When traveling by bicycle one sees the country differently, especially slow riders like ourselves, since the scenery evolves at a different pace than when traveling by car.

Even more striking, however, is how one feels the country. Ups and downs, winds…headwinds, tailwinds and side winds, smooth or rough roads, hot, cold, wet, dry… all loom large in one’s thoughts and body! It is hard to adequately share the difference between a tough day in the saddle and an easy one (and I literally mean “in the saddle”).

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Heading from west to east we have crossed a number of mountainous regions: Selway-Bitterroot, Sapphire Mountains. Tobacco Root Mountains, the Absaroka Range, the Gallatin Range, and the Bighorn Mountains. Consequently, we have crossed numerous mountain passes: Lolo Pass (5235 ft), Lost Trail Pass (7014 ft), Chief Joseph Pass (7231 ft and the Continental Divide), Bighole Pass (7360 ft), Badger Pass (6760 ft), unnamed pass by Virginia City (8000 ft), Sylvan Pass (8524 ft) and Powder River Pass (9675 ft). Whew! We have climbed them all except for some brief stints in the van to escape thunderstorms. We both “enjoy” climbing although I confess that I am awfully slow these days with my diminished lung capacity. But it is a fabulous feeling to hit the top!

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We are used to riding everything but we try to divvy up the rides as best we can. We each get our share of climbs and descents, headwinds and tailwinds. And fortunately we both get to see all of the scenery whether from the bike or the van

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We head off across the grasslands soon. Hopefully the winds won’t work against us. We’ve recently had a 91 degree (F) day and a big thunderstorm…so who knows. Our legs are appreciating the rest today.

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for joining us! Barb, Jim, Jack & Star