I got off to another east start today, with a tailwind and a slight downhill helping me cruise into Bigfork. Most of my morning's ride followed the shore of Swan Lake, which stretched for about 10 miles.
I got to Bigfork so early that I decided to stop at a laundry and air out my tent, which was soaking wet from rain and dew. I checked in with Allie, who confirmed our travel plans, so I'll have plenty of time to spend in Glacier.
Bigfork was a pretty nice town, but I wanted to get close to Glacier, so I kept moving. The day was perfect for riding, with a clear, cloudless shy and comfortable temperatures. I rode through a valley on the west side of the Swan range as I slowly climbed to Creston. The ride took me into areas with visible glacial features. 10,000 years ago the Swan Range valley was filled by the arm of a giant glacier, which scoured the valley down to its bedrock. It reminded me of Grand Teton National Park, but in a lusher setting.
Creston was basically a gas station next to a golf course, so I just rolled through. I tried a shortcut along Highway 206, but the shoulder disappeared and the traffic got too thick, so I turned back and followed the regular route. I had decided to end the day in Columbia Falls, but once I saw the town I reconsidered. Two roads and one hill are about all that makes up the town, and the RV park I camped at pointed me to a rock-strewn patch of ground next to a construction site.
I started setting up my camp when one of my neighbors wandered over and introduced himself as Gary McFadden, one of the creators of the TransAmerica trail. We chatted for a while and he tipped me off to a great bike shop in Whitefish, a town I'll pass through in a few days. This turned out to be a great piece of advice. That's foreshadowing, by the way.
Gary and his crew, who are riding part of the Great Divide mountain bike route (with a support vehicle) finished their camp, then set off for a restaurant. I yelled at some kids that walked through my campsite, then went to sleep.