Hot and humid, then clearing with ice cream

After totally groovy donuts in Red Wing, proceeded 2 the town of Winona fighting 10 mile an hour headwinds for about 70 miles with increasing heat and humidity.

But oddly enough comma this small town had a very nice fine dining restaurant.

The next days ride to Viroqua was the toughest day that I've had on this trip so far. 95% humidity 95 degrees, 15 mile an hour average headwinds.

Flatlands

Got on Amtrak in Shelby, MT.  Got off in Grand Forks, ND.  Then on to Fargo and Detroit Lakes, where I got to watch our boys choke in the final game against the Cleveland Cadavers.  :(

From there, stayed in the tiny town of Motley (the name says it), MN, then on to St. Cloud, and then Minneapolis.  Hotels downtown were > $300/night, so I stayed in the burb of Brooklyn Center, about 10 mi. N. of the city.  That made today's ride to Redwing (after 2 bakeries in Minneapolis) total at 83 miles.  Midway, through the ride, stopped for Sri Lankan food at the Curry Village in Rosemount.

Mild headwinds today wore me out.

Full Moon at twilight, Lake Detroit, MN.

Kitties

My Bank in Ostego MN, on the way to Saint Cloud

Back to my old habits at Heights Bakery (old school)  in NE Minneapolis.

The State theatre-Downtown Minneapolis.  Former home of  a Prairie Home Companion

Minneapolis from a distance from bridge over the Minnesota River near Fort Snelling

Across the Great Divide

After a full day (Wed) cooped up in the Tamarack Lodge (a lovely place) waiting for the rain to pass, I headed out to cross the Continental Divide.  Unfortunately, Going to the Sky road was still not completely open (still some snow to plow), so I had to take Hwy 2.  The day's ride was 65 miles, and 3500 ft of climbing.  Scenery is very nice along US 2, but not as spectacular as Going to the Sky.   2 days after I passed through, I got a notice that Going to the Sky had opened.   Better luck next time.

Thursday was an easy downhill downwind ride to Shelby, MT.   Friday was spent on Amtrak to Grand Forks, ND.  Tonight, I'm in Fargo.

Middle Fork, Flathead River along US 2 in Glacier

A roadside waterfall

It's all downhill from here

Great Northern dining hall inside the 100-year-old Glacier Park Lodge

Missoula to Glacier

Had a wonderful stay with my second cousin Bert and his wife Carol. Had a big family dinner Saturday night with more cousins as well as Bert's parents, who are in their nineties and doing well.
Then embarked for Polson , which is at the southern end of Flathead Lake, about a 75-mile ride.  Monday rode up the east shore of Flathead Lake to Tamarack Lodge, which is a few miles west of West Glacier.
This morning when I woke up it was raining steadily, so I decided to stay here for another day and await better weather.

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Flathead Lake area is one of the most productive regions for cherries

Wetlands north of Flathead

Tamarack Lodge

Plains to Missoula

Easy flat 48 mi. ride from Trout Creek to Plains on Thursday.   Donut and sticky bun to start the day at Butchers Nook, a Mennonite Bakery, breakfast restaurant, and cold cut store.

See pics below to see what kind of stuff I crammed into my body along the way.

Finally made it to Missoula.  83 mile ride.

I drank it, and I ain't got sick yet.

Warm, Glazed and very big.

Windmill Bakery - Ravalli, MT

Cherry Stand next to bakery

Sauteed Cauliflower at Silk Road in Missoula

Ginger Bread Pudding with Cinnamon ice cream. 

Goodbye Washington

Sandpoint Idaho, a lovely town on a large glacier formed Lake was my first stop on this leg of the trip. Tuesday's 85 mile ride was very hot , temperatures in the mid-nineties. Rain delayed my departure Wednesday to noon.

Ended up getting rained on several times during the ride to Trout Creek Montana

 Note the Reynolds Aluminum plant  overlooking the river.  Another result of the availability of cheap electricity provided by the Grand Coulee Dam.

 

A fine dinner at Baxter's in Sandpoint

Trout Creek Montana

Cascadia Resort and Casino.

They like hunting

 not so much Obama and the federal government in rural Montana.

Spokane

After a long climb  up  the Waterville grade, I stopped for the night to stay at the lovely old Waterville Hotel.

After 3 days of very hot weather (mid 90's) and tiny little towns, finally made it to Spokane.

Leavenworth ( no Penitentiary here)

A beautiful ride through the Cascades.
3600 foot vertical climb.  The most challenging day for vertical climb of the entire trip.
Leavenworth is modeled after a Bavarian Village.
I didn't see any actual bavarians here, it appears to be all done as a tourist attraction.

A mountain stream on Old Cascade Hwy.

Still a fair amount of snow approaching Stevens Pass

4061 ft. Stevens Pass - The day's high point.


Downtown Leavenworth -  Fake Bavarian Village

On the road again

Arrived in Seattle around noon, took the light rail to Amtrak, picked up the bicycle and headed over to the Pike Street Market for lunch.

Enjoyed a lovely dinner at the home of cousin Peter Klein and his wife Katie.

A big thanks to them for sharing their lovely home with me for my first night on the road!!

Darci's Dinky Donuts, Monroe, WA