Day 9: 191 Miles

Missoula, MT | Dillon MT

Of you have ever met a Romney male, you may notice that our ears are angled…er, outward.  This has made helmet/headphone application interesting.  I first have to insert ipod ear buds.  Next I place the helmet on the top of my head.  Next the outer earflange must be held down while the helmet is dragged over the upper ear.  Next, the earbuds must be held in place while the helmet is dragged over the remaining portion of ear so earbuds do not fall out.  I am getting pretty good at this, but the first few times was pretty entertaining.

A family friend recommended I go through Big Hole, Montana.  It was a great recommendation.  Breathtaking 360 degree views with incredible trout streams all around.  The one downside… mosquitoes!  And lots of em.  I stopped for 2 minutes to check my map and was absolutely swarmed.  What the hell do these mosquitoes eat in the middle of nowhere other than lone motorcyclists anyway?

The highlight today was my stop at Bannack State Park.  It is an old gold mining ghost town.  The coolest part is the access they give you.  They basically hand you a self guiding map and set you loose.  Any door that is unlocked, you can go into and explore.  I was blown away.  One of the coolest things I’ve gotten to see.  Here are some pics…

If you pass through Montana, I really can’t recommend this area enough.

Today I ended my travels in Dillon, Mt.  On the way into town, I stopped by a few streams to take a look.  Loaded with fish!  Going to have to make a morning trip back there.

This was my final solo riding day for a while.  Tomorrow I meet up with the dreaded Dan Ruggles to watch his band play then make a 3 day haul down to Vegas.  Looking forward to a partner for a while.