Day 24. Circle to Glendive, 52 miles

Today was a day of tough headwinds. Despite my 6 a.m. departure to get ahead of it, I had stiff headwinds by 7. It was a shortish but hilly day, and the mile markers ground by at a frustratingly slow pace. On a good day, I barely notice the mile markers (or route mileage on the device), maybe catch sight of them every once in a while. On a bad day I look for them on the horizon.

I passed through Lindsay, whose sole business was the standard gas pump and auto parts store, with a few snacks and bottled drinks. In what’s becoming a theme, no one was inside, so I used the bathroom and moved on.

I didn’t take many pictures because headwinds. The weather report indicated more of same tomorrow, which was to be a longer ride to Medora for a rest day on July 4. I had reservations to stay at a state park south of Glendive, but it had no showers (for what would be the second day) and would take me off route, making for a somewhat longer tomorrow. Feeling a bit sad and defeated, I made roadside reservations at a crappy motel on the edge of town and called the campground to cancel. Reason, she asked? Shower, I said.

I made my way into town on this bridge.

After a stop at Subway, I settled in at a former Super 8, still in transition to its new iteration as the Glendive Lodge.

Despite my unhappiness at giving up a state park for a motel, I was given good reason to honor my choices when this happened shortly after my arrival.

I went to bed feeling fairly blue, facing a 4:30 alarm to get myself on the road by 5.