Traveling at Mach 0.012

Thursday June 19

Start: Glendive, MT
Destination: Dinosaur Historical Marker (stopped short)
Day total miles: 75
Journey total miles: 2568

Towns passed through:
Glendive, MT
Circle, MT

Sleeping in Jordan, MT

I have found the middle of nowhere and it was windy, hilly, and generally not conducive for riding. The best description of how it was: “you know it is windy when you go down a steep hill and have to shift into lower gears to make it.”

Started the day early in an attempt to beat the winds. Now my weather scouting is mainly centered on wind speed and direction. At 5, it is light here and the winds have not picked up any speed. But it is also a little cold. With fog blanketing Glendive and the temperature at 42 degrees, we started out. Ok, full disclosure time. Had my first bounce off of the pavement at the start of the ride. I tend to leave my gears set so that it is really easy to start out. Didn’t check that after the repairs, the gears were set in a high gear. Picture this… up a hill, early, just getting onto the bike, clipped in, jump up and push the right peddle and then that sick feeling of tipping over and there is nothing to do but hope for the best. Nothing major, in fact just two little scrapes – on left calf (not sure how this happened) and left elbow. It woke me up. Shook it off, muttered bad words and got it going. So, already in a bad mood and then there is this thick fog. Water was accumulating on me all over, but kept going. Pulling out of Glendive the fog vanished and I peddled hard for sunny spots. This would not be too bad I was thinking.

Not sure if I took any pictures, have to look on the camera, but don’t think so. While the morning was sunny, the terrain was just rolling hills and farmland. Nothing really spectacular. Got to Circle and stopped at the Lunch Box for breakfast. Great coffee and an awesome breakfast burrito. This was truly the highlight of the day.

Back on the road and into the wind. Figure it was blowing about 15 or so at this time. Not unbearable (yet). I got further along and then the winds picked up and the rolling hills were brutal. Was going about 5 mph on the bike and it felt like i was getting nowhere. Finally called it a day at 75 miles. Tomorrow would be another day.

Settled in at Jordan; we had a “cabin” and my office is bigger than this space. But it was clean and there was a buzz in Jordan. It was a week where the Bone Diggers were there. Paleontologists from some Univ in Kansas were there for one of several weeks of digging in the bone rich soils on the surrounding hills. Lucky us. Got the last room for miles around and the local bar – Hells Creek Bar was catering to the group of bone diggers, so we reaped the benefits. The bar was hopping and the food good. But where else can you get drafts for $4 or less, rail drinks for $2.50 and the best – go cups if you so desire. No open container laws here. We were informed of the breakfast buffet in the morning and then steak night for Friday. Heaven amongst this hell of a stretch of road.