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July 23, 2000 Hi Brenda & Bill, 72 miles, Dillon to Ennis, Mont. We had a VERY pleasant day. Good terrain, good weather, lots of stops. We got on the road about 6:30 and went 28 miles to Twin Bridges. We were going to make just a quick snack stop. While sitting on logs beside the store, a couple drove up for a newspaper — Dorothy and Bill McMillan. We talked to them almost an hour. He was 80 years old, proud, and had lived a lifetime before I was born. He told us story after story about his life. MM talked to Dorothy and got lots of local history. Bill manages a 100,000-acre ranch called the Flying H. He knew everyone who stopped in at the store. What a wonderful experience to listen to someone like that. Then we stopped at a bakery at Sheradon. We spent a couple of hours in Virginia City, an old restored mining town. Good lunch. We just ate our way across the state today. We had a 4 mile climb after that. On the way down, we hit 52 mph twice. It was scary — the winds were really hitting us on all sides. Ennis is about 700 people, caters to flyfishing. We splurged on an expensive gourmet dinner run by a couple who run the restaurant in the summer and then go to Poland (she is Polish) the rest of the year and teach ESL classes. It amazes me that OR, ID, MT attract such people. Interesting observations (since I bought too many postcards): Oregon is a clean place. As soon as you cross over into Idaho, the trash picks up. Maybe because Oregon has a 5-cent deposit on aluminum cans. People are friendly and talkative all over the USA. You just need to give them the chance to have a conversation. Like ride up on a bike. The mountains are beautiful. The passes are difficult. I just tuck in and push. We go 4-5 mph for 1-2-3-4 hours, taking breaks every 3-4 miles. Today was my last mountain pass-Hurrah!! But the downhills-man! To go 5, 10, 15 miles without pedaling is nice! We've seen lots of deer, a red fox, a dead moose on the side of the road. I want to see a live moose and elk. Oregon waitresses are feisty! They give Duc and Don a run for their money. In Kentucky, people honk at you to get off the road when you're on a bike. Out here, they beep and give you a thumbs up. Love, Paula.