The ‘World’s Best Road’ competition doesn’t exist, but if it did, I’d be throwing Going-to-the-Sun Road into the mix.
It’s mid-morning and I’m on two wheels in Glacier National Park, Montana. The road surface is ribbon-smooth, the weather conditions are bluebird, and there’s no way to describe the scene in front of me without resorting to cliché. It’s gobsmacking.
To my left, Saint Mary Lake, turquoise and shimmering in the early morning sun; to my right, a sheer, crumbling cliff face; and in front of me, imposing limestone peaks completely dominating the horizon. I’d love to tell you that I just rolled along, soaking it all in, but it’s 2023, so I reach for my phone to post a story to Instagram.
I’m far from the first person to capture the view: in fact, Oscar winner Stanley Kubrick made use of this exact spot to film the opening credits to The Shining (1:09 in this clip for those playing at home: youtu.be/9spGH0YMkj8). But apart from our remote mountain lodgings the night before, the vibes this morning are about as far from a horror movie as it’s possible to be. It’s pure riding bliss. Three hours later – and with both sides of the majestic Logan Pass (and Going-to-the-Sun Road, which dissects Glacier NP) conquered – you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if you tried. And the award for ‘World’s Best Road’ goes to…
I’m far from the first person to capture this view; Stanley Kubrick made use of this exact spot to film the opening credits to The Shining
Mountain mode
Esjay and I are a little worried when we touch down in Kalispell, Montana, a few days earlier. Wildfires across broad swathes of Northern USA and Canada have the two of us thinking back on the dark days of early
