Lincoln, Montana

We are in Lincoln - at the local library to be precise. There is a former member of the Nazi party posing as a librarian here who has set strict time limits upon the amount of time I can use the internet so this is going to be a quick post. I will endeavour to put more photos online when we reach Helena in couple of days.

The riding has continued to be good. We all have really bad farmer tans, and at least 3 of us have some crazy facial hair going on.

Montana is a little different to Canada. The state seems to be made up of vast expanses of grassland, bordered by forest covered mountains and endless gravel roads. We have camped at some amazing locations, swam in just about every lake we have come across and eaten lots of ice cream (including liquorice flavour). Save for the librarian (who I have just noticed has painted on eyebrows and is giving me evils as I type this), the people we have met have been very friendly.

When riding from Whitefish to Bigfork a few days ago we stopped for some lunch by a creek in a little place called Mountain Brook. The place appeared to be deserted. Within minutes we were approached by two boys who were attending summer school at a nearby library. Kevin and Ben were very nice to us indeed. First there was some iced water for us to drink, then they returned a few minutes later with bowls full of ice cream and some leaflets about bears and mountain lions. Some 20 minutes later we were all engaged in an impromptu game of football - Hywel's idea (only Hywel would suggest playing football on a boiling hot day in lycra and cycling shoes). Despite lacking a team member, Hywel, Kevin and I were winning 7-0 before we decided to gamble combined Welsh/Montana glory on a golden goal. The gamble did not pay off as Harriet scored next...clearly some kind of Bristol footy shark. It was a very entertaining way to spend the afternoon and we were all smiles as we cycled on to our destination. Thanks Kevin and Ben!

The only other thing of significance to report is that we have seen a bear - or at least a bear's bottom. When we were riding along some overgrown track in some dense woodland between Holland Lake and Seeley Lake on Saturday, Harriet and I rounded a corner and disturbed a bear on the trail. Harriet skidded to a halt and I almost crashed into the back of her trailer. The bear ran away. It was an interesting experience - not necessarily one that I want to repeat anytime soon. Apart from the bear, we have seen a few Coyotes and shared our camp last night with 2 bald eagles - we didn't realise this until this morning when their shrieking woke us up. Little wonder whey are rare making as much noise as they do in a country where almost everyone has a gun.

I'm going to try and upload some pics now. If nothing appears it means that the librarian has enforced her 30minute time limit and/or taken me outside and executed me for violating it. Will type more soon.