Days 15 and 16 Shelby to Havre to Malta

Day 15 (18 Aug 09) - Shelby to Havre 104 miles

We try to get out early because it will be a long day to Havre with minimal services along the way. It takes a lot of flour to make bread and even more wheat. We ride past endless wheat fields being attended to by machines that are right out of Star Wars.

Trucks pass us on this going to the sun road and literally go to the vanishing point. We see the same volcano for 45 miles. It is right to the north of us; it feels like we are standing still as someone pulls the near scenery like some 1920 movie cricket sounds included.

We stop in Mike’s Thrifyway Supermarket and pick up some food and water. A few local teenagers listen to hip-hop music in their car.

Heads down we pedal the 60 miles from Chester and Mike’s Thriftyway to Havre. We were going to stay 2 nights in Havre, but as we ride into town we decide to do the 90 miles tomorrow.

The day is not as long as we thought; a tail wind pushes us the 100+miles in a little over 6 hours. We have become more sailors than bikers as we read our compasses to determine when we will be heading E or SSE to catch the more favorable wind.

We will take our layover day in Fargo, ND in 11 days. As long as the weather is below 80F we should get our miles across the plains done before it gets over 100F. Remember Joe, the intrepid rider from Conneticut? He pedaled across ND in 100F weather and it was tough.

Dinner at the Duck Inn and a view of the railroad engine yard from our hotel room.

Day 16 (19 Aug 09) Havre to Malta 88 miles

Today, we were greeted by the cry of the Killdeer calling its name, “killdeer, killdeer, killdeer…” Once again, we were favored with a tailwind and the riding was easy. We both agreed it was the easiest 90 miles we’d ever done. I thought of our conversation with Joe from Conneticut two days before. He mentioned a solo rider he'd encountrerd along the way. "He was travelling light and fast, covering 120 to 130 miles a day, going east." The Pony Express on a bicycle!

The landscape was quite different from the previous day where the scene was dominated by endless, unbroken wheat fields. Today we followed the Milk River as it meandered back and forth across our path. Cottonwood trees were numerous both along the river and for a half mile on either side. The endless view was often interrupted by small hills.

We stopped for water at a gas station on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation where we were greeted by friendly folks interested in where we were going and how long we thought it would take. One man warned us about mosquitoes. I didn’t think they’d be a problem given our typical 18 - 23 mph speed. However, at one point, going up a hill where we were moving at about the same speed as the wind from behind, creating a situation where relative to us, the air was still, the mosquitoes attacked with unexpected ferocity. Both Len and I were trying to swat and ride up a hill at the same time, no mean trick.

It was a bad day for snakes. They were littered (well, not quite) along the roadside in various stages of decay. One particularly healthy looking specimen was about 3 feet long and its mere presence gave Len quite a surprise. It turns out that when he was about 10 he rode over a live snake, an event that was somewhat traumatic and resulted in a lifelong aversion to snakes.

In one lonely stretch of road we encountered a coyote, that, unlike the usual coyote, did not immediately head for cover when he saw us. Instead, he stopped in the middle of the road and stared at the two strange oncoming figures on nearly silent two-wheeled vehicles. After deciding we might represent a threat, he bounded into the tall grass beside the road and almost immediately disappeared. It was truly amazing how well the color of his coat blended with the grass.

Just before arriving in Malta, we noted a large rain cloud about 2 miles in front of it. I asked Len to stop so I could put the rain covers on my panniers. It also appeared that the cloud was moving across our path and that if we waited awhile, we might not get wet. It was a good move and the only moisture came from the road and passing trucks.

An early arrival in Malta allowed us to do a little bike maintenance and for me to talk with my son, daughter in law and 9 month old grandson on Skype. Our proprietess at the hotel warned us about mosquitoes tomorrow, especially if there isn’t much wind. Sounds like we could be wearing our street clothes over our bike clothes to keep the bugs off - a trip to the grocery store in the morning to pick up repellent may be indicated as well.