Sunday, July 14 Not many people get to wake up on their birthday at Glacier National Park! To welcome me on this 67th year of my birth was a glorious sunny day . . . and a trip on the famous “Going-to-the-Sun Road.” (I declined when Tom asked me if I wanted to drive the road this time!) Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of the world’s most spectacular highways. It bisects the heart of Glacier and follows the shores of Lake McDonald on the east, and St. Mary Lake on the west. There are lots of scenic turnouts with jaw-dropping views, and at times the road itself is rather stomach-churning. Vehicles over 21’ long/8’ wide are not allowed. In addition, the rock overhangs interfere with anything over 10’ high! It starts out as a pretty normal, tame road in the mountains. As it progresses uphill, around tight curves, and past deep valley views and jagged mountain vistas, it earns its reputation as a white-knuckle roadway! The road was congested with cars, bicyclists, and sometimes even foot traffic. Many of the overlook pull-offs were crowded, and the famed Logan Pass Visitor Center parking lot was full . . . with a waiting list! We drove right on past. Here are some pictures of our eastbound trip. Tom did a brave, steady driving job. I developed a crick in my neck from sharply tilting my head away from the cliff side. Maybe I’ll stretch it out on our westbound trip! We went out of the park at St. Mary, drove 8 miles, and went back in at the Many Glacier entrance and drove 12 miles back to see the glacier. The big surprise was the historic hotel, situated along Lake Sherburne. Only pictures of this location can even begin to explain why it is my new-favorite! We had been warned that the traffic has hit the summer high mark on the Going-to-the-Sun road and at times cars would be stopped; then one car out and one car in. We had not encountered that on or west-to-east trip, and we were hoping it would not be the case on our return trip. We breezed right on through, this time on the inside lane, but with a good view of the drop-offs! We were back at the campsite by 3:00 for a rest and a shower. At 4:30 we left for McDonald Lodge, just 8 miles down the road. We remembered our meal there 4 years ago, and were ready for a repeat – a birthday dinner for me! Tom had the Pork Shank, and I had the Rockfish, both with Brussels Sprouts, potatoes and . . . drinks.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |