A weather post cast....

'Excitingly variable' proved provocative to the weather gods and no sooner had I posted my last blog than they tried us on cold, wet, relentless!  After two days the sun finally shone and steaming quietly over a treat of huckleberry pie and coffee, we watched the storm clouds head off towards Calgary whilst we would go south towards a wide blue yonder.  With about 40kms to camp we set off cheerfully but with increasing urgency as blue turned to black and deep rumbles warned of yet another storm and this time all the stops were out.  Deafening thunder, massive jags of lightening, first lashing rain then huge hailstones driven by a ferocious wind caught us unprotected on an open road over a high wide pass - took me right back to Rannock Moor but on an American scale!  Eventually the truck came and pulled us off and we discovered that behind us, even the sweep had hunkered down in the ditch!   The upside was that attempts to wash my grubby jacket had proved futile but the hail worked like a washboard and beat it back to almost clean!

This section is called, I believe without irony, 'Ride to the sun' and began in a marvellous mountain area in the National Glacier Park bringing us into Montana.  When the rain stopped, the temperature dropped.  Even prepared for the cold and climbing hard it was difficult to stay warm and I was introduced to 'Hot Shots' by the Canadians who tuck these magic little sachets into their shoes and gloves where they emanate a gentle warmth for several  hours; such comfort.  The Logan Pass was spectacular and we were extremely fortunate to go through on the last day of clear skies before smoke drifting from literally hundreds of wild forest fires shrouded everything in acrid haze.  When visible the sun has been a strange blood orange orb in a pewter sky - the photo doesn't show the colour but hopefully conveys the atmosphere.

Montana began with serious cowboy country, massive ranches, horses, guns, whips and hats.  We've ridden out of First Nation Flatfoot people's lands into Flathead country and seen beautiful examples of traditional crafts in museums and shops.  And Casinos everywhere.  

    Spot the fake!

It's been two short, three-day riding sections divided by a peaceful rest day in Kalispell, a pretty town with old painted wood houses and we're now in the state capital, Helena, before an eight day blast to Moab. There we'll have two rest days to explore Yellowstone and celebrate the halfway point of the trip.  Riding wise I'm happy to report that I think I've finally achieved a degree of equilibrium and am able to push as hard with the right as the left!  Wariness went to the winds on the morning the thermometer said minus two degrees C as we rode out of camp and for the first time I can remember ever, windchill made the downhills more challenging than the ups.  It's fun to be riding strongly again.  

The group is down to a hardcore sixteen now and has found a comfortable, functional way of being together.  We've been blessed with the addition of the company accountant, ostensibly to oversee the border crossing back into the U.S.  He collects unusual car plate numbers and has all the interpersonal skills that that implies... It's been a wee bit testing for us but he's off on Monday.  Two more sectional riders join this evening and more down the line, which gives a nice fillip to the core group.

A few signs....

    Hmmm.....

That's all for now, so long,

Viv x