Sometimes I know exactly where I am going. In that case it’s easy, pick a route and go.
More often I have an idea where I’d like to end up, and generally speaking a direction to go.
Once in a while I just follow the front wheel and see where it takes me.
I've reluctantly left Red Rocks in the mirror. I was so captivated by the place that you can almost bet I'll be back. But now, right in front of Connie's front wheel the road is rising. We truly are going to the sun!
Yes. Even the bathrooms are scenic in Glacier National Park. Look at the forest here and in other pictures, the pines are dominant but not the only species in the forest by any means. It's an incredibly verdant multi species place.
When you get to a certain altitude the forest is so lush that it almost seems suffocating. Lots of snow and good sunshine in the non winter months make for a perfect recipe for a forest. This one is incredible. Even some slopes that burned a few years ago are lush with buck brush and starting to reforest on their own.
This is not a compressed view at all. For a long ways up this is how the highway looks. The forest is hard up against it. The look and smell and feel of it is very vital. It's a living thing, this forest, and it doesn't let you forget it.
Snow capped mountains behind us and in front of us. The road rises steadily at this point, always up. Again, this is a level held photograph so the slope you see is actual. They call it Going to the Sun Highway because it climbs right to the top,
As always, Connie is a very willing participant. I found myself wishing more than once that there would be a day for motorcycles only on this road. What a hoot this road would be to just ride for the joy of the road.
The road goes on, there's more. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
All words and photographs in this post are mine. For better or worse
You want some real motorcycle travel? Check out Velimir. That’s some kind of motorcycle writing.
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What a beauty! The scenery of this place is enchanting. You and connie are perfect partners to visit this sort of beautiful place. Nothing seems beautiful then lush green forests.
It IS enchanting. The incredibly lush and verdant forest played off against the stark black and white mountain peaks is just amazing.
That really is beautiful country and thick with vegetation but I have a question about Connie, how does she handle the change in elevation from a performance stand point, do you have to adjust any of the fuel injection settings?
Just curios as usual.
I have good news and bad :) Connie has an incredible electronic architecture that is just absolutely seamless. Not a ripple, ever. The only one I know of is the cold idle fuel flow. It we are at 10,000 ft when we start up in the morning and the next day we start at say 2000 ft it can be way too rich. It remembers the last setting. All I have to do is turn it off and back on to reset.
The bad news is that if that system goes away you are stuck with an inert lump of junk :)
A few years ago I did Mt. Evans to Death Valley. I was on my Honda (4 carbs in the valley of the V=4). I had to adjust the mixtures twice on that ride. But I really had my biggest problem getting the saddle bags open. They are air tight so the inside air was at 14k and the outside air was -200. I had to wiggle and wobble quite a while and they both 'wooshed' when I did get them open.
Those saddle bags sound like a really airtight opportunity for a design improvement and possible patented idea. I wonder if that situation happens to many other people? If you want the idea I can share it with you through a DM on discord.
Good thing you are mechanically inclined when it comes to carbs and that Honda.
Connie has a release valve built into the handle. Unlock the handle and equalize the air. The Honda didn't have that. My Honda was a '93. Good as Honda engineers are they can't think of everything. Everybody has some sort of release, now.
Okay, that is good to know they have it corrected. My suggestion would have been to drill and tap the bottom side of the bag and but a little quarter inch , quarter turn ball valve to let the pressure out. It would still be water tight and if the saddle bag wasn't lined it would also make a nice little cooler for water on day trips and then drain it using the ball valve at the end of the day.
That would work really good, in fact I like the idea a lot. As a matter of practicality I only had the problem once, and it took 13,000 feet of elevation change to trigger it. After that happened, if I thought I was losing too much elevation I'd merely open the bags once or twice.
I did 'electrify' the RH bag sometime after that. Put a bulkhead connector in it so I could still remove it but also charge my laptop as I rode.
I like the idea of a 'day ride cooler'. I'm looking at Connie as we speak.
Sounds like the saddle bags are not lined if you are looking at the girl in that way right now. Should be an easy installation if you decided to do it.
What a magical trip. We got a bike this spring but have only had time for some short day trips this summer. We live near the Blue Ridge Parkway that is a beautiful ride. We hope to catch it at least once this fall.
Were the temperatures chilly on the bike? Snow on the peaks makes it look cold.
I was really lucky with weather. It was pleasant all the way to the top and no forest fire smoke. That changed shortly after I was there.
The Blue Ridge Parkway? In my opinion, simply one of the best motorcycle roads on the planet. I'm always ready to go back! I'm really happy that you get to experience it on a motorcycle. It's the ultimate way.
I think on a motorcycle is the ultimate way to experience any trip. Weather permitting. I will have to keep man eye out for your posts. It kind of inspires me to make some riding time before winter.
howdy from Texas sir bigtom13! You've just let me see a road that I've wanted to travel for years now to the Glacier National Park! It's on my bucket list and your marvelous photos make me thirst even more! lol.
It is truly a remarkable post with great commentary as well as fabulous pictures of course so thank you sir! And I assume this time of year is the perfect temperature to go visit the park?
Oh. You will not be sorry. It is one of those 'distinguished' roads that everybody agrees is just great. Because it is!
Mid and late summer is the time. Winter can come early and often stays late there. Typically there is not much rain in June, July and August. The Highway may not be open in June, however. Due to snow removal :) July and August are really the prime time. Just after Labor Day, too.
I hope you get there soon!
oh my gosh sir bigtom13! it may be closed in June for snow removal! haha! that lets you know how high up you are, amazing. You obviously travel alot, do you just travel in the South during the winter months?
I do love the mountains surrounding that place and your photos offer a great view of it. I especially love the one covered in snow.
And the lush green trees around, they are just incredibly beautiful. Now, that's somewhere I wanna be. Travelling around with a motorcycle must be a wonderful experience, and yours looks really nice (and ready to hit the road. hahah).
Connie is always ready. It is a truly wonderful experience and I just love nothing better than the wind on my legs.
Glacier is a stunningly beautiful place. It is truly a gem.
Hahah! How fun that is..
Yeah, it truly is
When you have such scenic beauty to explore, why would anyone not go out to explore these beauties? Very well written, bdw what is the name of the motorbike?
My point exactly! I have the time and the inclination. Why not go?
It is a Kawasaki Concours. Generically called a 'Connie' since it's inception in the '90s (this is second generation 2008). Hence the name.
What a beautiful are so lush and green,
A motorcycle only day on those roads would be such a cool idea I think
That would be so much fun, I can't believe it. The sight lines are good on almost all the corners, you could safely push pretty hard knowing that a Buick wasn't going to pull out in front of you...
I believe I'd pay the National Park Service $100 to be a part of that, and I'm guessing there would be thousands of others. There. I solved Glacier's funding problems.
@bigtom13 Ohh yeah it would be a greta fundraiser for them
I will never grow tired of seeing those pictures with the mountains in the background. They are so majestic. Especially the ones that are snow-capped. It is so cool to think that even during the warm months that it can be so cold at that altitude that there is snow
That's a really good thing, cause I have photos left that I haven't even seen!
Logan Pass is 6,600 ft (2100m) and there are peaks around it. The north end of the Rockies are pretty tall, generally speaking.
Yes that is very lush and scenic 😁. The bathroom does indeed look like a very outdoorsy theme as well 😂
I was surprised by it. Wasn't looking for it, actually wandering across a parking area looking for the 'right' picture and there it was. Kinda fits right in,
Dear sir,
We are witnessing the most beautiful phenomenon and places of close to this beautiful Glacier.
Thank you sir
Thank you. The park really is a gem. I mean the Rocky Mountains in general are simply spectacular, but Glacier is just a very special place.
starting to count the days when I travel and see some sites first hand not that yours are not wonderfully done.
That's exciting Tony. Take lots of pictures and let us ALL see!
Great travel journal @bigtom13.
It really felt like I was taking a trip in the car through those mountains, as your descriptions were so vivid and well narrated. Pictures are lush to! :-)
I have to tell you, it is pretty easy to take lush pictures on that highway,
Thanks for the kind words. I really do appreciate it,
Wow the views you shared with us are absolutely beautiful! My favorite is the snow capped mountains. All that green and fresh air! I think it’s neat that you go where the wheel takes you :)
Thank you. There is just no doubt that Glacier is a magical place. It really is.
Absolutely! Thank you for sharing it with us~
Hi bigtom13,
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Thank you. I appreciate that more than you can know.
Wow a free kind of person that likes to travel.. I love that alot. I wish I could actually be like you capable of just waking up, entering my car and going where the wind takes
Know that I am 67 years old. I haven't always had this freedom. But it is a nice thing to look forward to!
Wow 67 years that's great. I bet you've had the desire to deep down inside but you v been suppressing it. Good to see you are living the life
I love everything about the lush green trees and the forest as a whole. I was born and grew up in a mountainous place where forest was my playground. I have been out of that for about three decades now but it is something that will always trigger a memory. It is somewhere that I would always want to go back to. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos!
How long is the drive to the sun with Connie? I wonder how's the trip will be in 4WD.
The highway is about 50 miles long and runs right through the middle of Glacier National Park. Connie and I meandered along and took almost all day at it. I could have turned around again and done it the next day.
The road is in very good shape and you wouldn't need a 4wd until it snows, which can happen most any time. The highway is generally closed November through June. The Montana Highway Department vows to have the highway open by July 4th, and some years it is a very near thing. There can be 10 feet of snow up towards the top. It's an amazing process to clean the road...
It really sounds a lot of fun and adventure. Indeed, you have all your time an not hurry especially with Connie. If you are not taking many stuff with you then yes, motorbikes are the best transportation mode for adventures. You can easily maneuver it.
Thanks for sharing your adventures here.
I took a big road trip along the west coast of america last year with my friends. Part of it was through the rocky mountains where we camped for a few days to do some hiking. Looking at your beautiful photos reminds me so much of it and makes me want to go again. There is something so reviving about being out in the wilds driving up mountains and surrounded by nature. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I'm guessing from your commentary that you are enjoying it every bit as much too and the quality of photo's you have taking is amazing. Enjoy.
I am a Westerner. Born and bred. I've been all over the country, but I am always drawn to he West. It had been 35 years since I had been to Glacier and over the Going to the Sun Highway, so this trip was part nostalgia and part new discovery for me. Glacier is a really remote and wonderful place. I just love it there.
Thank you for the kind words.
I can see why you would be drawn to it the landscape is just stunning. And if your from that part of the world obviously it will always have that bit more pull on your mind than anywhere else. I love trips like that which really leave you with strong memories and something to talk about.
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One of the really undervalued beauties about riding a motorcycle is the ability to smell the smells. It really becomes a plus in a setting like this. The air is just sweet with the trees.
I was really lucky this time. Less than a week after I went through a major fire broke out and actually crossed the road. Where the air was pretty and sweet when I was there a week later it would be burned and caustic. That fire is still burning, and may go on until it snows. Which will not be too long in Glacier.
Fires are devastating, let's hope everything goes back to the way it was before. A big hello and a happy day.
Hello stunning photos!A road just for motorcycles i know a few poeple who share the same dream:D
It's just so much fun it is hard to describe. There are a number of us dreamers like that around.
Ho yes and it is understandable:)
In Germany we say, the way is the goal!
Fantastic photos buddy! The mountains look as if they have been added later ;-) . But only because they are so indescribably big!
Was not that also a bit dangerous with the bike driving these tight corners ...?
I have belonged to a touring group for a long time. Their motto is "It's all about the ride". It really is.
This is a very tightly controlled road, with plenty of traffic. I'd have been really happy to be able to ride that road at double the speed limit. The corners were all well paved and clean, with good sight lines and very predictable. It would be heaven taking a motorcycle across that road with no other traffic!
Sounds really like a dream to ride there 👍
You described it very nice 😀 👌
I also could image to drive there with my cabriolet :-)
Vegetation looks very green.
I can almost taste the freshness of the air around there as I stare at your pictures.
You are correct, the air is incredibly fresh. It is just a lovely environment.
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STOPWow Tom those are some great shots, the rockies are beautiful. You should ride out our way sometime. I live in the southern Appalachians about 30 minutes from a road they call the dragon. US129. It's a pretty good ride, and doesn't get a lot of traffic that is not motorcycles or sports cars. You just have to watch your head on some of the curves....
looked like it was a great ride.