriously difficult climbs in the Tour de France, climbs roughly 3770 feet in 9.4 miles, has an average gradient of 7.6%, and tops out at 6068 feet. It's likely the Going-to-the-Sun Road climb would rank among the top 20 toughest climbs in the Tour de France, and would likely be a category 1 climb."

Lots of pictures: 

Down by the river is the road I started on. 

Despite the 90-100 degree temperatures in town, there is still plenty of snow up high. 

Almost to the top here.

Made it!

Day 16 07/15  Whitefish Bike Retreat to Kalispell, MT

22 miles by bike

Marlene left the night before.  On the last day I cycled to Wheaton Cycles in Kalispell who helped me box and ship my bike home.  I stayed the night in Kalispell and flew home the next day.  

The ride into Kalispell was not exciting - a little bit of farm and a little bit of housing developments. 

Julie's Cafe in Kalispell, great breakfast.  

FINAL STATS: 

• 17 days (15 biking, 2 at either end of trip)
• 23,711 feet (4.49 miles) total climb 
• 23,970 feet (4.54miles) total descent
• 570 miles total distance

FINAL ROUTE (2 maps)

Montana - Idaho Bike Loop Part 2

Day 6 07/05 Wallace, ID to Harrison, ID

50 miles

 

Today was our first paved path, the Trail of Couer d'Alene.  This is in the "Rail Trail" Hall of Fame.  The total trail is 75 miles.  Today we did a 50 mile stretch with a slight downhill the entire way.  We stayed at a city run RV campground in Harrison, ID.  They had a nice lake front section for 5 tents.  We were the only ones there.  

More pictures of Wallace, ID on the way out of town...

Evidently Wallace is the "Center of the Universe."

Old bus serving tacos.

Does anyone know what the "Oddfellows Bebekahs" is?  Whoever they are, they rent out this pavilion along the trail. 

A shot of the Trail of Couer d'Alene

My best photo of the trip: Marlene and then Julie on the Trail of Couer d'Alene. 

Ole Gal with a shoulder flex.

The chess trophy is happy to be at the lake front campground.  

Sunset dinner.

Day 7 07/06 Harrison, ID to Couer d'Alene, ID. 

40 miles (we didn't follow the exact route below)

Today was not too exciting, mostly riding on a busy road with no shoulder and then through parts of Couer d' Alene.  Here is what the lake looked like from the road at one of our rest stops. 

Day 8 07/07 Couer d'Alene, ID to Farragut State Park

29 miles 

Today was the easiest ride of the trip.  Ole' Gal and support driver Brian left us today.  So Marlene and I carried all our gear starting at this point. We headed to Farragut State park which turned out to be awesome with amazing swimming.  It is on Lake Pend Orielle - which is a huge lake, 65 miles long.  The US Navy does submarine testing there.  Usually the water is around 60 degrees, but due to the heat wave it was around 74 degrees.  

Marlene had repeated trouble with handle bar bag.  We stopped to fix it in this nice neighborhood outside of Couer d'Alene.  It took one more fix later that night and then it was good for the trip. 

Farragut State Park was a Navy base and then a Boy Scout camp and now a state park. 

Marlene riding into the park. 

One of the swimming beaches at the park.  

A different swimming beach at the park. 

Day 9 07/08  Farragut State Park to Sam Owen Campground

47 miles 

Starting yesterday, we hit a stretch of great campgrounds with great swimming each night. Sam Owen Campground is on the north end of Lake Pend Orielle.  

We passed through Sandpoint, ID which had a nice, wide bridge with bike lane entering the city.  Here is Marlene on the bridge. 

Art work in Sandpoint. 

View from our campsite.  

Day 10 07/09  Sam Owen Campground to Dor Skeel Campground (Troy, MT)

55 miles 

We saw a lady filling up water jugs from this spring on the side of the road.  She said it has been running non-stop for 60 years.  We also filled up here.  

This is what the road looked like for the day.  

We passed Bon Jovi's campground. 

Another campsite with beach front property for $15 compliments of the US Forest Service.  There were only 3 total campsites in use on the night we were there. 

Day 11 07/10  Dor Skeel Campground (Troy, MT) to Libby, MT

30 miles 

We planned a shorter day and a hotel stay to recharge, do laundry, grocery shop , etc... 

The campground host the previous night advised us to stop at the "swinging bridge."  It is a huge bridge over the Kootenai Falls.  It did swing quite a bit.  

Entrance to Libby, MT. 

Libby, MT turned out to be a great place to stay.  Libby has a brewery, Cabinet Mountain Brewery.  

Libby has a great laundromat with A/C and free wifi.  I took a nap in here, it was close to 100 degrees out, but cold inside. 

The laundromat is guarded by Chuck Norris. 

And Libby has the Sandman Motel.  Evidently the cast and crew of The Revenant stayed here while filming in the area. 

Part 3 (final) coming soon)!