181 Glacier Park

 Wednesday 5th June ...Continued.....

Having spent most of the day cleaning 6 weeks worth of crud off the bike we popped down to the airport and hired a car for 2 days as a bit of respite from the bike. We bought it back to our cheaper motel, parked it up and went next door to a local bar. It was a weird bikers place and actually 3 bars in one run by the same people. The one we were in was setting up for a band so we just ordered a beer. Me being the curious (read 'nosey') sod that I am wandered through to the next middle bar only to find a scantily clad, nubile young lady dancing on the stage. I of couse went back to Karen and asked if she wanted to go next door and after a sneak peak (I did not tell her about the lady) she refused !
Anyway, while we were waiting for the band we walked across the road to a fast noodle bar. When we came back, the band were in full swing so we settled in to an excess amount of Grey Goose Vodka and some Wild Turkey Whiskey (me).

 Thursday 6th June Miles Today 4 Total   6938

A bad day today. We both woke up with hangovers, me with the worst one as usual ! I took the bike to the dealer in anticipation of the rim arriving from Japan later that morning and slowly walked the 2 miles back to our motel.

The missing piece of wheel rim. Where we are going we could not chance not fixing it.

Around midday I popped back to the bike shop only to find that the rim had not arrived and they were expecting it the next day. Damn.

Friday 7th June 2013 Miles Today 10 Total  6948

I popped back to the bike shop around mid morning only to find that the rim still was not in and after making inquiries with Fedex the due date was Tuesday afternoon. The overnight delivery had turned into over-week. There was nothing anyone could do and it was no ones fault but Fedex. I'm beginning to hate Fedex. We negotiated a better rate with the motel and extended the hire on the car. We were a lot 'P'd off so we decided to go for a ride into town. What a waste of time. For a Friday evening it was like a soulless ghost town. We did not even bother to stop there and went for a drive along the river. This was almost as boring so we abandoned it, went food shopping and resigned ourselves to microwave dinners.

Saturday 8th June 2013 Miles Today 375 Total  7323


We got up a bit earlier than usual and set off for Glacier Park. These are piccys taken en-route.

Wild horses running along the road.

The Rockies come into view.

The car we hired.

A long shot of a Moose walking in the long grass beside a lake.  The big jaw identifies it as such.

After a 3 hour drive we entered the park. These are some of the views.

We then came across these cuties. A mother Black Bear and 2 cubs, one of which was white ! (We have learned how to tell the difference between Black bears and Grizzly's, aside from the size, Grizzly's have a large hump around their shoulders and their ears are set further back.) 

The white bear cub.

The whole Family.

Mum and brown baby.

We saw a small track where we could get better pictures and then saw a sign that prohibited vehicles so I got out of the car and walked down it. I was then joined by this guy.

Errrr....Hello Mr Ranger Sir.

He asked me why I was in a prohibited area to which I replied that the sign only said vehicles. He replied with, you are within 100 yards of a bear, that is either an arrest or a $500 fine. Oops !
I bleated that I did not think it was that close and that the bear was walking towards me. He relented and sent me back up the track. As I turned to walk away, the mother bear changed direction and cut off my retreat. The Ranger saw this and ordered me into the custody cage of his car. Before I got in he said "Do you have any guns or knives on you". I replied, "Nah, I'm English, we don't do that kind of stuff", and climbed into his cage. Double oops !

He drove us out of the track and to where Karen was parked with the car. Karen then saw the Ranger open the rear door and release a very humble yours truly.

After my telling off we shook hands and he let me take the photo. Did I feel like a prize plumb or what.

Karen's first words were. "When I saw the Ranger drive down the track I just knew you would end up in the back of his car." My head was bowed in shame..... no change there then !

A very long distance shot of Long Horned Sheep