The most amazing things happen when you're on the road. After Minnesota and North Dakota I was pretty beat up and not looking forward to the long hot ride through Eastern Montana. I pulled out of Sideny, MT and found that the weather was considerably cooler and overcast. After two days riding in tempertures of 100degrees it was a welcome change. I rode north to Hwy 2 which is spans most of the country from Seattle all the way to Michigan and up into canada. I stopped at a gas station after riding through my first rain storm. Two guys on Dual Sport bikes pulled over from the gas pumps and introduced themselves. Jim and Don May.
Two brothers traveling from Ohio to get to the Rocky Mountains to begin a 1300 mile trip that would put them in Salt Lake City to go work the Bonnivelle Salt Flats where people compete for the Land Speed Records. We rode together through some of the worst weather I have ever been in on a bike. Harsh Montana winds and cold stinging sleet and rain. We made it to the other side of MT and got a room for the night. The next day would turn out to be one of the most demanding days of my life.
We were up early and headed up to Glacier National Park. The weather was in the 50's in the morning riding through the flats but as soon as we hit the mountains the temperture dropped and the rain started up again. We climbed to an elevation of 6649 feet at the highest point of the pass. We basically rode up into a cloud and a 38degree rain strom. Picture a two lane road with a cliff to your left and a rock face to your right. You visor on you helmet is fogged up so you are forced to just open your helmet and deal with it. We were warned by multiple people to turn back but that was just not a possibility. We pushed forward and finally rode back down from the cloud into a the most amazing weather and a forty mile ride with dry roads and sunny skies. That was our reward.
After that intense experience I realized my day was only half over. I still had 280 miles to ride before I arrived at The Farm that was my destination for the night. I said good-bye to Jim and Don and hit the road south. The cold weather and rain showed up again and was on and off well into the evening. Everything out west is much bigger than it looks on the map. I made it to my exit and thought I was in the clear. Another few miles and I would pull in right at sunset and save the day. Well this was not the case. The first of three towns I would need to ride through ended up being 42miles down the twisty byway I was traveling on. That meant that The Farm was still 50 something miles away and it was nearly dark. The sun went down and the temperture dropped into the 50's once again. My muscles were cramping up and around every corner you could see shinny eyes linning the sides of the road waiting to dart out in front you, which on a motorcycle is fatal. I slowed to a crawl and eeked along until I finally arrived at The Farm by 10pM. I have never been so happy to have a shower in my life. I have been helping out where I can and staying out of the way where I can. Harvest should start in the next day or so if the rains let up.
It will be an adventure.
Endure, JAMM
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