Variable Weather

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Yesterday we officially entered the British part of the trip. The weather was overcast and cold (52 deg F/11 deg C). I'm pretty sure London was actually warmer. Due to the dismal weather we weren't inclined to take a break until about 24 miles in when we reached the town of Lindsay. This was the only town of the day with any kind of business though we were well stocked with snacks and lunch. We huddled together under the overhang of the roof as it began to rain. The rain eased up before too long and we continued on our way. Later we took a break just standing at the side of the road and I took the chance to wish Happy Birthday! to my younger brother.

The scenery was much the same as previous days: gentle hills, grasslands, lots of hay bales waiting to be collected, and the occasional herd of cows meandering around. A group of pronghorns scampered away as we rode past, flashing their white tails towards us. Did you know that pronghorns are not antelope nor deer, and that their closest living relative is the giraffe? Well, now you do! Thanks, internet. The town of Circle marked our final stop and we camped in the town park for the night, though not before checking out the local hotspot for some soup and bread. It was just the thing for a cold day.

We awoke today to the coldest morning yet. I broke out my thermal wool shirt, marking its first use in almost 6000 miles. Breakfast was taken inside the tent in order to escape the frigid air outside. The sun soon came out though and we felt brave enough to change into cycling clothes. For the first time in several days we had blue skies and only mild winds. This stretch again had no businesses but we still have a lot of snacks that Mike has been carrying. He's probably happy we've been eating through them.

For tonight we had spied a cyclists-only camping spot outside the town of Wolf Point. We arrived around 4 pm and introduced ourselves to the proprietor. Cyclists-only campgrounds are usually informal affairs put together by people who enjoy helping out cyclists. They're almost always free but unfortunately there was some kind of miscommunication and the "cyclists-only" campground was in fact a regular private campground that cost $40 per night. More than we usually like to spend. We might have made alternative arrangements had we discovered that earlier in the day but it was too late by the time we had pedaled off-route to reach the campground. We have made the most of it by using the washer and dryer and enjoying a movie in a little lounge that's provided.

Yesterday: 50 miles
Today: 48 miles

Grim weather in Montana

Prarie lands

Mike drying the tent

Turtles in Buffalo Creek

The Lewis and Clark bridge over the Missouri River

Comments

  1. CheriAugust 22, 2018 at 4:37 PM

    Forty dollars to pitch your tent - this isn't they gold rush -- they are bandits! -- and you aren't cycling with enough clothes to warrant multiple laundry loads. Oh, well.

    Loved the picture of the tent drying.

    Ride safely.

    Cheri

    ReplyDelete
  2. the Old GuyAugust 22, 2018 at 7:55 PM

    Rode 30 miles today in the new shoes and with new pedals. Picked up a cycling computer along the way. I will install the cycling computer tomorrow. I used my phone to figure out mileage. Bike handled very well, much better than racing bikes on the dirt and gravel sections I used to get to Center City Parkway through Escondido and beyond. Gear ratio really helped but I am not used to the direction in which to increase or decrease gearing on the derailleurs. Even so, the very wide range of gears made the ride significantly easier. The bike does not handle like the racing models. The racing bikes, especially the Italvega are much tighter and twitchier. The Surly is more like a platform with a much more upright positioning. Still its quite comfortable. The shoes tend to strike the front wheel in tight turns while you pedal but that I am sure is something you learn to deal with and I suspect that once the bike is fully loaded down, I will not be making any tight turns anyway. Still hot and humid here but getting a little better. Tomorrow is Joe's birthday. As I said, she got your card already. Hope it warms up a bit for you two. Hang in there and stay safe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BenAugust 28, 2018 at 8:11 PM

      Did you buy a Surly?

      Delete
    2. mikeroddyAugust 31, 2018 at 4:53 PM

      When I got my current brown Traveler's check frame I didn't need my black Surly frame any longer. I was going to sell it and my Dad said "I'll buy it from you and you can build it up into a touring bike." So that's what I did.

      Delete
  3. Debbi StevensonAugust 22, 2018 at 11:29 PM

    That is a terrible.price for a campsite, you would have hoped for some flexibilité. Hope you shook their expensive dust of your shoes as you left. Sounds like the start of Autumn (fall) to me. We have had a couple of cooler mornings but its still in the 30s (90s for the Americans) during the day. Its too hot really for the roofing project. Stay safe. Xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. the Old GuyAugust 23, 2018 at 11:54 AM

      Working on roofs is always hot and miserable. But in the 30's it's just downright torture.

      Delete

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