Circle, Montana to Glendive, Montana - August 9, 2021

Travelers Inn

I had a good stay at the Travelers Inn, heading out the door to the Cenex gas station / mini-mart next door.

In this part of the country, the Cenex had been a go to. Generally, I’ve been able to put relatively healthy foods in my basket while shopping there. You can’t buy organic, but they often have bananas and apples. Sometimes I can find little fruit cups. They sell premade sandwiches of varying types. Before leaving, I sat down at an inside table and had breakfast.

Outside of the Circle Cenex, I met a bicycle tourist named David. He had been on the road for over two months, having started in New York. He’s covered quite a distance. He spoke about FaceTiming his partner the night before and how it was difficult to be apart. I shared similar feelings. His goal was to cycle to Anacortes, Washington, then head home. I haven’t seen many people bicycling the Northern Tier, so it’s always good to say hello.

David (Westbound from New York)

The 45+ miles to Glendive was delightful. The shoulder was good and the wind, when it presented itself, was pleasantly at my back. Temperatures were in the 80’s, a relief.

Resting Cars (for miles)

I crossed over the Yellowstone River into Glendive on an old bicycle / pedestrian bridge. My first thought was to visit the public library.

Crossing the Yellowstone River

After arriving and connecting to WiFi, I did a bit of writing, then talked to Beth. There’s a scooter for sale on Whidbey Island that would be fun to acquire. The two of us could zoom around together. It would also be an inexpensive way to get to my parents’ place or visit friends who live a distance away. We’ll see…

Glendive Public

Using Google Maps, I located a number of chain hotels in Glendive. I cycled over to the Comfort Inn and inquired about a stay there. The place was a touch steep for my tour budget ($125). The woman at the desk understood and pointed me in the direction of the Yellowstone River Inn, just across the street.

I thanked her and shot across the road (she told me to steal a cookie on the way out).

In no time, a woman at the Yellowstone set me up with a room for $60. I had dinner at the adjacent restaurant, a Greek salad and soup.

Being really tired, I went to sleep just after nine o’clock.

Note: I will cross over into North Dakota tomorrow.