Friday 27th june.

Wed. 26th June  Dillon to Wisdom-  8 miles.

   Before I arrived in Montana, I associated the state with horses, cattle ranches and wide open

spaces. It has all of these things. BUT- there is also fishing. Everybody I have met goes fishing. I can understand why. The rivers are clear and inviting. A fishing licence for non Montana residents is 70 dollars per year. The rivers are full of trout; most get returned to the water alive. In the campsite last night, next to the Beaverhead River, were fishermen. The rod I am holding was made in Twin Bridges (I cycled through there yesterday), and is worth over 800 dollars.
    The morning began with a climb over two passes. I was relaxing in the sun at the bottom of the first, in a remote area, when I opened my eyes to see (I think the name was Sculy), standing over me. He is one of the competitors in an 'underground' cycle race which is taking place along the length of the rocky mountains. The route goes from the Mexican border to Banff in Canada. Tracking of riders is by gps signal and they can race from either direction. We are talking real hard core here- these guys are isolated for days and are carrying minimal equipment. The guy I met was in 5th place as we spoke, but rain has taken out some of the northern bridges, so that might change things.

The other event in the area is a large 'Rainbow Gathering'. This is expected to be upwards of 28,000 peace loving hippies/ new age travellers / alternative lifestyle followers, all camping out on forestry owned land to the west of the small (population 38) town of Jackson!!! I read in the

local paper that locals are worried about thieving, trespassing, dog theft, and nudity.

I had to cycle through Jackson (I had been warned that everything had been shutdown so  could not stay there). When I reached the town, there was no sign of anybody, but a cattle truck driver stopped me, and told me to go into the bar/café  -open to locals and apparently cyclists! There I did my farming talk bit  - I mention how few dairy farms there now are in Scotland because of the poor price they get for their milk, I talk about potatoes. I get given a free drink, and I  leave before  my lack of knowledge is exposed!  No pictures for you, but the farmers/cattle men are wearing jeans, leather chaps over them, leather waistcoats, cowboy boots and Stetson hats.

I reach Wisdom after 6 P.M. only to find a coach load of Rainbow people, and  a possie of sherriffs' cars. The RV park I was going to camp In appears closed. I go into the local bar/pizza café  My bicycle is whisked in and safely stored in the back, away from the 'dangerous' people outside. They are having a meeting in the community centre.  A Rainbow couple came in , they were served I spoke to them and I spoke to the locals. I was seated at the bar as buffer between the two. Camped down at the legion park, in the shelter, which had mosquito screens. There was another cyclist there travelling the opposite direction to me.

Thursday 27th June Wisdom to Hamilton 78 miles

Only one pass today, and my final crossing of the continental divide (there have been 8) A great cycle down through the  Bitterroot valley to Hamilton. Here I stayed with Tim who is an emergency room nurse, and Sophie who is a 14 rear old retriever dog.  Tim had been working  the previous night, the first Rainbow casualty had come through, a woman who had her finger badly bitten by her pet rat.! (Cassie ,Tim's wife was away on a course). I was put to work chopping vegetables and in the evening Tim had friends round and he cooked great pizza on the barbecue. We then watched a very strange film called 'Stoker',starring Nicole Kidman - not for children.

Friday 28th  Hamilton to Missoula  50 miles

Tim made me pancakes before I left, then it was a continuation down the Bitteroot Valley to Missoula. The river which I first saw as a trickle is now large. I went to the Adventure cycling headquarters, was given my free ice cream, and had my photo taken.

I love Montana.I think it is just a bit like the Borders area of Scotland.  Westerners, however first came to Montana because of gold. The capital Helena was initially a gold mining town. Copper is/was also mined, and a lot of Irish settled in the Butte area. Hamilton, where I stayed, was a planned development by the local 'copper baron'. The result is a grid town with irrigation system. Sophie likes to get into the irrigation ditch which runs through her garden.

If I lived in Montana I could quite happily spend an afternoon standing in a river looking at the mountains, but doubt I would catch any fish to throw back.