After two days break in Yellowstone National Park, we journeyed back to Billings, Montana to continue our ride across North America. The past two days, we pedaled 167 miles ending today about 55 miles southwest of Great Falls. This was less than planned because of Thunderstorms and flat tires. I had a blow out today. Storms sidelined us several times. We got caught in a downpour at 4:15pm and decided to give it up. When we were on the road we were really motoring, but staying in the saddle was a challenge. Life is full of the unexpected and we have to adjust, often times on the fly. As of today we have traveled over 2560 miles.

The past two days has been about people I have met more so than the bike experience. I promised a picture of Rob, the 20 something who is journeying around the world on a bike for World Relief. Here he is and he is the man!

Yesterday as we started our ride through the streets of Billings, we stopped at a red light. I looked to the sidewalk and saw 7-8 boys with their razor type scooters standing on the corner talking. As I watched them I began to pray for them. The ring leader noticed me and our bikes and ran over and inquired: “What’s the fastest you have gone?” I responded: 36-40 mph. His eyes got big, then he asked: “Are you going to ride up Airport Hill and then come down it?” This was the monster hill looming through the next traffic light. As the light changed, I had to be off, so I responded: “We are headed to Seattle”. They did not know how to react. I have a feeling they looked up Seattle later on the map. 🙂 Besides, I was going up Airport Hill, but I had no intentions of going back down it just to go fast. Heading east anywhere at this point is simply not going to happen! Westward Ho!

This morning as I awoke, I sensed I was supposed to take my credit card. Normally I take 20 dollars in cash for food and drink along the way during the ride and leave the cards and my wallet with Lisa. So this morning I took my card. We have lunch at Eddie’s Corner at the intersection of 191 and 87 near Lewiston, Montana. Eddie’s has been around since 1949 and serves a wicked BLT. Lil, our waitress, has been working there for 22 years. As I asked her questions about who Eddie was and who owned the store now and so forth, I got the sense that this lady loves what she does. I mentioned to her that she seemed to really like what she was doing. She responded: ” I really do and I love meeting all the different people who come in here.” This lady is probably a mother, possibly a grandmother and I imagine does a really good job at that too, but I could tell she was also perfectly designed and gifted to be a waitress and she loves it. I got my check for $12.60. The BLTs were so good I ordered two, 1 1/2 to eat at lunch and the other half to stuff into my jersey to eat 2 hours later during the ride. As I started to leave cash at the table, I was prompted to give her a bigger tip than the normal 20% and also more than I had in my pocket in cash. The Spirit prompted me to give her $50. I did not analyze this thought. I simply walked up to the cashier and gave her my bill and the credit card. She asked me if I wanted to add a tip to the bill. I said yes, but assure me first that my waitress Lil will get the tip. The cashier responded positively, and then I asked her to add $50. She looked at me funny and asked: $50? Yes…and after signing the receipt and leaving Lil a note, I walked out the door. As I am getting on the bike, it dawns on me that this is why I needed my credit card today.

This evening, our gang is sitting at the picnic table at our RV park having barbecue sandwiches with cole slaw and fruit salad and other yummies that Lisa and the ladies fixed. I notice this young boy riding his bike around the camp. He rode over near us and our eyes met. He smiled and I smiled and then he turned and came by our table. I struck up a conversation with him while we are all eating dinner. He was so grown up for an 8 year old. He had spotted our road bikes and was asking about them. He wanted to know which was mine. I told him the red one. He asked me if I wanted to ride bikes with him later. I told him, give me five minutes to finish dinner and I will ride with you. Ten minutes later he rides over and is ready to ride. My butt is still sore from the day’s events, but I get on that sucker and ride around the campground talking to my new friend, Luke. Luke has 6 brothers and one sister and another on the way. They have been living in the RV camp for 2 months as they are moving to Montana from Tennessee. Luke is homeschooled and a very bright young man. He showed me the tricks he could do on his bike including jumps and hops and stopping really quick. I applauded him on each one as I rode around the park 4-5 times with him. He thanked me every time I applauded him. I asked him, if he knew anything about the Tour De France. He said no, so I explained it too him. I told him these were the best riders in the world and that if he wanted to be one he could. Luke is another reason I am making this ride. So much potential, so full of vigor…..I have a new friend to pray for tomorrow as I ride.

Finally, I will leave you with some of the down side of riding a bike across North America, besides my “thorn”. We have been blessed with the senses of smell, sight, touch, and taste among others. Usually, we think about the wonderful taste of the finest food, or the beautiful sight of a herd of Buffalo on the range, or the sweet smell of honeysuckle. We have experienced all that AND…..
I have inhaled every type of barnyard animal smell from cow manure (which isn’t bad actually), to chicken crap, to pig dung (not what I would normally say, but I am writing a blog), to sheep dung, to the whiff of death along the road (i.e. road kill)…deer carcasses, bobcats, rattlesnakes, skunks, possum, raccoon, birds…..Trust me, I have had to stop breathing for 15 seconds as we bike through certain areas. Other times I wanted to gag.
Besides that, I have had bugs fly into every uncovered orifice on my head. That’s right, two bugs made a beeline into my right ear while traveling 18-20 mph on a bike. How they do that I do not know. I have inhaled a couple bugs and a few flew into my mouth. Bugs have attempted to break my glasses…Aha…, but I broke them! Mosquitoes…those nasty flying critters have bugged us from New Hampshire to Montana. They could be following us, but I think they are native to every state on the Northern Tier. Finally, when it is raining and we are riding behind a friend’s bike. It is not pretty. I don’t do it for long.

Finally, finally……believe it or not, we are approaching Glacier National Park in a few days and we have heard that the “Going to the Sun Highway” is not yet open. We were hoping to climb it. Stay tuned…..