I got a good start on the morning and got approval by the campground employee that Hwy 451 was a good choice. And indeed it turned out to be great! I had been feeling a little blue, perhaps lonely and definitely weary so I finally pulled out the iPod and headphone for the first time. I started off with Desmond Dekker's Israelites and continued with the Allman Brothers which makes for fantastic road music. The highway was smooth, nearly empty of cars, and was actually more level than the interstate since it tracked the Little Big Horn river. It would be 33 miles before I even hit a hill. As I had been packing up this morning I a nice woman had given me a bag of cherries at the campground and wished me luck, and not wanting them to get hot and bruised I ate them in the first 20 miles. So in 15 years when Hwy 451 from Garryowen to Lodge Grass is sidelined with cherry trees like the Great Basin, you'll have Trevor Cherry Pit to thank (not the same ring as Johnny but it'll have to do).
My first notable stop was the state line where I once again pulled out the jorts and took pictures. This photo session was quite a bit more relaxed since there were no other cars on the road to be embarrassed about. Putting the jersey back on was a little gross since my sweaty, sunscreeny arms had amassed quite the collection of gnats. But back on the bike I stooped in Ranchester to down two quarts of Gatorade and have a snack. My next stop was Sheridan and I came into town at 2 pm having already ridden 65 miles.
My first errand was to replace the tube I used yesterday, then I headed to the Post Office to unload some gear. After the past few days of hot weather I was happy to pack up a box of arm and leg warmers, gloves, rain booties, vest, and a few other smaller items. In all I unloaded about 3 pounds from the bags. It was ridiculously hot so I got a salad and beer at Sanford's. It was the first time I've ever seen linguine on top of lettuce in my salad but I went for it to get some extra carbs.
I assessed my condition and the next campsites and decided to go for Buffalo. It would be another 37 miles but I felt pretty good about the ride earlier. As I left it was even hotter and now the pavement was radiating. On these toasty days I can feel the difference in the tires as they get warm and turn a little buttery, almost making it feel like they're getting a little flat. The ride was much hotter but thankfully a cloud materialized for a bit and shaded several miles of the ride. To avoid the interstate I had to climb a rough hill but the descent was great and soon I was cruising into the Indian Campground in Buffalo and topping 106 miles! This century was definitely easier without flats and breakdowns, but 100 miles still takes its toll and I have some lightweight saddle sores.
To celebrate I had dinner at the Bozeman Trail Steakhouse, a couple beers, and a brownie sundae to finish it off. When I was done I still had a bit of a sweet tooth so I picked up some toffee cashews and peach rings at the gas station, a decision I definitely regretted after finishing them. I'm not sure why I eat some of the shit I do sometimes, but at least I'll burn the calories tomorrow!
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