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| Our Cabin in Cut Bank |
Our adventure today was planned to begin and end in Cut Bank, MT. After reviewing both the limited camping and motel options between Cut Bank and Havre (126 miles away) and the prediction of thunderstorms, we opted to (1) have Jay ride 65 miles to Chester (2) Helen to retrieve him in the Prius, (3) return to Cut Bank, (4) the next day Helen drive to Havre, and drop Jay off at Chester on the way so he could continue his ride. Our plan was perfect…save for one major flaw.
In the morning, Jay departed from Cut Bank under clear skies, and with a nice wind at his back he averaged 17.5 miles per hour. Jay’s course on Route 2 was a straight road with a few rolling hills surrounded by the wide openness of Montana.
As Jay zipped along he could see dark clouds forming behind him. Clear skies, however, filled the horizon in front of him. His plan was to maintain his brisk pace, out race the storm clouds and find refuge at the designated rendezvous point at the Chester Supermarket per our perfect plan.
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| Storm Clouds / Pavement Ends |
However, 17 miles from Chester, clear and unambiguous signage announced PAVEMENT ENDS.
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) had torn up nine miles of pavement, leaving only a hard-packed dirt road. Clearly the MDOT intended to re-pave, making a new and improved road. But this being Saturday there was little expectation that Jay was to benefit from this noble plan.
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| Route 2: Pavement Unexpectedly Ends |
The road was just too dangerous to ride. Jay called Helen, who was still 30 miles away and informed her of his present predicament. As Jay waited for Helen, the dark clouds he had been outpacing caught up with him.
A heavy rain slammed into him. The wind was so strong that the rain “fell” horizontally. As Jay tried to find limited shelter in the large metal road sign announcing the end of the pavement, a local farmer in a pickup truck stopped and offered Jay a lift to dry and safe location. The people of America have such big hearts and seemingly appear just when help is needed.
Jay’s good Samaritan, Tracy, had married into the Smith family who owned 10,000 acres, through which the pavement-decapitated Route 2 ran. Jay was dropped off at the Galata General Store and Motel, also owned by the family. There he struck up a conversation with the most congenial Jerry Smith, Tracy's father-in-law, a 5thgeneration Montana farmer.
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| Helen and Jerry at the convenience store
When Helen arrived, great conversation continued. We learned that way out here in this part of Montana that hugs the border of Canada that decisions far away are impacting American farmers. Jerry informed us that the price of wheat has dropped $1/bushel and he has lost $150,000 due to the tariff war imposed by Washington. We all agreed that American farmers can out-produce farmers anywhere in the world and should be used as an asset and not a bargaining chip. I guess you just need to be pelted by a hard Montana rain to the see the sense of it all.
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More Photos
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| Our Route |
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| Wide Open Montana Click Photo to Enlarge |
Sounds like your weather has been as bad as ours was good. We had two rain days out of 63 on our trip, the second was the last day coming into Atlanta. I guess rain builds character, but you both started out as true characters with no need for augmentation!
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