Glacier National Park and Logan Pass

We were initially thinking about tackling the Going to the Sun Highway, which leads to Logan Pass.  Even though we probably are going to abandon this idea, due to time constraints, I thought I would post this.  I didn't find any information about cutting right to the Going to the Sun Highway from the GDMBR, so here is what I gleaned from a Glacier NP ranger.

http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm

It is possible to continue down North Fork Road from the GDMBR.  The park service refers to this as the Outside North Fork Road, not to be confused with the Inside North Fork Road. The inside and outside refer to being inside or outside the park boundary.  This takes you into the town of Polebridge. When I asked him if it would be better to remain on the Outside or switch to the Inside, he concluded it would be better to stay on the Outside road, because it is much wider.  Both are dirt, the Outside taking more traffic. The disclaimer is that this ranger doesn't ride.  He noted that you might want a dust mask.
This route would probably take a day off route, as opposed to going all the way to Whitefish and then back into the park.
Anyone wanting to try this might consider calling the ranger station again for a second opinion on Outside versus Inside.  Either way, you end up at the south end of McDonald Lake, the start of the Going to the Sun.  The two campgrounds closest to the pass are Sprague Creek and Avalanche Creek, but I think he said the last place for food was at the Apgar Visitor center.  From one of the campgrounds, you could go up to the pass and back down. The distance from the breakoff to Polebridge, to Apgar visitor center and the top of Logan Pass, then backtracking and moving on to Whitefish is about 118 miles.  The straight GDMBR from the same breakoff directly to Whitefish is 49 miles and of course Logan Pass is all up, but not steep. If I interpret this document correctly, the grade does not exceed 6%.

Such excellent questions lately...

A couple of people have approached me lately asking about bicycles or bicycle travel.  This made me think about how to approach the answers and what resources are out there for people interested in starting out in cycling.

Question: I am interested in touring.  What kind of bike do I need?
Answer: This depends on what you can afford and are willing to put up with.  I know several people who rode really old (but originally high quality) bikes across the US.  The disadvantage is that anything with 27" wheels and a 5 cog rear hub will be more difficult to buy parts for.  In addition, the parts it has will probably be older and more worn, and more prone to breakdown.  Also, someone younger or with really sound knees might not care about the gearing, but those of us who are older generally need to be gentler on our knees, so the gearing becomes more important.  Get the best bike you can afford.  Apart from a dry tent, it is the single most important piece of equipment you will need.

ScottSpeedster, CC Flickr user Zacke82

Question: Should I buy a bike online or from a bike shop?
Answer: If you know a great deal about bikes, their components and what you want, you can probably get what you want online.  But if you are reading this post, I would think you are more my type: I want to ride a bike that will last and be comfortable.  I have bought both of my new bikes (as well as my very first used touring bikes) from bike shops. Don't bother with a chain store, if you can avoid it.  A local bike shop should try to sell you the bike you need, not something more. A local bike shop will rely on you being happy and coming back for accessories and tune ups.  Make sure you can answer some basic questions before you walk in.  A friend asked me what she should get and this is the list of questions I posed her:

• What will it be used for?  Commuting? Recreation? Going really, really fast? (this will help determine how heavy a bike you can accept- the material it is made up of...)
• Do you only ride in sunny, warm weather? (no need to worry about fenders if the bike won't be out in the rain- fenders require a frame that is wide enough to accept them, i.e. not racing bikes)
• Will you carry things on it?  Just a repair kit or water bottles or a rack/bags? (This will help determine if the frame needs attachment points for those things)
• How far do you expect to go on the bike?  Just a few miles or 30 miles in one instance? (this helps determine whether you will want to be more upright or more stretched out)



Surly LongHaulTrucker Touring Bike,
CC Wikimedia Commons by insidestory

• How tough is your butt?  Do bumps annoy you? (this will determine if wide or skinny tires  and suspension/springs are appropriate)

There are 3 main categories of bikes: racing, touring, mountain.
Racing bikes are light, with skinny tires and are not meant to carry things
Touring bikes have beefier tires and you can attach fenders, racks and other stuff
Mountain bikes lessen the bumps with wide tires, sit you more straight up and can often carry stuff

Cale, CC Flickr user k.streudel

*all generalizations are false (quote courtesy of my daughter)

Hybrid bikes are a mix of touring and mountain.  They sit you up higher, but tend to not have all the shock absolution of a mountain bike.

Generally bike shops are licensed to carry only a few brands.  Most likely there will be something in one of those brand's lineups that will make you happy.  If you are dead set on a specific brand, find a bike shop which carries that brand.  I preferred to answer the above questions and then take the answers to the bike shop.  I told them what I needed, gave them my max spending limit and let them dwell on it.  They go to shows and flip through catalogs all the time.  They know the components.

Oh.  One more thing.  Support your local bike shops.  You want them there when you need them, right? The price difference is usually less than 2%.  And there is a big difference between a Walmart inner tube and one from a bike shop.  Walmart tubes are only good for one thing, getting you to a real bike shop.  Well, maybe not even that.  Depends how far it is.