We decided to get out early again today, as the extra hour on the road meant we could get a good distance covered before lunch despite the headwind. The wind was still in our faces, although it was a little less intense than yesterday.
This morning a thick fog blanketed the plains with visibility initially around 20 metres. Lights on, we progressed steadily and cautiously. It was actually nice without the view of the straight road and the ocean of wheat through which we were cycling. Hills, creeks and side roads appeared only as we approached them, making our progress seem quicker in our minds. It was not to be though, and the sun soon burned the fog off; The undulating road stretched away from us South to the horizon.
Last night Jake timed how long it took for a cars rear lights to disappear over the horizon along this road, and it was close to four minutes.
We stopped in Circle to refuel on snacks and check the internet to see if our probing messages to hosts in Glendive had bore fruit. Success! Two out of three hosts offered us a place to stay, and we sent a message to one to accept the offer before setting back out on the road. 49 miles to go.
We began heading East again from Circle, the next town being Lindsay 25 miles away. It was uphill for the first 20 miles or so and the headwind stayed with us. A quick icecream and lunch in Lindsay and we were off down hill to Glendive.
In town we met with Joan, who calls herself 'Mutt'. She lives in a quiet neighbourhood with her dog Cinder and the air-conditioning in the living room was a great relief from the 36 degree heat outside. She works as a physician in the town which provided a good opportunity to discuss the healthcare system here. She kindly took us out to Makoshika State Park, where many dinosaur fossils are excavated each year. We visited some stunning viewpoints overlooking the eroded Sandstone landscape with the great plains extending away into the distance. We also visited an amphitheatre where Shakespearean plays are performed against the dramatic backdrop of the park. We then drove back to the town, discussing her time in the Peace Corps and the weather as us Brits are known to do, except here that includes tornadoes! One struck last week, and we were off on a tour of the local damage, with great trees ripped out of the ground and windows smashed. It was sad to see the local cemetery badly damaged by the storm.
We have just been back and cooked dinner, again she showed her generosity by lending us her fresh vegetables and dressing for a salad. A night indoors tonight will be a welcome change.
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