Helena

We are in Helena, Montana. It is one of the larger towns we visit on this ride with a population of about 27,000. Riding into town with so many people and so much traffic yesterday afternoon was a little surreal after spending so many days riding in the middle of nowhere with just animals for company. We stumbled across the world's cheapest motel within spitting distance of downtown, and the nice lady who runs it doesn't even mind us keeping bikes in our rooms. After spending a few hours doing some laundry,and having my first shower in 8 days, we went off to eat (where Chris blagged a free desert by pretending it was his birthday). For some obscure reason that I still can't quite work out, 4 of us then went off to the cinema to watch Mama Mia (something to do with Sarah Tudor telling Hywel that it was 'really good'). If anyone reading this is even remotely contemplating watching it - don't. It is dire. How we weren't thrown out within the first 10 minutes for laughing I don't know.

Anyway, within 24 hrs of writing the last post on this blog I was unfortunate enough to see bear No2 of the trip. We were heading up a 4.5 mile climb through some woodland an hour or two out of Lincoln. I was riding up front some 4-5 minutes ahead of Hywel and Andy - the others being further back again. As I was riding along I heard a noise to my left. I looked across to see an adult black bear some 10 metres off the trail. I remember thinking - oh, it's a bear. I stopped and we stared at each other for a few moments until it turned and ambled away up the hillside away from me. I figured that I ought to warn the others about it so walked back down the trail, following the progress of the bear on the hillside as I did so. By the time Hywel and Andy came into view the bear had disappeared into the undergrowth on the mountain above us. Having now seen 2 bears I am completely convinced that I really don't need to see anymore.

Tomorrow we head for Basin and on towards Butte the day after that. The map suggests that we have some tough riding in store. Fortunately, we are not yet in Colorado - Kate told us a little earlier that the area we are riding through there has been hit by snow : )

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.

Sounds like you're having too much fun! I still think the towel dispensers are cool after all these years. Got your postcard Chris: thanks. Seen a bear yet? Let us know if you need anything bussed anywhere. The tracker is working great. Over and out!

These are cool:

These are the pics that I intended to post earlier....

10 miles north of the U.S border:

Lost & tired:

Hywel feeling 100% again:

Some cross-USA riders we met at the campsite in Eureka:

Crazy quilt festival thingy:

Montana real estate:

Hywel's roadside encouragement:

Montana postcard (reads 'Grizzly Bear Artificial Insemination Team'):

Upper Whitefish Lake:

Team Taff:

Whitefish

We are in Whitefish Montana. I am typing this on the world's 2nd slowest computer at a coffee shop, having completely failed to successfully post anything at the world's slowest computer at Whitefish public library some 200m down the road.

Quite a bit has happened since our last post. In no particular order:

1. We are now in the USA
2. I tragically lost my right flip flop in a Creek : (
3. Our small group of 3 has doubled in size. We now appear to be a group of 6. We came across Kate and Harriet from Bristol and Andy from NZ a few days ago before we were due to cross the border. They have stoically tolerated our company ever since. I have inserted their blog addresses in the links section.
4. We had dinner with George from Germany
5. I took a wrong turn and took us into a headwind for 3-4miles before realising :)
6. We stumbled into Eureka town in time for their annual quilt festival. It was fab.

I was hoping to post some pics and some video but this computer is in danger of exploding as it is. I will go and have a wander and see if I can find something better to do that on.

There is an annoying american kid standing next to me reading this..... I wonder if this will make him go away.

The photographs of the scenery look amazing. None of the photo's show Hywel on his bike-has he taken a bike? Take care all.

Bye bye from the frozen north................

..........now y'all come back real soon eh? Nice going guys. How did the cookies stand up to the washboard gravel? Bet they didn't last past Spray Res! Best of luck @ the border and beyond. Chat soon.