Montana is a state filled with beauty and dirt roads. Here's a tribute to a few of them south of Deer Lodge near Racetrack.
*Note: For those of you who are grammer Nazis, by Montana standards, Racetrack is one word, although I can't explain why. The area around Racetrack got it's name because it was relatively flat and was therefore an excellent place for horse racing between the first white pioneers (later settlers) and passing Indian tribes on their way to hunt buffalo on the plains east of the Continental Divide.

I just got the 6D & 24-105 f/4 L. I have the 60D and am keeping as for now.

I can add a blessing to the 7D 2 and add that I see a hole in the landscape. I have used the 10-22 EFs on the 60D and love it. The 24-105 is weak on the wide side.

I am looking at 16-35f/4 L, &/or 14mm Korean 2.8. Just a thought and just saying. You have lots of option, including selling the XT and buying a 7D classic. They are going for 500-600 USD and I don't think they will go down much if and when you would switch to Mark 2.

I actually did think to possibly look at the 7D classic as an option. The Mark 2 is sooo much improved in the AF system, it is hard to not scrounge a bit deeper to go that route. And yes, the 24-105 is weak on the wide side. I didn't think so, until a recent trip to Yosemite. It became very obvious very quickly, that I was not properly lensed.

J. R.

I have been taking pictures for many years, but have just started taking my Camera off Auto mode. I am strictly a recreational photographer. Taking pictures of my kids, vacations and everyday activities. I currently have a Canon T2i, I have the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera and a Canon EFS 55-250mm lens. While at a local camera store I was asking the salesperson what camera would take me to the next level as far as getting better pictures ( I know, I must know how to use the camera to get those types of pictures) the salesperson told me not to upgrade the camera just get better lenses. He said the T2i should give me the quality pictures I want if I use better lenses. Is this correct? If so which lens would you start with? If you disagree, what camera would you upgrade too? I can not afford to spend thousands of dollars at this point, because I still have 2 young children at home and they take most of our fun money, Haha!! Thanks in advance for your suggestions and thoughts.

Stupid? Hardly. Your approach is refreshing. If the 8.5K is your price guesstimate you are overlooking the best source of pre-owned equipment. The lens is almost always listed on KEH, usually on B&H and Adorama, and sometimes your cousin Vinnie finds one in the trunk of his car. Mid-low$5K gets top quality. I also coveted this lens. The weight is somewhat of a problem, but I resigned myself to tripod mount almost always. The new version of the 400mm DO f/2.8 apparently has been released. If you can find one it sells for $6900 and weighs in at about 5.5lbs. That is kind of light considering the reach. The 400mm DO on a crop 7D II separated by a T/C gives you all kinds of possible distances. Glad it's your game. GL