5 September - Shelby, MT

Once again in a hotel room, safe, warm, and clean. I was molested for the first time in a week by hoards of mosquitoes as I walked to dinner and the grocery store. I also managed to burn myself for the first time in a week. Nonetheless, I feel rather well in spite of having gone 96 miles over mostly flat and boring terrain. The wind made all the difference. At some points near Browning I was making 24 mph on flat ground. I suspect the wind will be kind to me at least one more day and thus hope to reach Havre (105 miles) without too much trouble.

Yesterday I climbed Logan’s Pass on the Going-to-the-Sun road. This did not hurt as much as I thought it would. I was completely elated on reaching the pass, and rather depressed on reaching the St. Mary campground. All told, I spent about 2.5 hours climbing and about 45 minutes descending, and then the Rocky Mountains were behind me. Today I lost sight of them altogether as I left Cut Bank. Glacier is incredibly beautiful and far too easy to get through.

It also didn’t help when one of the poles for my tent broke. I spent the night prepared to wrap myself in my groundcloth in the event of rain, which didn’t happen. Obviously I need to get a replacement if I am to continue this journey, as I cannot afford to stay in motels every night (well, possibly, but I would be bankrupt once I got home), and do not want to be unprotected from Midwest thunderstorms and mosquitoes. My left knee is also beginning to hurt. I probably just need a day off but it provides an additional reason to hop on a train to home or Minneapolis.

My total mileage is about 645, or less than a third of the way to Chicago. If the winds are with me tomorrow I will have 750 miles to my name, two mountain passes, and one unexpected climb out of the Columbia River Gorge. Not too shabby. I have composed an ode:

  I go where I go with my own legs.
  Beautiful women wave to me from cars.
  Old men in motor homes look at me like I'm crazy.
  Boyfriends fear me.
  Grizzled motorcyclists give me thumbs up.
  Mosquitoes prefer my blood, which is hot and sweet.
  I defeat mountains and mountain ranges.
  National Park Service rangers smile at me.
  Etc, etc.
  I am a road warrior.

< 3September1999 | 6September1999 >