WELL I STARTED OFF THIS TRIP A LITTLE BIT DOWN THAT I WAS GOING ALL THE WAY TO BEAUTIFUL MONTANA FOR JUST TWO MEASLY DAYS. WHEN I PULLED UP TO THE HOTEL THIS SIGN WAS WAITING. THE MESSAGE WE NEED ALWAYS FINDS US -DOES IT NOT ? READY- SET- EXPERIENCE MONTANA- AND ENJOY IT GIRLFRIEND.
THIS MARATHON WAS IN MISSOULA- THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE STATE AND HAD A GREAT REPUTATION AS A FANTASTIC EVENT. IT DELIVERED WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT. THIS PART OF THE STATE HAS LITTLE GROUPS OF MOUNTAINS WITH BIG VALLEYS. THE POSTCARDS ALL SAID IT WAS LIKE LEWIS AND CLARK JUST LEFT. IT WAS VERY UNSPOILED THE SKY WAS BIG AND GORGEOUS AND VAST.
WHAT I REALLY ENJOYED IS THAT THERE WAS SOME FAIRNESS TO THE INDIANS AND SOME RECOGNITION THAT THIS WAS THEIR LAND .
FIRST, I VISITED THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION AND LEARNED ABOUT ELK AND GOT A LITTLE HISTORY OF MISSOULA AND WENT ON A LITTLE TRAIL.
SATURDAY EARLY, I WENT TO THE BISON CONSERVATION AREA.
ABSOLUTELY THE STORY OF THE DAY WAS SEEING THE ANTELOPE PLAY:
OH GIVE ME A HOME WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM AND THE SKIES ARE NOT CLOUDY ALL DAY. I THINK THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE PLACE FOLKS !
YOU MAY THINK THE 50 STATERS ARE KNUCKLEHEADS BUT THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN IT IS THE GREATEST HOBBY IN THE WHOLE WORLD. THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS. ON THE BEAUTIFUL RIDE BACK TO TOWN…….
I CAME ACROSS THIS FENCE DISPLAY OF BOOTS-ISN’T IT COOL ?
I COULD NOT EXAMINE IT SUPER CLOSELY BECAUSE THERE WAS A KUJO DOG GUARDING THE PLACE BUT IT WAS A CLOSE SECOND TO THE ANTELOPE IN THE EXCITEMENT DEPARTMENT.
THE NEXT STOP WAS FORT MISSOULA. WHAT A PLACE THAT WAS. A LARGE OLD ARMY FORT THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:
INDIAN PROTECTION THAT TURNED OUT TO BE UNNECESSARY,
BASE FOR THE ARMY BICYCLE CORPS IN THE LATE 1800’S
DETENTION FOR ITALIAN POW’S IN WWII
DETENTION FOR JAPANESE MEN FROM SOUTH AMERICA,
MILITARY PRISON FOR COURT MARTIALS AFTER WW 2
AND PRESENTLY A COOL HISTORICAL MUSEUM
THIS IS A TIPI BURNER USED IN LOGGING TO BURN SAWDUST:
WHEN YOU GO INSIDE AND LOOK UP IT LOOKED LIKE THIS:
A WORD ABOUT THE BICYCLE CORPS- THE ARMY WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THE BIKE WAS A GOOD WAY TO GO IN THE TRANSITION TIME BETWEEN HORSES AND CARS. KEEPING IN MIND ROADS WERE SLIM TO NONE OUT THERE – THESE FELLAS RODE TO SAN FRANCISCO AND ST LOUIS CARRYING THEIR GEAR.
WHOA- THAT IS INCREDIBLE. THE EXPERIMENT WAS CUT SHORT BY THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR AND NEVER RESUMED.
WE HAD A QUICK REUNION OF THE 50 STATERS, AND OFF TO SLEEP FOR THE 3 AM WAKE UP TO CATCH THE BUS TO THE RACE SUNDAY MORNING.
LAYERED UP READY TO GO:
NOTE MY WAIST PACK WAS WELL STOCKED WITH GLOVES, CHERRY ENERGY CHEWS, PBJ SANDWICH, CAMERA, TOILET PAPER, SANI WIPES, ELECTROLYTE PILLS, ADVIL, SNAKE BITE KIT AND ASSORTED LUCKY CHARMS.
HERE IS THE MANIAC, 50 STATER POSSE READY TO RUN:
SINCE THE STATE COUNT FOR ME WAS 42 I WAS MODELING THIS LOVINGLY SEWN CREATION BY THE BELOVED DEBBIE:
OFF WE WENT WITH THE SUN COMING UP BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS COMPLETE WITH FIREWORKS !!!
YES THE WORLD RECORD HOLDER LARRY MACON WAS IN THE HOUSE-BLURRY DUE TO MY TORRID 13 MIN/MILE PACE:
JIM S AND THE DELIGHTFUL ANGIE FROM LOUISVILLE ARE ENJOYING THE DAY WITH LARRY. AND THE WEEKEND HIGHLIGHT WAS BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF CINDY D FINISHING HER 100TH
CINDY HAD AN ENTOURAGE THAT INCLUDED HER DAUGHTER KAT, AND A FRIEND THAT FLEW IN FROM MARYLAND
THEY ALL HAD A PERFECT RACE AND ENJOYED THE DAY. A SIDEBAR TO THE DAY WAS THAT ONE OF THEM HAD ALL CINDY’S SUPPLIES IN A WAIST PACK. THEY FINISHED A HALF HOUR IN FRONT OF US SO…… WE FOUND ANGELS AT
THAT HAD ALL SUPPLIES FOR A PERFECT RACE. WE FOUND AMEILIA EARHART, JIMMY HOFFA, LOTS OF LOST CAR KEYS AND SUNGLASSES AND A BIG PILE OF SINGLE SOCKS. YOU NAME IT THEY HAD IT. I ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH CALORIES IN MY PACK TO MAKE A CONTINENTAL CROSSING SO ON TO THE SECOND HALF WE WENT.
THE SCENERY WAS BRILLIANT AND THERE WERE COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS.
IF YOU NEED A SLAVIC PENECOSTAL CHURCH THERE IT WAS
AND WHAT IS THIS VEHICLE ?? SOMEONE PLEASE LET ME KNOW
IT WAS COMBO JET SKI, TANK, SNOW MOBILE IN CAMO COLORS
PURTY NEAR THE END WE FOUND KERRI H AND DENIS M. DENIS IS ALMOST DONE WITH ROUND 3 OF THE STATES AND KERRI WAS FINISHING HER STATES, AND CINDY WAS OF COURSE FINISHING 100. WE USED THE LIST ON MY SHIRT TO DO A MEMORY LANE OF WHAT RACES WE EACH HAD FOR THE STATES, AND THE LAST FEW MILES FLEW BY.
I LIFTED UP MILE 22 FOR JESSICA W IN MA SINCE WE HAD BECOME BFF’S IN UTAH, MILE 23 IS MY NEW BFF, CINDY IS TURNING THE CORNER ON MILE 15-16 AND DENIS PROMISED US THERE WAS A BIG PARTY AT 3 PM THAT AFTERNOON.
DENIS M
CONGRATS TO KERRI H
IT WAS A GLORIOUS FINISH, CINDY FOUND HER NEIGHBOR DAVE B
ED B BROKE 4 HRS AFTER RECENTLY BECOMING 10 STARS/TITANIUM
42 FOR NANA MONTANA
MARY P FROM ARLINGTON HTS IL EVEN RAN WITH THE STANLEY CUP
I WAS DELIGHTED TO LEARN THAT MARY WILL FINISH ROUND 2 AND PAL MARY ANN WILL FINISH HER 50 STATES IN BURLINGTON VT NEXT MAY AND DEBBIE AND I WILL BE THERE FOR NUMBER 48. LIFE IS SO GOOD.
NEXT STOP IS COLORADO SPRINGS ON LABOR DAY-NUMBER 43 !
IT APPEARS I HAVE STUMBLED UPON A STRATEGY TO STAY AWAY FROM THE ORTHOPEDIC DR’S OFFICE AND FINISH THESE STATES. ONE MILE AT A TIME- THANK YOU FOR ALL THE POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND SHOUT OUTS.
MONTANA IS A TERRIFIC PLACE AND IF IT IS ON YOUR LIST, GET DEFINITE ABOUT IT.
GET OUT AND PLAY AND MAKE IT GREAT TODAY.
HAPPY TRAILS AND LOVE TO ALL
NW
Nanadventure 
