Cooke City, MT - tucked away at the foot of majestic mountains en route to the Yellowstone National Park. The Peace Run team is leaving it at early morning hours to make our way up to Beartooth pass.
Mirage or mirror ? The views of the mountain lakes are breathtaking!
Our sturdy Peace Run RV is climbing the serpentines up to the pass like a mountain goat.
This is what actual mountain goats look like ...
... we are entering the realm of mountain goats after all ...
The Peace Run team on top of the world!
Top of the world means Beartooth pass, elevation 10,947 feet ... or 3,337 metres for our Austrian teammate Chintamani, who felt right at home here amongst the peaks.
Cheerfully Chintamani starts us off down from the pass.
What a start into the Fourth of July!
Our Peace flame braving the snows that last long into summer up in these high mountains.
The torch is passed to fellow travellers ...
Our Peace Torch can brave strong winds, rain, snow, high altitudes ... but it DOES need refuelling for that!
What beauty lies in these high altitudes! We bask in the crisp morning air, inhaling the fragrance of the mountain herbs and flowers.
The alpine meadows are home to the shy and swift marmots as well. They give off a piercing whistle when they sense danger coming - a Peace runner for instance ...
The iconic Beartooth Highway (U.S. 212) on the Montana/Wyoming border is often hailed as "America's Most Beautiful Drive". The 68-mile route features dramatic switchbacks and stunning alpine tundra, connecting Red Lodge, MT, to Yellowstone National Park's Northeast Entrance. How lucky we can experience all that with our Peace torch in hand, savouring every step of the way ...
Coming down the mountain to a scenic vista point overlooking the canyons.
A Fourth of July sized bag of caramelized cattle corn is the reward at the end of our running stretch!
Everyone is in festive mood today!
Swift feet heading towards Red Lodge. The Peace Run has been invited to participate in the Fourth of July Parade there.
The Fourth of July parade in Red Lodge is getting lined up. It will be headed Montana style - on horseback of course!
Even the horses know it's a special anniversary this year ... 1776 ... 2026 ...
Happy 250th Birthday America!
Our Peace Run RV is lined up to parade down Broadway street amidst the other floats. The whole team is waving flags, passing the torch, handing out cards, playing and singing songs, presenting banners and showing our route through all fifty states of America, to honor this special "semiquincentennial".
Teammate Tavishi is Australian by birth - but American at heart! :)
Niko, on top of the world again!
It's never too early to learn about the Peace Run!
Old or young ... everyone is excited to hold the Peace Torch! We got so much encouraging and enthusiastic feedback from the community of Red Lodge, who had gathered in full force and patriotic attire for the special day.
This man held the torch in 1976 in Chicago during the bicentennial liberty torch relay!
Parade announcers Kathy and Gary - duo extraordinaire!
Red Lodge has many different clubs, communities, nationalities ... here the "vikings" in their longship
The kids brought big buckets, or hats, or bags, or any other recepticle, to scoop up the numerous candies thrown out from the floats.
Who is brave enough to pick up this lolly?
Here is the Mayor of Red Lodge to the rescue!
Taking care of SH...TUFF! That's Dave's motto. Could he be the most awesome mayor ever? Dhavala is double checking! ;-)
In the evening at our camp - after a good cooldown in the icy Rock Creek (we saw where that water comes from, in the morning on snowcapped Beartooth pass!) - we enjoyed a scrumptious full Fourth of July feast with all the traditional delicacies.
For the Beetroot float desert we were joined by none other than Mayor Dave himself, who - in our books at least - IS now officially the most awesome mayor ever!
Red Lodge rocks!
"Official Foto" after plenty of stories, laughter and shared wisdoms. Dave leads a very ful(l)-filled life! (And so do we Peace Runners)
While some will hang around the campfire chatting, after we all had our fill of S'more sandwiches and songs - others will head to the hill above town to watch the fireworks after dark.
May your next 250 years be peaceful and prosperous for all, America, the beautiful!
