Montanans

After riding about 50 miles in Temperatures in the 90s, I buy two large Gatorades and a bottle of water, plop down in a chair at an on occupied round table and spread my unfolded paper maps and opened computer apps on the table.

A few minutes later a middle-aged woman comes in, buys a cuppa coffee and sits down at my table. She’s seen my type before. Crazy! She used to ride a bike when she was a little girl. 

A couple minutes later a second lady comes in and sits down at the table with a cuppa coffee. She is just returning from Miles City where she had the best Reuben sandwich she has ever had in her life. Lady one was in Miles City just a few weeks ago. She went to the Dairy Queen there and had a blizzard that was amazing!

I start moving my things in to make room for two other  ladies who sit sit down at the table. Somebody died in the next town over. Old news. 

There is an empty table next to us, but it seems that my table is their table. I still have my chair, but I have removed everything from the table and I’m no longer really even sitting at it. I would move to the vacant table next to theirs, but I don’t want to be rude. 

This is not so much a gas station as it is a coffee shop. Their coffee shop.There are no Starbucks in Circle or anywhere in eastern Montana as far as I can tell.

There is no camping at the city park they volunteer in an attempt to be helpful. There used to be but some of the campers started raising a ruckus so they no longer allow it. I should Check at the trailer park in town to see if they will let me camp there. My guidebook says otherwise, but I nod politely. 

As i break camp in the city park the next morning I notice a sign saying that the road running past the park is maintained by the “triangle homemakers club.” Yes, it is.