"Is the air conditioner on in here by any chance? I just saw my napkin fluttering... I mean, it's probably not. I'm just... it's really cold. Are you cold?"

We were up and at em early at 6:45 this morning but once again, it was freezing cold. The mass of dew stringing from the grass and clinging to the inside of my tent didn't help matters. Add to the fact that my sleeping bag was wet and my body was not very happy. Rolling up the soaked tent also caused my fingers to go numb. Thankfully, the bathroom in the park had a hand dryer that I stood underneath. Hey, the boys were cold.

Against my better judgement, we went to McDonalds to warm up and have some coffee. We almost ate their yesterday but an employee was having a minor breakdown when we entered. I opened the door yesterday to this:

Manager: "Well, where's Eric? Can't he help you?"

Employee: "I dunno where he went. It's just me back here."

Manager walks out.

Employee: "I hate my career! I hate this town! I hate McDonalds!"

We left and went to Subway.

This morning, McDonald's still sucked. And it was just as cold inside as outside.

We refused to leave until the sun came out. So... three hours later... we left. Josh got a flat immediately; number 12. Down the road, I was becoming anxious about a bulge in my tire, so just to play it safe, I changed tubes.

It was an absolutely beautiful day. Winds were blowing behind us at about 5mph. Without any wind resistance, you hear much more. One sound that seems to repeat itself all over Montana is the symphony of bugs. The grasshoppers and crickets play their fiddles all day and all night long. The festival never ends. Rarely, birds come out and about, usually birds found back at home in the wetlands. I saw a type of sandpiper today around the Milk River; one of the largest tributaries of the Missouri. Originally named by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was named for its milky color.

Ahead of Josh, I passed through the town of Hindman, where I got a giant ice cream cone for $3 from the sweetest lady I've ever met. And then shortly after, I came upon the town of Salco. Everything in Montana is currently flooded. Bugs.

In Salco, I waited for Josh to catch up and we had a brief lunch. Guess who had lucky flat 13. Yep.

I fell asleep for two hours on the ground of the picnic shelter. Josh was still there and got a little headstart before I began the final 30 miles to Malta. The sun had gotten much hotter.

In Salco, I stopped next to a train. The same train that we've been following since North Dakota. The conductor looked down at me.

"Heading to Malta?" I hollered up to him.

"What's that?" he called back.

"I said, You going to Malta?" I repeated.

"If you're looking for a ride, I can't give it to you, friend. Only freight upon here," he answered sympathetically. 

"Ahh, I won't tell if you won't," I said jokingly but not really. 

He waved and closed the window.

Alas, I had to do the ride naturally. It was still lovely out but the old winds had vanished. The bike no longer sounded as smooth or moved as quick so I popped headphones in and rolled onward. Remnants of where the Missouri River used to run cut through the earth. An old sacred Native American boulder laid on the side of the highway, covered in graffiti and cigarette butts. The sun sank quietly, closer and closer on the horizon.

I met another Josh from Rochester, NY. When I ran into him, he was on mile 105 for the day.

"Yes, yes, I was in Havre this morning. No. Was I? This morning... Couldn't have been. I'm really not sure," he said.

The man had biked far too much for one day. 

"You mind if I take a picture of you?" he asked me.

"Sure!" I said. "Actually, can I take one of you first?"

"Of course!"

I took the picture and then we switched places so I wasn't in the sun. He then handed me his phone. I held it, confused. 

"Um. You want me to take a picture of you with your phone?"

"Yeah," he said. "Wait, no. What the hell am I doing? I'm sorry, its been a long day."

He had been in Anacortes about 12 days back and was chugging along to make it home. He only had given himself about a month to make it. I'm glad I had 4 of those.

We're held up in the Malta City Park. I got chased by a dog coming in. And he was mean. This was my first experience with a dog where I felt more afraid of him then he was of me. I threw a piece of bread at him while he pretended to rush me. He shut up. 

Good night.