Mountain weather is fickle. I started off to strong headwinds from the SW, which pushed me away from the oncoming traffic, rather than into it (as in North Dakota). Arriving in Browning it started to rain, the mountains of Glacier National Park clouded over, and the Going to the Sun road was declared closed due to plowing. Nothing left but take US 2 over Maria's Pass around the south of the Park, a route which it shares with the railroad.   The two roads roar down the western flank of the mountains side by side, in the deep valley of the Middle Fork of the Flathead river. An amazing drive, even in the pouring rain.

As I approached East Glacier Park town I tried to take some pictures of the snow covered mountains of the Park, with nice brown and black cows in the foreground . However, when I dismounted and walked toward them the cows broke and ran madly back into the field away from me. I couldn't figure out why this should be, until I thought of what those cows were looking at: a 7 foot black mud encrusted apparition with oversize shoulders, black helmet and visor advancing on them aiming the black thing in his hand. I would have bellowed for a bull.  

Then, after lunch, with the Park receding in the distance, the rain and wind stopped, the sun came out, and it became an amazing motorcycle ride. The roads (single lane in each direction) are a series of slow wide curves, down long river valleys with forest and mountains on either side.   Nothing beats it. There was little traffic and the bike just hummed out of the hills, and up US 93 towards Canada. This is why we ride...

And a shout out for the little town of Whitefish MT, on US 93 just north of where it leaves US 2. Very different to the small Montana towns on the other side of the Divide, this place is tourist chic with an attractive town center and shopping area, and a great coffee shop (Montana Coffee Traders which I visited kindness of Mike Nelson).