eureka, montana

 Koocanusa Lake

From my journal this morning:

Hard to believe May is just about done. Yesterday was our tenth day of riding. So with five more days of riding this this month and thirty days in June, we will have ridden forty-four days or so by July 1st. Based on 2009 ride, we should be about eight days from the Atlantic Ocean, probably in New York and probably riding with Sarah and Barry . . . and Becky again. Probably. That's the word for the day.

In Montana, I am looking forward to getting to Havre. It will reconnect us to a place that I have ridden before . . . kind of like getting home. There are things on that part of the ride I am looking forward to seeing again.

OK, that is enough for this morning. I am working in my office, the bathroom, where there is much light and a place to sit. (This is not a habit of mine. I did it so the Queen could sleep peacefully.) I put the lid down, put a pillow on my knees, and I am journaling. And the Queen is sleeping peacefully.

This day, our eleventh, was another good day but certainly not easy. According to Strava, we covered 68.12 miles and climbed 4,170 feet in 6:08 hours. That brings our total miles pedaled to 632.33. But today, I am beat. I am out of gas. I am whipped. Yes, I am tired! The only thing that saved my life was supper at Trappers Saloon in Eureka. It is amazing what fish and chips, onion rings, and two glasses of root beer will do for a body. We are now in super nice cabins down the road from the saloon. We are also a mile and a half from Canada. We just had a quick, wild thunder and lighting storm which may carry over until tomorrow. At riding time, 9:00 am, the weather guessers are saying we will have rain and 48 degrees. We will see . . . tomorrow.

Coming out of Libby, this morning, we were joined by Andy Parker, who manages the RV park where Phill and Gale were staying. He will be here until mid-October when he will close up the park and head to Arizona. Andy pedaled with us for fifteen miles. Riding with him, I found out that we have just about the same pace for riding long distances. He rides a lot in the Libby area and was an excellent guide, taking us to a road with little and almost no traffic, one climb, good conversation, and some rolling hills that were not bad at all. Thank you, Andy.

For today's ride, one song kept me pedaling:

I can do all things

Through Christ who gives me strength

But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me

No great success to show

No glory on my own

Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone

He'll carry us when we can't carry on

Raised in His power, the weak become strong

His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

We can only know

The power that He holds

When we truly see how deep our weakness goes

His strength in us begins

Where ours comes to an end

He hears our humble cry and proves again

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone

He'll carry us when we can't carry on

Raised in His power, the weak become strong

His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

That song, by Steven Curtis Chapman, was my mental concert for the ride. The song comes from two verses of Scripture that are very familiar to many folks:

Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness," Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

I've got a lot of room for His strength.

Andy said this is the place to get perfect train shots. He said the trains run by here often. That's our road to the right.

Goldfish and Sponge Bob Square Pants fruit gummies are healthy. After all, the word fruit is on the package. That makes them healthy, right?