Thunder

Friday, August 5, 2011
Lake Louise, Alberta to St. Mary, Montana
Back to the US, Back to the US, Back to the US of A

Just an awesomely beautiful sunrise over the Banff National Park

Rocky Mountain Sheep
Early get-ups get you wildlife views that don't come later in the day

Riding in the rain, self portrait

The crack of thunder!
Thunderstorms make me smile.
Thunderstorms make me wet.
Ah, for the love of a pair of waterproof boots!
Back to the rain!
It couldn't last, could it?

Rode thru this one and a whole bunch like him today. It's a lot more pleasant getting wet here than in Alaska or Yukon. Here it's hot and the air relatively dry so I don't stay wet for long and the evaporative cooling is welcome relief to the heat.

What's this Santa Fe doing in Alberta, Canada?

A blast from the past, this old western Canadian town is the real thing, not some tourist facade recreation as found in the yuppie towns or theme parks.

Looking south to the pass to the US and Glacier National Park

Chief Mountain Border Station, where US Customs & Border Patrol proved once again to be as unfriendly as always. Over the years of traveling, and especially flying professionally internationally, I have crossed into and out of the US many times. In general, I have been treated respectfully when entering other countries, but rudely, harshly and even maliciously entering the US. This time was no exception. There seems to be something about law enforcement careers in the US that attract people with egos that are elevated by putting others down.

This evening after checking into Johnson's of St. Mary camp, I met Gereon, from Germany, who has toured all over the world by bicycle since age 13. We continued our conversation over dinner. This year he began his tour in Vancouver and is ending in Missoula, Montana. He has done a bicycle tour every year except for two years when he was recovering from surgery, one to his shoulder and another to a disc in his back. In Germany he is a Catholic priest and head of a 7-church parish. We discussed the environment, politics, children, the Catholic church and its recent challenges. Gereon is another person doing amazing things with whom I had a most enjoyable conversation.