"On the Brink of the Storm" photographed at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado by Lorrie McAllister

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Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden campaigned in Montana Sunday at Kalispell’s Flathead High School, taking the opportunity to lay out he and Sen. Barack Obama’s platform and also to criticize what he said was a lack substance—policy wise—in Sen. John McCain’s and Gov. Sarah Palin’s speeches at the Republican National Convention last week.

“I thought Gov. Palin gave one heck of a political speech,” Biden said. “But her silence on the issues was deafening.”

As Daniel Testa at the Flathead Beacon reports, Biden set aside a few moments to speak directly to Montanans, acknowledging that the state, and the Flathead in particular, is a Republican stronghold. From the story:

But Biden noted Obama has paid five visits to Montana so far, and held up the recent success of Democrats like Gov. Brian Schweitzer and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester as proof of changing political winds in Montana, while saving his deepest praise for legendary Senate leader Mike Mansfield, who he called, “the best guy I ever served with.”

Check out the Beacon for more from the speech and to read reaction from Montanans.

Atticus and I discovered Sypes Canyon about a month ago. So far, we haven’t made it much beyond the first lookout, where a sign helpfully informs me with one word, “Trail” - in case I forget, I suppose.