Day 16

near Essex,MT - East Glacier,MT (40 miles)

Today we did our last pass until New England. I almost can't believe it. We have been riding through the mountains since day 2, and tomorrow we will venture into the high plains.  It will be bittersweet since the mountains have been stunning, however it will be exciting to see something new!

The Marias pass was definitely one of our favorites. It didn't top Washington, but it was still incredibly beautiful. And surprisingly easy. I was a little shocked once we got to the top, and later was told that it is the lowest part of the continental divide.  It was also surprising how quickly the landscape changed. Mountains before the divide and the beginnings of the high plains after it. The vegetation completely changed and the water started flowing the other direction.

Tonight we are staying with a couple, Sam and Jo. Sam works at Glacier NP in the summers, and Jo works in the library system, and she has an incredible garden. They also have 3 unbelievably cute cats!  So it was great chatting with them about life in this area and the history, the winters, and of course the park. Together they have a handful of wildlife encounter stories, but neither one of them are afraid of going into the part or surrounding area. There are wild animals, but they respect their space, for their safety and the safety of the animals.

Tomorrow we are off to Shelby!