The Road Less Traveled...

I ended up taking an unexpected trip on a very windy road through the Rocky Mountains. I wasn't necessarily lost, I just didn't expect steep winding roads that dropped the elevation from 8000 to 5200 feet so rapidly.

Because of road closures in Yellowstone, I decided today to take the Beartooth Highway to get to Miles City, MT. It isn't the recommended route, and I can see why. Very difficult and very windy. There aren't a whole lot of other people or stops on the road, so navigation for the less confident can be very scary.

But wow, what views!

This trip is about adventure, anyway. Even if I had gotten lost in the Rockies, it would have presented a new challenge that I am confident I could have handled. My internal compass was put to a real test today (good luck getting the iPhone to help in such remote wilderness), and passed with flying colors. I have challenged myself very much so far, and have risen to the occasion each time. I am learning more and more about my resourcefulness each day, and feel stronger for it.

The Beartooth Highway dumped me out near Billings, MT. Montana , surprisingly, is the most political state I have driven through so far. I have noticed several anti-abortion and anti-"death panel" billboards throughout the state. Even one somewhat clever yard sign that read "OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake, America." We should all be glad that Montana is only worth 3 electoral votes.

I have theories for the anti-health care and anti-abortion stances in Montana. It's awfully difficult to convince someone to pay for another person's health care when they never see another person. Also, Montana needs all the people it can possibly get in order to become more politically relevant, so getting rid of potential people is not good for political capital.

But don't let the radical right-wing views of the state scare you away. The people are all very nice, and the state is geographically beautiful. Montana has to be one of the more under-rated states in the Union. There aren't many exciting things to see or do, but if you're into nature, Montana has shown me some beautiful, beautiful landscapes that shouldn't be missed.