I’ll pick what’s behind door number two.
On my last post, Larry had three choices:
Rent a one-way truck and drive self to Montana.
Let me drive him to Montana.
Forget the whole bike ride and try again next year.
At the same time we were discussing dinner, we were discussing his options. He chose door number two, with a minor change…Larry did all the driving to Billings, Montana. The dogs, his trusty new touring bike Sparky, and I came along for the ride.
Sparky catching a ride with Big White.
We stayed at the very first ever KOA; we’ve been here years ago, twice, to participate in Montana MS-150 charity bike rides. It’s a nice enough campground. I especially like the complimentary putt putt golf they throw in. Larry always wins = Larry always cheats (that’s what I say no matter what game, if he wins, it’s because he cheated :)
Ready. Set. Go.
Larry decided to drive due north to catch his ‘Northern Tier Bike Route’ at Highway 200. If you look at the map of Montana, it intersects Highway 87 next to Grass Range.
He took off. Solo. Self supported. He’s gonna miss that luscious camper, Charlie, with its soft bed, bathroom, and kitchen. Speaking of kitchen, the camper stove recall part did not arrive on the 30th, it’s expected on September 9th. Like I said, Larrys gonna miss that camper, especially since he didn’t know I had a blow-up pad that went underneath the sleeping bag to cushion his weary, old bones. Tent camping. Don’t get better than that, well maybe, add a little rain or snow…
Picture in the Grass Range restroom.
Thirty minutes after Larry took off, I drove to get a better kiss goodbye.
‘Dang, he’s making good time, I thought as I caught up to him almost at mile marker 8.
“Hi, I need a better kiss,” I said.
“That’s funny,” he smiled, “ I was just thinking that send-off kiss wasn’t the best.”
I left him pedaling eastbound in big sky country and I headed back to Billings KOA.
Coming into town, under the railroad tracks on Minnesota Avenue, I saw a woman painting a bison mural.
‘That requires a stop,’ I reasoned with myself.
Elyssa
I met Elyssa Leininger, a local western and wildlife artist. Very delightful. She has another mural, but her friends directions were confusing...all I remembered was “near Albertsons.” I didn’t find it.
Dave
I got a hold of an old, and I don’t mean old as in ancient, we’re almost the same age, I mean old as in long-time-ago coworker, Dave Hauger. We rarely worked together, being on opposite crews, I knew him, but I didn’t. I remedied that! After a tour of his house, interrupted by a ball/frisbee game with my dogs in his back yard, we sat at his kitchen table and took turns telling stories that identify who we each are. My visit was fantastic. Dave looks great! He’s happy! And I really like his wife Cheryl! I have new-old friend in Billings.
OMG, I want one.
My dogs fetching at Dave’s.
“I’m here, tent set up and eating dinner. Nice place. After dinner I will take a shower.” Larry texted. He had ridden 67.4 miles to Sand Springs.
“I’m writing your blog, anything you want to add? Shower? Where is that?” I replied.
“Today was rolling hills and WINDY. Got a lot cooler at about 40 miles in. High temperature was around 53. The shower is here next to the store. One close call, I almost got broadsided by a deer!” He texted back.
Larry has set his sights on Duluth, Minnesota. Weather permitting, he’ll go past into Michigan.
“I want to come home for your birthday,” he informed me.
“It’s no big deal, birthdays don’t matter much anymore.” I said, “you keep riding if the weather holds.”
“Well, I want to be there.”
“Ok.”
Fence post where I left Larry.
What’s the rest of our ‘plan,’ you may ask? If the camper gets fixed in time, I may *drive to collect Larry. Otherwise, he’ll have to rent a U-Haul and drive home with bike at the end of the month.
*We never did take Charlie out for backing-up practice. I’m all thumbs, including the broken one, and would like a tutor. Anybody?
