Day 25 – June 28 – Wolf Point, MT to Circle, MT – 54 Miles

Our route took us south from Wolf Point today, leaving the Hi-Line, the combination of Route 2 and the former Great Northern Railway (now Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad) which traces a line across North Dakota and northern Montana.

Just south of Wolf Point we crossed the Missouri River.  Crossing the river we began a seemingly endless number of climbs and descents of hills for the next 50 miles.  The terrain is open agricultural land with few trees.  Cattle and wheat are the apparent products of this vast stretch.  Vida, MT is the only town between Wolf Point and Circle.  It has a Post Office, Catholic Church, and Fertilizer Dealer.  There was a Bar but it was closed.

We stopped in Vida, for lunch with a few items we’d picked up in Wolf Point before leaving.  A bench and shade tree in front of the Post Office was our accommodation.  Not wanting to risk the last 30+ miles on my remaining water, I went to the fertilizer dealer to top off by Camel Back.

The temperatures rose into the mid- 90s as we progressed south, climbing one hill  after another to find the road stretching over a countless number of more hills as far as we could see. The heat and the hills made this a particularly difficult day. Other than what we’d enjoyed in Vida, there was no shade to provide relief from the heat. The traffic with which we had to contend was light, and usually could be seen coming miles away.  Today the wind was neither a help nor hindrance as is blew lightly out of the west.

Cresting one final hill we came upon Circle, MT our destination. Given the temperature and our need to cool off, we checked into the Traveler’s Rest Hotel  on the edge of town.   Paula, the manager, offered to give us a ride into town, letting us know that by showing our room keys at the local VFW, we could get a complimentary drink.  It was hard to refuse.  After two rounds of pool and a couple cold drinks, Joe and I proceeded to the Wooden Nickel for Pizza.  A stop at the Super Value Grocery secured our breakfast for tomorrow and we returned to our room.

Perspective is a funny thing.  We have travelled thru Montana  at least three times on Amtrak to and from Glacier Park and to Portland.  From the train, the area east of the Rockies seems flat.  From Route 2 on a bicycle, it is anything but flat.  Today our perspective on distance changed.  Over the last 2 days we rode 100 and 92 miles respectively, today it was 54.  The 54 miles today seemed more difficult than the previous 2 days combined.

Tomorrow we may be able to make it to North Dakota.  It is within a days ride given the right conditions.  Heat is on the agenda however and we need to take care and prepare for it and have alternatives.  The plan for the next few days is to make it to Medora, ND where we will take a rest day.  There, we hope to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park.