What a Difference...

So we recently went to the Mecca of Tour Cycling called Adventure Cycling in Missoula, MT. The place was great and showcased a history of Touring by Bicycle in the US and all over the world. I made a purchased which kinda hurt at the time but may turn out to be worth it over the course of the next 2700 miles!!!

I dropped some bills on a new bicycle seat!!! The seat I was on is certainly awesome for racing, but is totally not designed for day-in, day-out riding as is the case with riding across the country!! Today, after a busy rest day, I gave it a shot and the only way I can describe it so far is that it feels like riding on a Couch Cushion!! No lie thats what I feel when I ride on it. Now, it is only the first day but it totally rocked the other saddle, and I hate to admit it but I may not be able to return it in good faith (Love it. Or Return it, Guarantee!) So what a Difference a Day can make when referencing what my bum is on!

So, on to a different topic! The last couple days have been Crazy! and Awesome! I really do love Montana, I can say without hesitation that Montana is my favorite State right behind Good 'ol Tennessee!! The people here in MT are so incredibly interesting and nice, the mountains are friggin' mountains, the sky has been beautiful; it has been such a pleasure riding (and driving the van one day)

I think the most "interesting" thing about MT that if I wasn't on a bike the whole time would be traffic in MT. Specifically, that there are few to no four way stops, in fact there are many many intersections that simply dont have any form of stoppage at all! The cars somehow just automatically stop and pause independently and everyone survives.... how that works I will never know.

Most of you know how I drive so this next part should be pretty funny. I am from the country and we own backroads. Not the safest places to drive and definitely not safe to speed. NOT SO IN MONTANA!!! In fact, some of the same roads that I would like do drive 70+ in Tennessee, are in fact driven 70+ up here. The friggin speed limits on a tiny two-lane twisty road with ZERO shoulders is 65-70 mph for cars!! I cant get over how crazy that is! Wow....

Also, that have deer in peoples backyards.... weird.....

I will try to keep posting this week, but who knows what the days ahead will bring regarding internet.... so here are the next days ahead

First, Pray For Us!!! Tomorrow, by all accounts, will be a days worth ridiculous climb and quallifies as the worst or steepest we have seen yet. We are camping numerous times this week, so lots of bugs and tents.... sounds good to me. So up and up we are going to go, then down and down into one of my favorite places.... YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK!!!!

Yep, we are going to make it to Yellowstone this week and I cant wait! Not only are we going to be there, but we also get to have a sweet rest day there. And not only do we get a rest day in YNP but we also get to celebrate 4th of July in YNP too! Seriously, how awesome is that to spend my personal favorite holiday in one of the greatest things this Country has ever done. Name one other thing that just about everyone can agree that America did Right!!!

Anywho... hopefully this catches everyone up

Live and Miss everyone!

PS... this post is dedicated to Curtis W. and Don M.