Day 14: Beat The Heat

 

Forsyth to Terry, 85 miles, 2729 feet of climbing, 100+ degrees, 20+ mph head and crosswinds for last 20 miles.

As a general rule, we like to have the mileage that we clock exceed the outdoor temperature. That was not the case today. We started out early and dropped our mileage a bit in order to get out of the sun before it got really, really hot. We were pretty successful in this endeavor, but it was still hot. It also got quite windy, which masked the heat, both a good and bad thing; you didn’t fully notice who hot you were.

Our ride today was efficient and no-nonsense in order to get to where we were headed (Terry, MT) without much delay. We stuck to the main thoroughfares with only the occasional foray onto a back road, primarily because we did not want to get stranded on a beat up or gravely road in the 100 degree heat.

We did have some fun, despite the heat and wind. We have become big fans of a gas station convenience store called Cenex (similar to a WaWa, for those familiar with that northeast chain), which has sandwiches and colds drinks and provides a respite from the heat. The manager (a woman around our age - which is to say, “of a certain age”) went out of her way to make us feel welcome. There was also an unending parade of cowboys, complete with spurs, in pickup trucks pulling horse trailers, stopping in for ice and other supplies. Kindred spirits - we would all be spending a lot of time in the saddle today.

We also had a great introduction to the history of the area and of the Kempton Hotel, where we are spending the night, from Russ, the hotel’s proprietor. Teddy Roosevelt ranched in not so distant Medora, ND and stayed at the Kempton on several occasions. Russ’ family purchased the hotel from the previous owner who rode with Wild BIll and the Wild West Show and is in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. Saddles from Russ’ family and a range of others, including a bunch of  outlaws, are scattered around the hotel, as are pictures, photos and portraits connected to the town and region. The rooms are basic (and of course clean) but the overall vibe around the place is just plain cool.

Forecasts for tomorrow call for continued high temps and a mix of winds. “Dry” thunderstorms are forecast for tonight; should be over by morning. We plan to start off early tomorrow, again to beat the heat.