Road trip, day two: hello, Polebridge!

It was an uneventful drive from Spokane to Polebridge, the highlight being a quick stop at the Paradise Whistle Stop Cafe for a sandwich and the most amazing beer-battered french fries I've ever had. The gal working there was really, really nice - but hadn't made it up to Glacier, even being so close all these years. I guess when you live (and work) in a place called Paradise, there's not much reason to leave.

(just one order of fries with lunch, occifer!)

dots on the maps inside represent people visiting from all over the world this year...

... and from the US too - mine is the dark green dot over Portland

After I passed through Paradise, I started to see mountains. Real Rocky Mountain mountains.

Clarence (road trip buddy since college) was ecstatic - I could barely keep him in the car

I was more ecstatic about the 75mph speed limits

After a few minutes north of Columbia Falls, I hit a dirt road that just wouldn't quit...

No, that doesn't quite do it justice. Let's just say it will be a long time before Clarence forgives me for that bumpy ride, and also that an alignment is in my immediate future when I get back to Portland.

Anyway, I started to hit the mountain version of civilization and eventually got to Polebridge around 5pm. I checked in with Oliver, owner of North Fork Hostel, got settled and started to explore.

A few things about Polebridge:

Population: 90. Yes, nine-zero. I saw about a dozen wood cabin-like dwellings on the town's main road, many that had camping tents set up in their yard. Not sure if that's the norm or if it was due to the wedding occurring that weekend and a lack of other accommodations - Oliver said that the weekend I arrived would their biggest 2010 summer weekend other than July 4th. (For perspective, the wedding probably had about 40 guests.)

They have no electricity. Everything runs by generator and conserving kWh is of the utmost importance.

power plant, Polebridge-style

Conserving water is a big deal too. As I was washing my coffee mug, Oliver stopped me so that he could set up three bins in the sink - one to wash, one for the first rinse and one for the final rinse. Naturally, it being the 21st century and all, wifi is available in the hostel and it's free - but sheet/towel rentals are not due to the kWh and water required to run the washing machine.

They have no flush toilets. None. In the whole town. The hostel had the nicest outhouse I've ever seen, though, and inside Oliver has preserved the original owner's quirky posters, mountain comics, placards and signed photos of every Republican president that reigned in my lifetime.

b. y. o. h(eadlamp)

There is one store.

Polebridge Mercantile has everything from groceries to batteries to bear spray to the most amazing cinnamon rolls I've ever had, made fresh daily. It also has one restaurant/saloon where everyone gathers at night to watch the volleyball game or listen to live music. It reminded me a lot of Nederland, Colorado, at least how it was 12 years ago...

The sun doesn't set until 10pm so I had plenty of time to walk up and down (and up and down, and up and down) the dirt road between the Mercantile and the end of the road.

hostel neighbor

the end of the road (the Mercantile is barely visible in the top left)

There are lots of signs reminding you to slow down.

These were not the doings of crazy mountain hippies, as the guidebooks might lead you to believe - they were referring to your car's speed on the windy, bumpy, dusty, dog-riddled roads.

But still, I was coming down from 12 hours of high-speed driving and being constantly wired (coffee, Internet, real life prep - interpret that as you wish), so I took artistic license with these instructions and told my car as well as my brain to shut up for a little while.

Finished the day with a great Big Sky Country sunset...

... and got an amazing night's sleep.

Well done, Polebridge.