After yesterday were are hoping for a straightforward
day. Get up, ride, get tired, drink a
beer, eat, drink another beer, go to sleep. After a minor problem with
draining the RV tanks (a slight leak in the hose) we were ready to roll. Everything started great with Jack on his own
bike (yea!), Craig on Skips bike (thanks Skip) and me with my bike. The spare was happy to get some fresh air yesterday
and we were thankful for its service but its back on the rack hopefully not
needed again.
Craig’s plan is to ride with us until the White Sulphur Springs
turnoff then head towards Great Falls. Jack
and I will continue to Martinsdale. It’s
a 66 mile ride with 3100 ft of climb.
The
ride started out terrific heading into the mountains.
It was, cool, no wind and light traffic. The scenery was beautiful until we came to the area of
the Deep Water Creek fire a week ago.
Sad
to see the burned landscape.
Once over
the hill we reached the plateau and I’ve got to tell you, I was expecting a lot
of open space in Montana, but not this much open space.
We turned a corner and saw a 2 mile straight away.
Turned another and saw another and another.
Montana is huge (I know, Captain Obvious).
We saw a lot of cattle both in the fields and
in trailers.
One truck and trailer came
by at about 80 mph (not sure the speed limit for semi’s but this dude was not obeying
it).
I got covered with manure laden straw from its slipstream.
Not good.
On the last leg for the day, I noticed cow manure all over the road.
I said “Jack it looks like there was a cattle
drive on the road.”
The further we went
the “fresher” the manure became until I hit a patch that splattered on my
leg.
OK, leaking sewer hose, manure
straw to the face, manure splatter on my leg.
This has become a shitty day.
Soon after the splatter, we turned the corner, and this
happened………
After working our way through the cattle drive (I can't believe I just wrote that), we were on
the home stretch to Martinsdale. As if
the climbing and long rolling straight aways wasn’t enough, the biking gods
giveth yesterday with a tailwind and taketh away today with a tough headwind
for the final 20 miles. Overall it was a
good but tough day. Thank you Jack for
pulling me through it.
We were expecting to dry camp in Martinsdale (population 26 –
not a misprint) but heard there was a nice restaurant and pub (no store or gas
station). Turns out both had signs that
read “closed on Monday” The only
business I could find open was the post office and the nice lady in there said,
“Sorry, you shouldn’t have come to Martinsdale on a Monday” (who’s Captain Obvious now).
As it turns out there is a campground on the Martinsdale
Reservoir and it was great.
The site
itself was nothing special but being next to the water, with NO ONE around with
a spectacular view lifted our
spirits.
We had a great BBQ dinner and even built a fire (I actually
used an hatchet to chop some wood) and made S’mores. Fantastic end to a “shitty” day.
Tomorrow we head to another small town Lavina. Hopefully Lavina is not closed on Tuesdays.
Until then….
I am dyin' right now! LOL. Lavina has some pretty cool old west architecture.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a real poopy day Chris!! I wonder what tomorrow will bring!!
ReplyDeleteOnly in Montana! I sorta am impressed that you have "an" hatchet with you. Nice work. What the f..., h..., or s... (you choose) is the deal with closed on Mondays? What else does Broadway and Martinsdale have in common?
ReplyDelete