Previous entry: "Lavina to Melstone" | Next entry: "Townsend to Martinsdale, and alternative tale" 07/03/2007 Entry: "Townsend to Martinsdale" Karen's ankle still wasn't better when we started riding, so she hitchhiked into Martinsdale. The ride from Townsend to Martinsdale was one of my favorite days of the trip so far. I've never seen such a variety of landscapes within a day's ride, Ever. The day started out not ideal...first it was with a headwind and some hills, then there was no road because of construction so we had to ride on gravel and big rocks for a good number of miles. However, when we got back on pavement, it felt like heaven and we were very appreciative of smooth road. The sky cleared up and we rode through foresty, marshy, and prairie-type land...very different vegetation from what we have been seeing. We then entered the mountain and rode through Helena National Forest. It was almost like being at Lolo Pass again, except the mountains were closer and the road was narrower. There were hardly any cars in our lane, and we heard nothing except the running water of the creek and the birds and insects in the trees. Then we came out of the forest and saw grassland, and some farm land. Along the way there were a lot of cute prairie-dog-like creatures bouncing in the grass and alongside us. We also passed cattle grazing areas, where the cows were headbutting and the calves were prancing around. We ate lunch underneath haystacks...HAY!! The 27 miles in the afternoon went by quickly: Ariel and I played "A Fat Hen" and then sang some songs. We met up with Karen at Crazy Mountain Inn. The owner, Cheryl Marchi, was especially good to us. First she let us take showers because "she was feeling nice that day". Then later on in the night when we had a nice long conversation with her, she fed us fresh salad, and then offered us sour cream lemon pie and german chocolate cake. AND you should know that her pie was voted #1 in Montana state. yummy! I was so full after all that good food that I could not move...I was groaning about my stomach in the tent for awhile before going to sleep. Next morning Cheryl fixed us coffee and tea, then fed us pumpkin bread, strawberries, watermelon, and juice. I think we should call her Mommy Marchi from now on. It has a nice ring to it. :) We talked to her a little more before she saw us off. How wonderful she was.

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