Departing BIllings

The past few days in Billings have been great. I have slept for many, many hours, and have eaten well! And I have had a wonderful time talking with Elin and Clint, and getting to know Henny. Elin is my youngest cousin, and because she went to school out west, and then lived out west most of her married life, I had never really spent much time with her and Clint. Since becoming adults, I think the only times I would see Elin, and her family, were every five years at a big family reunion that is always so crowded that it is hard to actually get to know anyone!

And although I had met Henny at the last family reunion I never really got to know her at all. It has been nice to be able to get to know her, and hear her stories about growing up out west after immigrating from Germany as a young child.

Billings is a pleasant city of about 100,000. Elin and Clint have only lived here about two years, but they are thinking of retiring here, and I can understand why. While here, Elin and Henny and I toured the Moss Mansion (built in 1906; exceptionally nice!), the Billings Art Museum, and the interesting and tragic Big Horn Battlefield National Park (Custer's last stand). Plus, I got a lot of little things taken care of: a tune-up for my bike; a haircut; some shopping; blood tests, with the results to be mailed to my NYC physicians.

But my time is running out now, and I need to get packed up and ready to leave. Soon we are driving the 100 miles back up to Grass Range, where I will continue my bicycle trip.