Best Red Bus Tour ever! (Part 1) In the ADA van?

OK. So I got a bee sting and my arm swelled up and I can’t hike. Even though I had requested that my potential last two off days back to back be ‘bracketed’ (locked in stone). Now I know how everyone else who doesn’t hike feels.

What do you do on an off day if not hitting the trail? Just sit around? Sure as hell not go on a Jammer tour when you are off the clock and not getting either paid or tipped. Or maybe that is the PERFECT thing to do. At least for the Goatboy.

With my best shirt that makes me look like the host from Survivor, a borrowed crush felt Stetson hat from Bernie, I don a nice (clean) pair of khaki shorts. Now I’m ready for the perfect plan. Big Al is taking out the ADA bus for a Crown of the Continent tour. Just two people. Why not tag along? These people would be getting a deal with x2 tour guides. And I can scope out this very special bus that only gets pulled out a couple of times a season. What could possibly go wrong?

Better yet, check out my little intro.

Now, the windows are HUGE. You can take pictures out of them all day long and no one would ever know you are in a moving vehicle. Say hello to my friend Singleshot Mountain.

Has the St Mary Valley ever looked so beautiful (at 40 miles per hour)?

We do the mandatory stop at Rising Sun. Now the ADA van is supposed to be the same WIDTH as the regular Jammer. Well, sort of. See, Jammers are only fat on the back end with the dual tires. The front is narrow and more tapered. So while they may be the same MAX width, the ADA van is like driving a ten-foot high red brick that fills up the ENTIRE Going to the Sun Road front and back. So it definitely feels a LOT bigger and a lot closer to the Wall. But you can be the judge.

The window covers all roll up and out of sight for great views and air circulation. The panel to the left is a full hatch door that exposes the wheelchair lift. We won’t be needing that today.

Wild Goose Island never gets old. Especially on a wonderfully calm morning on Lower St Mary Lake.

This bad boy holds 14 plus one wheelchair and the driver. With walking height and three HUGE skylights, it’s like strolling around in First Class on the Concord while taking a three-hour hop across the Pond back in the day.

Not to mention there are all kinds of audio/visual equipment available as well. If you get bored of looking at Glacier Park, just pop in a DVD and get caught up on your favorite movies.

Big Al was showing his skills. Watch how he owns that double yellow line. Which all true Jammer drivers must take ownership of and never let go.

Good old Siyeh Bend, with Cataract and Sunrise Point waking up for the day.

Big Al also shows me how close he can get to the wall.

The Garden Wall in all of its glory. The windows on this van are just incredible.

Boy, there sure are some tight spots on the Going to the Sun Road for the ADA van.

So sad to see the cascading falls starting to dry up. Just another sign that summer is almost over.

You have to remember not to hang your head out the window in the ADA van.

Mt Reynolds and Logan Pass area mid-afternoon.

Doesn’t matter what time of day it is when you have to drive the Wall.

There is a nice cascading fall, deep in the valley below.

I thought you’d just like to feel the virtual experience of riding in the ADA van. I took this from the farthest rear seat of the bus.

At the end of the day, Big Al got us all home safe and sound. And without so much as a scratch or nick on this very unique and modern version of a Red Bus Jammer.

I had a lot of fun. It was nice not to drive, even when I’m on a road that I’ve driven over many many times in my life. Some things just never get old. The interesting thing is that the ADA van is available on request. And the tickets cost the same as the regular Red Bus tours. And they can’t ask (or make you confirm) your disability. Most important of all: the wheelchair lift can easily load a Yeti cooler (or two). Just saying.