Left Yellowstone after fixing a broken spoke on Dane’s bike and crossed into Montana (state 8)! Found a pizza place that offered touring cyclists half-price food and free internet. Excellent.

The ride into Montana has been absolutely gorgeous. Thick wooded mountains on all sides of the road, crystal clear lakes and streams, and perfect weather.

We were in good shape to have a nice downhill ride to Ennis, where a friend of Dane is living and we could stay for free. After a slip on some loose gravel, though, Dane fell and had his seat break right off his bike. No real injuries, but his bike is out of comission at the moment.

We were able to call his friend, Chris, in Ennis and have him pick us up at a little restaurant in the middle of nowhere. We got a couple of great couches to sleep on, some amazing mesquite beef raised right on the ranch, and heard plenty of great backcountry Montana stories.

From here, I’ll probably be setting off to finish the rest of the ride alone. Dane is getting a ride from Montana back home to Tennessee this week as he’s anxious to get back and too low on cash to make it to the coast. Will miss his good company on the road.

And so there was one.