Sunday, August 17, 2008

Montana

Car Wash & Winery , Culbertson MT
Culbertson Montana.
I had to stop for the night here I had planned it out to do so.
Look Grand kids there is a town named after us.
Mary Lou Weeks and Barbara in Culbertson Montana where we spent the night. Mary Lou's daughter Laurie Mattelin dashed over to the church on her lunch hour to prepare a homemade lasagna she made for us.Mary Lou Weeks came to the church to welcome us and give us the grand tour of Culbertson. We loved the Culbertson Museum. It is filled with artifacts, which are beautifully displayed and depict life over the years on the Prairie. A bill for a doctor's visit, $3.00. We saw antique farm implements, ladies hats, even hand made quilts. She also showed us the Missouri Breaks, the reddish hills which make up the banks of the Missouri River.
Wolfpoint Montana
Pastor George and Gerry Draper
Gerry and George was ready for I had made contact with them before the trip i could not wait to meet them both. His Christianity and the Love for the Lord was great to be around. This is when I got to eat Rhubarb pie. Gerri loves to water color painting and in the evening they walk out to the garden with there cat Sammy what a sweet couple . For them so hope up there hearts and home to us. I am pleased to have met them in person.

Red Fox and Supper in Montana
Coyote in Montana
Baby Great Horned Owls
Antelope





Malta, Montana



Saint Mary's Church in Malta where Father Jim was amazed that we had come 92 miles on bicycles.
Glasgow, Montana
Reverend Susan Watterson honored us by asking us to speak at the Sunday Church service. It was especially festive because they were celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the United Congregational Church of Glasgow.They also paid for our room at the Star Lodge Motel(The lady in the picture runs the motel told me about her granddaughter Isabella 5 years old was in a horse accident they community was raising money to help her surgery she still where the pin on her shirt.) It was a lovely church and the service was especially enjoyable with an organist who played Bach and a five member chorus who harmonized beautifully both with accompaniment and a Capella.




Pam and Laurel LeChance at Bikini Espresso Shop, Chinook, MT





A train runs through it.



I do believe this was the train that caught me squatting down by my bike.






Chester Montana
Our usual oatmeal coffee breakfast at the church in Chester Montana
Antique wooden grain elevator, Lothair MT








Windy in Montana
Arrangements I made with Mike Koeke we are in the Priest's Rectory in the Cut Bank Catholic Church. Another gift.
Mike Koeke and Pam















Rebecca and Cody, Two Medicine Grill
































Rebecca, our waitress in Two Medicine Grill was telling us with her story of how she lives in a Tepee in the mountains near East Glacier, MT for four months of the year. The reason she only lives there for four months is because East Glacier has snow for the other eight months of the year. I asked if she ever had trouble with bears. She said she sees bears all the time, but depends upon her three trained bear dogs for protection.

We had many restaurants listed on our map, but every one was closed on Monday. We were finally able to pull into the Half-Way House in Essex on the Marias Pass. Ron and Myrna Sullens, our hosts. They fixed a awesome breakfast. But, since we laughed so hard at Ron's non stop monologue he was glad to let us stay as long as we wished. When I got there I asked Ron how far to East Glacier , I thought he was kidding me. we both started joking back and forth, Then the other riders came in.



Lake McDonald


Park Ranger Sam Thornton
A donated free night at the Mountain Pine Motel in East Glacier. I had made contact with a park ranger, Sam Thornton, through the Internet. He came to the motel to meet us and gave us a stunning tour of East Glacier, by car. We got to see a bear and goats.



http://www.shilohvalley.com/
Coram Montana
Barbara and I visited Pastor Fox's church service which he leads every Sunday in his home, The Bear Den. He even incorporated our Habitat Ride into his sermon and the congregation offered prayers for our safe journey

I had made contact with Pastor Tod fox before the tour. our accommodations in Coram, MT. We are being hosted in luxury by Pastor Tod Fox in the Fox Den. We are even able to stay an extra night for a day off.










Whitefish Montana
WhiteFish ,Montana












Whitefish United Methodist Church, Montana












I was always greeted by such nice people Ronica Hall helped me by taking a package to the post office and letting me use the PC and












a newspaper photographer from Hungry Horse stopped by the church for the 3rd interview I had given today .












Pam, Isaac and Lola, Eureka MT












I heard a "ping" going up the mountain. I knew I broke a spoke. I was flagging down a car and kept a positive attitude by reminding myself, "I'm thankful it's not raining. I'm thankful it's not hot. I'm thankful I have plenty of water." The woman who picked me up had a small car, but managed to squeeze my bike in after she put her grandson, Isaac, in the back seat. Lola lives in Eureka, so she gave me a ride to our donated room at the Ksanka Motel. She even offered to drive me into Whitefish the following morning where there is a full service bike shop.













The Mountain that I was climbing just before I broke a rear spoke.Oh But it was such a beautiful sight












Lake Koocanusa Bridge
Longest in Montana












Montana,Kootenai River












Libby Montana












We are treated tonight by Gerri Fink She prepared snacks for us, then a beautiful meal. She wouldn't tell us what it was, she called it a "sussy", a surprise from South Texas. It was King Ridge Casserole with chicken, cheese, tortillas, tomatoes and green chilies. She included all the trimmings and even a pecan pie. she said, "My house, my rules. You don't clean a dish or make a bed in my house. And if you need anything be sure and ask."so we didn't strip the sheets.












Libby Montana











http://www.libby.org/












Stokr (Scenic Tour Of the Kootenai River )
Susie Rice & her husband Greg showed up on their tandem at 5:30 AM to escort us out of town.

We have also been interviewed by Susie Rice for the local paper. Susie and her husband are cyclists and active here with Habitat for Humanity. They organize a bicycle ride here every year called the Stokr. They raised over $38,000 for Habitat for Humanity with the ride this year. This accounts for most of the operating budget for Habitat for Humanity in Libby, MT and has enabled this affiliate to build seven houses. Susie has offered to escort us out of town tomorrow morning on her bicycle at whatever hour we choose.













Montana
Montana













I was amazed that these Killdeer eggs survived in the front yard with all the elk,deer,Because they do not allow hunting on this property the elk and deer graze on their front yard and swim in the pond morning and evening.
Killdeer
The Osprey were diving for fish in the pond


















Mike and Nancy also have a pet llama which hangs out with the wild animals.
Amber Bear Inn. Heron Montana

We had to turn off onto a hilly dirt road for 3/4 of a mile into the woods. Where was Pam leading us this time?Questioned Barb. Mike and Nancy retired from the corporate world and built a 10,000 square foot B and B situated in the middle of a 400 acre wildlife sanctuary. They were closed Tuesday and gave us the run of the place. They were so generous to us in every way.
Our room, since I was the one that got all the accommodations set up I always got a bed of my own.Carol said to me that if there is only one bed you get it. for all the work that I had done.One of the requirements that I ask of the girls was that they gladly removed the sheets off the bed. after all the places were giving us a gift to stay there for free. I said that's the least thing we could give-back as a thank you.

Mike and Nancy Masten



http://www.amberbearinn.com/

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