Ride Day 9 (Day 10) West Glacier Park to "No Sun on Going to the Sun Road” to Great Falls, Montana (200 miles)

Going to the Sun Road (according to the Internet)

Going to the Sun Road (on July 22, 2025)

We get up early, as usual, and it’s raining, as expected. It’s supposed to be a rainy day. Of course on the day and ride we were most excited about, Going to the Sun Road in West Glacier National Park. The lobby has coffee and little homemade coffee cakes. Internet/Wi-Fi is too spotty to try and catch any local news. We slowly pack the bike and put on rain gear for the day.

And head out to the West entrance of West Glacier National Park to Going to the Sun Road. 

Glacier National Park 

Fog along the lake

It’s raining. It’s chilly. In about two miles, they take our timed entry pass and off we go (they also give me a map, that gets wet and destroyed so no map from West Glacier anymore). We’re along a lake for a bit and not great, but not good. I can’t put my visor down because it’s raining so much that I can’t see. We’re not going to see the sun on this ride through the road over to St. Mary’s and the end of the road.

When we start going up and into the mountain part, it gets REALLY FOGGY and raining even more. It’s really awful. But we’re committed and keep going. Eventually making it to Logan Pass and the Visitor’s Center. The Visitor’s Center isn’t open yet, but they at least have motorcycle parking up front for us. We are cold and wet and it’s foggy and raining. Get patches, stickers, and new gloves for Tony since his are soaked through. Everyone is trying to get into the Visitor’s Center because it’s so miserable out.

Goes down as the second worst ride from hell (the first was on Interstate 40 going from Asheville to Knoxville).

We leave Logan Pass (and find out that we passed the Continental Divide on our way to Logan Pass – there is a sign somewhere but we’re not going back). We pass bikers – not motorcycle bikers – heading up. Crazy. And boy, they hold up traffic! We liked following a shuttle bus for a while – it allowed us to see lights in the fog (yes, that’s how thick the fog is). We finally get out of the fog (and rain) and skirt around the lake. Not what we wanted Going to the Sun Road ride to be, especially after a year plus of planning. But, we don’t have any contingencies in our itinerary (and I don’t camp or wing a stop in a motel somewhere, especially since there isn’t a lot of somewhere in Montana).

Stop at the gas station. They also have an outdoor store and Tony gets some new socks since his are soaked through and I get some new gloves since mine are soaked through (boy, the guy at the outdoor store was a grump). Hear some Canadian bikers speak in Canadian French (different from France French).

Scribbled directions in case we have to put Tony's phone up for the weather

Timed entry pass to Going to the Sun Road

We didn't see bears, but they gave this to us.

We get on 89, thinking about stopping in Browning to eat. But there really isn’t anything on 89 in Browning (and we didn’t want to go through a drive-in burger place – we want inside). We muster on, in a bit more rain. And A LOT of wind (more wind). Again, nothingness. We’d be happy with somewhere.

Finally, in Dupuyer, there is Buffalo Joe’s an Eatery and Saloon (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063698796163# ). We stop. Service is really slow, but we eat (and I also drink coffee) and try to warm up a little. Less than 100 miles to Great Falls. And it’s windy. A little rain and a lot of “Big Sky.” Too much “Big Sky” for us. 

Plenty of Big Sky (storms on the left)

We finally get on I-15 for our last 12 miles to the hotel in Great Falls (Hilton Garden Inn Great Falls, 2520 14^th Street SW, Great Falls, MT). We’re happy to be done for the day. I dry our wet clothes in their guest laundry (this one required quarters, not credit card). We also have all of our gear and gloves draped around the room. The hair dryer helps dry out Tony's gloves and we place them over the AC overnight. Should have a picture of this, but forgot.

Now we’re worried about Red Lodge, and Beartooth Pass and the rest of the trip (and potentially more rain and probably more wind). We’re a bit done with Montana right now. If we wanted to “quit” and go home, there isn’t a short cut back to Raton, New Mexico. We’re 992 miles from the Robin Hood Motel. Hopefully some sleep tonight will make us feel better. It’s been a really long day (longer and harder for Tony since he’s the one maneuvering the bike in the rain and the wind and the fog and the curves and everything while I just sit on the back of the bike). 

Note: I am not a photographer and most of my pictures and videos are taken on a moving motorcycle.