Up Over: 7/12/16 Release

Yes we did!

Waking to the ever constant whining of the wind, dragging our heels, dreading another day of battle with the elements, we slowly layered on clothes and rain suits because, yes, the weather report again called for rain. With ear plugs in and heads and faces covered, we were much better prepared to meet all nature had to throw at us.

A head wind of only 30 mph treated us more kindly than the crosswinds of yesterday, but like a very thirsty vampire, it sucked our gas by the gallon. With long stretches of desolate highway between small towns, we had to be very cautious about filling Rascal.

Sailing into Montana, the Big Sky greeted us with a surround of pop up storms that mimicked perfectly the morning's weather map. Passing oil rigs, corn fields that drifted into forever and rolling hills spotted with cattle, we knew we were in the Treasure State. Cowboys, real and fictitious, congregated in some sparsely populated towns. Reservations and casinos occupied others. Dinosaur figures and advertisements for museums cropped up along what is known as "The Dinosaur Trail."

Throughout the day the wind was our instant companion and rain a constant threat. But we stayed relatively dry. During our lunch stop (inside today), we missed a deluge complete with thunder and lightening. By the time I finished my second glass of wine, it had blown off. Back on the road we bucked the wind and dodged the rain for a total of 300 miles for the day. Sheltered for the night in Havre, we rehashed the day's events and toasted to our gutsy run through the plains. Tomorrow we will conquer the mountains.

There is a thrill in the tension that builds in preparation for a day of extreme riding. It grows as we ride into the storm and does not abate until we conquer the elements and experience an exhilarating release, because, yes we can! It's almost better than sex!