If subjects experience a clinical exacerbation, they will be instructed to return to their test site. They will be instructed to increase their controller medication and to continue with the increased steroid phase of the study. Any subject experiencing a severe asthma exacerbation (described below) will be withdrawn from the study. Assuming approximately 30% severe exacerbation rate per year in this population, we would anticipate that one to two patients would normally experience a severe exacerbation over a 10 week course. If four of our subjects experience severe exacerbations, we will hold the trial and have an external review of the unblinded data. This will include review of patient compliance with study protocols. If the exacerbations are all in the tiotropium group we will stop the study. We anticipate with the use of the on-line data collection tool (VAC), the study coordinators will be able to see any exacerbation developing at an early point and that we will be able to effectively intervene to prevent severe exacerbations.