Today we cycled from the Stillwater Lake Campground via Whitefish to the Lasalle RV Park. We had clouds all day, it was chilly and cold at times, and after setting up the tent it started to rain. We rode on non-paved roads until Whitefish, from there it was paved.
Riding statistics: on Monday June 17, 2024, the 40th day on the Western Wildlands Route route, it took 07:31h (04:39h moving time), between 06:50 and 14:21, to cover 70 km (44 miles), including 728 m (2389 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 15 km/h (9 mph). During today's ride the average temperature was 8 °C (46 °F) with a minimum of 2 °C (34 °F) and a maximum of 14 °C (58 °F).
Totals: So far, it took 12 days, 4 hours, 57 minutes and 19 seconds of cycling time to cover 4230 km (2628 miles), including 47532 m (155952 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 14.7 km/h (9.1 mph).
It felt cold when I got out of the tent this morning. No ice on the tent, but it just felt cold. We quickly made everything ready and started cycling to get warm. We had to continue the double-track road we started on yesterday. It was at times a rough road, and it went several times up and down. Good, temperature already increasing. It was almost 10km to the highway, which we crossed to continue at the other side.
From here we had to climb almost 500m, but it was gradual and not bad at all. From here the road surface was OK as well, nice gravel.
The climb took us north of Whitefish Lake, and via a great downhill we arrived at the north shore of the lake. On a paved road we had to cycle 10 more kilometers to get into downtown of Whitefish. We first went to the Glacier Cyclery and Nordic shop to ask for the bike boxes. They were ready. We agreed that we would first get a late breakfast and then come back to pickup the boxes.
We had a great meal at Loulas, almost next door. I remembered the place from last time. When finished we went back to the bike shop, picked up the boxes, folded them, and started cycling towards the RV park. Since the boxes where big, even folded, I decided to use as many back roads as possible. All went fine and about 40 minutes later we arrived at the Lasalle RV Park. The office was closed, but someone was working in there. I asked for the availability of tent sites (because the website mentions it). She called the owner we was on the premises as well, and he was already walking towards us. For sure he had a place. Everything was arranged, we will pay tomorrow when the office is open again. I also asked him if he maybe knows someone, with a truck or something similar, who would be willing to bring us and our boxes to the airport. It is only a 10 minute ride by car. That was no problem, he will bring us himself, or someone from the staff will do it. Happy us. Now we can prepare everything on Tuesday for the flight back, instead of arranging it all Wednesday morning at the airport (after cycling to it). Big relief that I was able to arrange that as well.
In the late afternoon we decided to cycle to Columbia Falls to have dinner at the Backslope Brewing. It was a 5km ride back and forth, but without the front and rear bag, and an almost empty frame bag, the bike flew away. We enjoyed a nice bowl with a local beer.
Gallery
Groot respect mannen