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Detailed Itinerary-day by day / Leave us a Comment /

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Montana is our longest state: 9 days and 701 miles.

Day 3 June 21 - Eureka MT

Woke up this morning ready to get going. Tempting to go back to the beach, but we restrained ourselves… Don had a shorter day today, only about 40 miles, so we all sat and enjoyed breakfast together before he headed off. Went to the Libby Dam and learned some fun facts. We managed to touch every exhibit at least once, including one that released a ton of blocks and made this loud crashing sound. That was my kids’ favorite. Trish and I waited outside... =) I don’t think the visitor’s center was too sad to see us go. On the way to Rexford, MT, we stopped and wrote some notes to Don on the side of the road with chalk. Then we spent the afternoon at a beach with nice sand and tons of sunshine. Don got there by 2:30 so we all got to spend a nice afternoon. Trish has been such a blessing. She fits in beautifully, helps constantly and doesn’t eat much… =) We saw a pamphlet saying there was a family night in town at Eureka. We drove around a bit and finally found it. The kids got to have a water balloon toss, play beach volleyball, eat free hot dogs and have a blast. Meanwhile, we got to meet these really wonderful people up here from Texas. About 27 people from Memorial Baptist in Pasadena Texas came up to help with churches in this area and they had put on this event. We got to meet their pastor and his wife, Blake and Shelly Lander, as well as the pastor of church ministry, Steve Byrd. It was so wonderful to meet other people who also had a deep love for God and wanted to help others. They are putting on a VBS this week in the Kootenai area at West Kootenai and also helping out at North Valley Community in Columbia Falls. They were really sweet, asking what we were up to and one lady even gave our first donation that we know of to AWOP. The facility where the game night was held was beautiful. It is called Riverstone Family Lodge and would be a great place for future church retreats, family reunions, etc. It was a great evening and we felt blessed that God put our paths together. At the end of the evening, we all watched Facing the Giants. It was such a wonderful reminder that nothing is impossible with God. We pretty much cried through the whole thing but Don was the worst. The first big sign that he indeed is getting very tired!

Day 4 June 22 - Whitefish MT

There was a big thunder/rainstorm last night so Trish slept in the RV while Don and James took the tent. The kids were excited to get on the road today because we got to stay at a fun KOA today and the Smith family is arriving this afternoon. So here Trish and I sit in the sunshine by the pool while the kids swim and have a wonderful day. We had hoped to have the kids ride with Don today but we never found him on the road (note from Don- they drove right by me as I sat by the side of the road eating a brunch MRE). Still not sure where he is and I’m getting a little ansy as he should have been here an hour or two ago. We have no cell phone coverage so are relying on meeting up at certain checkpoints along the way. Here’s praying he shows up safe and sound pretty soon. I’m giving him one more hour then I’m going to start driving the road back to Eureka to see if I can find him. I’m not really worried yet because we decided two days ago that we weren’t going to stress about time and deadlines. If one of us found someone wonderful to talk to or something fun to do, we’d just take the time and not worry about being somewhere. Well, that was all fine and dandy two days ago… Smiths should be getting here any minute, too, so looking forward to that. Looks like Going to the Sun Highway is closed, which is a huge let down for Don. That was the part of the trip he was most looking forward to biking-wise. We’ll see what the morning brings! Yay, he just rolled in. It took him 8 hours to go 60 miles, so I’m sure there’s a story or two to be told. Pretty fun meeting new people around every corner.

By the way, Elsie says hello to all her friends. And hello to all of mine, too! I answered my first email today as we finally had internet access.

OK, so Don just told me he saw two bear cubs on the road today. They ran through the woods beside him for almosta half a mile - long enough to make him look twice!! Pretty cool!We were all pretty happy to see the Smiths arrive in time for swimming and pizza. Then we met a really nice couple from Texas, the Roses, who have been traveling the Pacific Northwest in their RV. They are parked next to us but their rig is a tad bit nicer than ours!!! =) Spent the evening hanging out and loving having our friends around. Anyone else wanna come join us for a bit??

Day 5 June 23 - St Marys MT

Happy 18th Wedding Anniversary to us!! We've never spent our anniversary with quite so many people in our room before!!

Don is just doing great. He had a huge ride today and still wasn't ready to stop. His "chicken" muscles are holding up great and he's truly loving this. Sorry, sis, but no sore muscles to talk about yet!! Shawn Smith was here to ride with Don today. They started about 7:30 and road 80 miles over 3500 feet of elevation gain across the Continental Divide. The two "girl" rigs caught up with them at the Continental Divide to find Shawn bicycling on pretty much one leg. His knee was really hurting and strained and Don was trying to talk him into hopping in the rig the rest of the way. Shawn wasn't buying that so he biked the rest of the way to Glacier with one leg hanging loose off the bike and the other leg pumping. It was quite a sight!! At one point, Shawn was going about 35 miles an hour downhill and hit a pothole. Don was behind him and had the opportunity to take in the whole thing. I guess it was something to behold as Shawn's bike just about went sideways with his bad leg a-flopping in the wind. Don was truly worried about him at that point but thankfully Shawn kept his balance and now it's just a good story!

We then rode up and down the road to Glacier with the RV going about 20-40 miles an hour (in a 60 mph speed area!) The Smiths very graciously stuck with us. By the time we got to St Marys we had a nice little procession going with people behind us. A great chance for everyone to work on their patience skills!!!

It was pretty obvious at this point that Shawn would not be able to bike again tomorrow. He was really bummed as was Don. Don absolutely loved biking next to him today. We stayed at a campsite in St Marys and managed not to get eaten by any bears. There was enough concern about this that Trish slept in the RV with us, so we had 7 people in our tiny RV. I about killed myself tripping over James on the floor in the middle of the night. Pretty cozy! But tons of fun.

Day 6 June 24 - Choteau MT

I just gotta say that Trish and the Smiths are troopers! They have made this trip so much fun. My kids are already missing Trish, knowing that she is leaving tomorrow. She has been SO flexible and easy to get along with - she is always around to help when needed and knows just when to "disappear" to allow us family time. She's been truly amazing to travel with. Did we mention she's single? Athletic? Tons of fun? Don has decided guys are crazy for not snapping her up already. If you know of anyone... OK, now she's gonna kill me so I better quit! =)

When we got up this morning, figured out that Shawn couldn't ride for sure. His leg is doing lots better in the sense that he can now move it without a lot of pain. But he had to go buy a walking stick and he has a hard time moving when he's going up and down stairs. Even so, the Smiths decided to stay with us. YAY! We all went up to Glacier this morning and it was amazing. Going to the Sun is only open in sections so we drove those and hiked as we could. I was scared spitless through some of it with the dropoffs. Shawn did the typical guy thing by looking around at the scenery as h e drove. After he realized I was genuinely terrified he catered to my psychosis and ended up missing much I'm afraid. I'll be in counseling for the two hours of sheer fear and Shawn will be in counseling for all the stuff he had to miss!! Shawn and Don are pretty committed to coming back and riding Going to the Sun another time when it's open. Whether that be on our way back to Spokane or another day remains to be seen. But it's a non-optional at this point. It was truly gorgeous.

After our morning in Glacier, the Smiths decided to stick with us for an extra day. YAY! As they are giving Trish a ride home, that meant we got Trish again, too. Yeehbah! We're all in Choteau at the Stage Stop Inn. The kids spent the afternoon swimming and watching Disney while the grown ups talked about how we need to take a bike trip to Europe next... James rode with Don for awhile today but we kept it short as the Smiths were visiting and much fun was to be had!

But alas, all good things do come to an end. Tomorrow the Smithsand Trish will pack up and leave us here to c ontinue on to Great Falls. It will definitely be a major change for us. The kids will take over Trish's seat helping me with the Ipod and maps. Should be good!

Am attaching some more pics of today and yesterday. In the one picture where the three girls are yelling, that was because Jonathan and MacCauley were sliding down towards a culvert that was filled with raging glacier waters that then went UNDER the road for at least 50 feet before it reappeared. Goodness gracious!! Thankfully, all ended well.

Everybody has gone to bed so I'm off to join them. It's been so great to hear from you on the response list and emails. Thanks for keeping track of us! Anna and Grace, I will be sure to tell Elsie hi for you. Mark, thanks for calling tonight. It was awesome to hear from you.

*Short Comment from Don*

I don't get much computer time as I am either on the bike, sleeping, playing with kids, working on the motorhome, or eating. The days have been pretty full for me. A long day (like the day Shawn and I did the south end of Glacier) involves getting up by about 6:30, getting all our stuff ready and on the road by 7:15 or so, and then riding on and off for about 10 hours. I am amazed at how much time it takes along the way on stops. Taking pictures, stopping to read the "historical site" signs that I have never read before in my life because we were in too much of a hurry, poddy breaks, stopping to chat with people, food breaks, and so on. On that day with Shawn, we had 6 hours and 20 minutes of actual saddle time and were on the road for 10 hours. I can honestly say that this ride is as much fun as anything I have ever done. As long as my legs hold up, this is going to be an epic trip. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to do it.

I need to go chow down some breakfast and then hit the road. Short day today (55 miles to Great Falls) and my first day alone for a few days. Thanks for all your emails and comments on the website. In spite of how much fun we are having, we really do miss y'all.

Day 7 June 25 - Great Falls MT

IN THE AM

Just said good-bye to Don, the Smiths and Trish. Kids are in the pool and so begins our first part of the trip just as a family. What a treat to have friends with us. Michael, I've really thought about it and now that you're safely six hours away reading this I can say that you really ARE a princess, you know! But lotsof pioneer woman in there, too, as displayed by you taking the tent trailer down all by yourself with no complaining at all!! =) I did forget to ask you how many pairs of shoes you brought on this trip??? But seriously, thanks for being such a good friend to come hang with us on our crazy trip, whether in a hotel or in a campground in the middle of nowhere with bears and winds trying to blow your tent trailer over!

But having said all of that, I am really excited for the next phase of just our family hanging and spending this summer together. What a crazy treat! We've had so many people stare at our car (we wrote all over it in white paint with what we're up to) and we're hoping it drums up lots of interest for the families in Africa that truly need our help.

IN THE PM

Well, the day is now over and all are sleeping except for James and me. What an incredible day it has been once again. Don had a great ride, although the road into the KOA at Great Falls just kept going and going...!! But it was worth it. What a wonderful KOA we're at. The people have been incredible, all the way from the hosts (Tiffany and Corey) to the musicians to the other guests. After swimming at the waterpark at the KOA, and Jonathan looking for peach fuzz in his belly button (he was quite adamant that I get every little bit out!) we went to an evening of old time music and banjo playing. We all sat around and sang and had such a wonderful time. Tiffany introduced us to the group gathered around and shared what we were up to. While she was still talking, the couple next to us, Bill and Lindy, immediately dug into their pockets to see what they could give to AWOP. It was SO encouraging! We also got to meet their dog, Toby. What an incredible memory - it was like campgrounds used to be in the good old days. Very fun. A guy showed up (Mike) who had several harmonicas on him. He just started playing along with the banjo and guitar and it was incredible. The musicians knew every old song and it was quite a sing-a-long. What a night! Jonathan requested his favorite, Jesus Loves Me, and we all sang along, followed by Amazing Grace. Very cool.

We think the best part of this trip so far has been running into so many neat people - but the time as a family is pretty incredible, too! I'm off to bed. Thanks again for caring and following our story!! The next few days should be brutal for Don. They are his highest miles. He'll be riding between 80 and 100+ miles every day for about five days, I believe. You can see the chart on the first page. Ugh! I'm glad I'm driving! We'll be at the hotel waiting for him... =)

Day 8 June 26 - Hobson MT

We may have just found the nicest little town in MT! After spending the morning swimming more at the KOA, we said good-bye to the really sweet people there and headed off to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Cen ter. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of it, but I did have a truly proud mom moment when I turned around to find Jonathan, our 5 year old, halfway up the two story display of Lewis and Clark. Yep, the kind of thing every mom hopes will happen to her. Thankfully, all the guides were busy helping others and didn't get the opportunity to have heart troubles by seeing what my dear little one was up to! Got him down from there and ended up having a really nice couple of hours looking around the center. It was really informative and I felt like a good homeschool mom by the time we left!

Arrived at Hob son, Mt, a little town of ab out 300, to find Don lying out in front of the library - our common meeting place when in doubt where to find each other. The kids got to read for awhile while Don and I caught up on our internet. Then went to a little campground also in the middle off Nowhere, M T, but just as charming. Spent the evening playing Settlers of Catan with the kids.

But the highlight of the day was as we left Great Falls, someone noticed the sign on our RV and asked if we accepted donations. Surprised, I said yes and the man handed me a donation. It was so sweet and encouraging!

Day 9 June 27 - Roundup MT

Had a great day today. Elsie and James rode about 20 miles with their dad on his big 104 mile day. We then pulled over on the side of the road for a picnic. It was SO beautiful. I just can't believe we get to be here and do this. What a treat. Of course, I only say that in the mornings and early afternoon. By 7 pm I am DONE with children, the 20' RV and trying to keep a space clean that just cries to be messy with 6 people in it. Or maybe that was me crying??

Pulled into Roundup, expecting another Hobson. It wasn't. Decided against the hotel we were going to stay in after giving the kids a choice between staying there or staying at a campground. I was tickled when they chose the campground. Now, the hotel WAS a bit iffy - but it offered ... oh my ... TV!! To have them opt for family time instead thrilled me. We spent the afternoon at the city park playing volleyball, waiting for Don to roll into town. When he showed up, we expected much weariness after 104 miles. But no. He was in great shape, not hurting, still smiling, and even able to play a round of Settlers of Katan at the campground! Go figure. His chicken muscles are holding up GREAT.

Don's cool moment today: seeing four different herds of mustangs. One herd had 11 babies with it.

Day 10 June 28 - Hardin, MT

Got up early to get to Hardin for the Big Horn parade. Wasn't sure what to expect from this little town but it was great fun! Even more fun when the firetruck asked our kids to come ride along in the truck at the head of the parade! Don made it to the KOA early - he rode hard! So we all went in to town together for the reenactment of the Battle of Little Big Horn. After that Jonathan and Annie got to be in the local "pony" ride (wooden horses) and then they all participated in the egg toss. James won 1st place! It was a really fun night. Halfway through it I leaned over to Don and asked, "Can you believe we get to be here and do this?" Just a hoot!

One thing that is really hitting home on my end is how very much time I'm getting to spend with the kids. That is both good and bad. I love having nothing else to do but hang and play with them. That is the best. We're really having tons of down time to just play, hug and be. But the days get really long sometimes, too, without Don around. He's taking the toll physically but sometimes the emotional end of it gets to me when the kids aren't getting along well or when there's...gasp... another mess in the little RV. But overall, this has been incredible and we're doing better than I had expected with Don gone before we wake up until 5 or 7 most nights. I definitely have the better end of the deal as I lie here by the pool and type... =) I'm really proud of how Don is doing. Honestly, by the time we see him, he seems to be no more tired than coming home from a day of teaching. What a man!

Finally, we're really truly hoping to raise funds for AWOP. It has been neat to see people catch the vision here and there but we wish there were more awareness so there would be more giving for the people overseas that are truly struggling.