Just a Little Bit Cranky: In between

Pondering routes, or something

Our second afternoon in Missoula, at the Emmaus Center, a campus ministry gathering place. School is out, and we've had the whole first floor to ourselves. We have done it great disservice by spreading our stuff all over the place. We stopped at Cabela's yesterday and I got a new tent, new socks -- and new light pants so I don't feel like such a savage when I go out in public.

We met Pastor John Lund at the center. What nice guy! He even left us chocolate-chip cookies last night when he left for the day.

We went to Adventure Cycling headquarters yesterday and got a tour, ice cream bars, and a commemorative bandanna (which of course I now can't find). They took a polaroid picture of us and posted it on their picture wall. It is the kind of nonprofit business you'd feel proud and fortunate to have a job at. They have about 40 employees, including cartographers, magazine editors and designers, social media people, people who work with states and other organizations to mark routes and buy into the United States Bicycle Route System.

Otherwise we've been napping and doing light housekeeping -- laundry, trying out the new $99 tent, etc. My wife will be pleased to learn I got a haircut today -- more appropriately called a "head shave." We were visited by Jeri Delys, Montana development director of the MDA. She's a triathlete who discussed fundraising and gave us pointers on the road ahead. And then we fell back into our delightful torpor.

We had pizza last night that we continued to eat all day. One more meal should see us through. My requirements are Mexican, this side of the bridge, with an ice cream stop on the way home. Tom had fits figuring it out.

We're next headed for the wilds of eastern Montana. Jeri said we'd see elk, deer, antelope, foxes, maybe moose. And she said, Don't play around with a female moose. Promise, I won't.