Man Oh Man, Montana

Dull pictures but great to be back in the US of A.
The customs guy searched Jonny's bags -- a lot of motorcyclists are coming across the border for the Harley rally in Sturgis this week! But he let us go -- maybe because we were on BMWs!
We pulled out of Calgary, fearing the winds that welcomed us two days earlier. But gusty it was not, thankfully, just sunny and clear skies. Wide prairies and weathered barns, sheep and horse and the blackest cows I ever saw in my life. So glossy!
We had a smooth ride until the last 15 miles before the border where, I guess, someone in the Canadian transportation department didn't know what to do with $41 million. So they were "twinning the road" whatever that means, widening it, and laying down gravel for our riding enjoyment.
After the border, we went into the town of Sweet Grass. I take that back. It just can't be a town, this place of two gas stations, one restaurant and seedy looking motel and a "cafe" that didn't look like any cafes I've ever been in. I asked the guy at the duty free shop if there was some place to get a cold drink.
"No, this is it," he said.
People were stocking up on duty-free beers and cigarettes at least. I wanted to buy Lindt chocolate but it would have been Lindt brown puddle in the heat.
We zipped to Great Falls pretty quickly, I must confess, because the speed limit is 75 mph! We were going slowly, though, compared to people who passed us.
The hills look like reptiles rising out of the earth. The land in Montana is scruffy grass and grazing. The holiday Inn where we are staying is in a new section of Great Falls and looks like someone cleaned the streets with a toothbrush.
Jonny and I bought food at the supermarket and had a picnic in the parking lot!