Introduction

Click here or the links at right to get to the photo story, however this narrative needs a set up, so here’s the set up:

With the Republican National Convention headed to New York City in late August, I escaped NYC to a cycling vacation touring Glacier National Park in Montana with Trek Travel. The trip package included everything including the use of a TREK 5200 or TREK Madone 5.2 carbon fiber road bike. All I needed to bring was a helmet, a passport, clothes and sundries, my wallet and pedals.

Glacier National Park, the fourth largest national park in the United States, is famous for its majestic Rocky Mountain alpine scenery. The park consists of 1.4 million acres of breathtaking beauty also adjoined by Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park into which this tour ventured.

This six-day tour totaled 274 miles with 19,605 feet of vertical climbing. The itinerary and the miles each day were just right. As I work in a service-based business I paid attention—bottom line, the group and our guides at Trek Travel were superb. They kept everything professional, yet lighthearted. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. I didn’t want to come home.

—Anthony Donato

Credits
Special thanks to the photographers and my new friends from Trek Travel who so beautifully captured the essence of this trip: Julie Paisant (NC), Kathy Empen (GA), Don Avery (VT), and Amy Modzelewski (PA).

Day 1: August 22, 2004
Warm-up: Two Medicine Lake, out and back
22.8 miles, 1,020 feet
Max altitude: 5,445 ft.; Min. altitude: 4,975 ft;
Max temp.: 70°F; Min temp.: 48°F

Day 2: August 23, 2004
East Glacier to Waterton National Park
76.5 Miles, 5,840 feet
Max altitude: 6,280 ft.; Min. altitude: 4,430 ft
Max. temp: 66°F; Min. temp: 39°F

Day 3: August 24, 2004
Cameron Lake Out and Back, Recovery Ride
22.1 Miles, 1,680 feet
Max altitude: 5,695 ft.; Min. altitude: 4,445 ft;
Max temp.: 72°F; Min temp.: 56°F

Day 4: August 25, 2004
Waterton to St. Mary via Many Glaciers
65.8 Miles, 4,520 feet
Max altitude: 8,765 ft.; Min. altitude: 5,480 ft;
Max temp.: 72°F; Min temp.: 45°F

Day 5: August 26, 2004
Going to the Sun Road and West Glacier
61.2 Miles,, 3,925 feet
Max. altitude: 6,725 ft.; Min. altitude: 3,350 ft
Max temp.: 57°F; Min temp.: 32°F

Day 6: August 27, 2004
Whitefish Lake / Big Mountain Climb
25.3 Miles, 2,620 feet
Max Altitude: 7,495 ft. Min. altitude: 5,845 ft;
Max temp.: 74°F; Min temp.: 49°F