I deal with the loneliness by talking on the phone to people back home after the cycling is done.\u00a0 Other opportunities for direct human contact are relatively limited in Eastern Montana,\u00a0 which has very few people.\u00a0 Fridays are especially lonely because back home, this is the main night of the week when guests come over for dinner.<\/p>\n
I was not looking forward to the Jordan to Circle Montana stretch.\u00a0 It was relatively short, just 68 miles.\u00a0 However, it had many punishing hills to climb.\u00a0 I ended up climbing three-quarters of a mile today.<\/p>\n
More importantly, today was expected to be especially lonely because there is almost no place to stop.\u00a0 There is one highway rest area at the 36 mile marker.\u00a0 There is one bar around the 55 mile marker.\u00a0 Other than that there is nothing.<\/p>\n
I really mean nothing.\u00a0 There are almost no cross roads, almost no homes, and almost no animals.\u00a0 In a car the emptiness goes by quickly when driving at highway speeds.\u00a0 On a bike when slowly grinding up a two mile long incline the emptiness seems to stretch forever.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/Even-more-views-of-Eastern-Montana-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/Having-dinner-with-the-Swanson-family-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/I-stayed-in-the-Garfield-Hotel-in-Jordan-Montana-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/Meeting-the-Swanson-family-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/More-views-in-Eastern-Montana-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/My-room-in-Jordan-Montana-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/Not-a-lot-to-see-for-long-streches-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/Views-in-Eastern-Montana-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>![\"\"](\"\/zagorsky\/files\/2018\/07\/A-beautiful-sight-for-a-cyclists-The-street-sweeper-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nThe loneliness was broken at the rest stop when I meet up with the Swanson family.\u00a0 This couple and their two children were pedaling from Seattle to Minneapolis.\u00a0 They had done many long distance cycling trips and had interesting stories.\u00a0 I had lunch with them, a drink of Gatorade at the 55 mile marker bar with them and dinner with them in Circle, Montana.<\/p>\n
It was Friday and I got to share the day with interesting people instead of being lonely.\u00a0 Who says all Friday the 13th’s are unlucky?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today is Friday, July 13, 2018.\u00a0 It is day many people consider unlucky because it is a Friday the 13th. I have been on the road for over two weeks.\u00a0 Being on the road for long periods of time by yourself is lonely.\u00a0 For much of the day an old Billy Joel song called the … Continue reading Day 15: Jordan to Circle, Montana<\/span>