ALZADA, MONTANA: Making Myself At Home At The Gas Station

August 22, 2017

A sign near this spigot said the National Forest Service no longer tests the water for coliform bacteria due to budget cuts. Would you trust this water source without treatment? I HAD to trust it because I had a long ride ahead of me with no reliable source of water.

Yeah, I drank heavily from that faucet last night. I made coffee this morning with the water. I filled up my water bottles and an empty Gatorade bottle for today's ride. Luckily, I suffered no ill-effects.

It was a great night. It got pretty cold out there, but I enjoyed the barking and howling of coyotes from my tent early this morning. I heard owls too.

Yesterday I forgot to mention that the last 3/4 mile to the campground was a scary, brake-squeezing downhill like nothing I've ever experienced. And it was on loose gravel. I positively KNEW I would have to walk my bike out of there in the morning, and that's what I did.

I saw six deer and a pronghorn antelope on my way back down to the main highway. Another thing I saw was a group of four brown cows. The vast majority of cows in this part of the country are black cows. The brown cows didn't like me like the black cows do. Incredulously, two of the brown cows started chasing me and there was no barbed wire fence between me and them. Fortunately, cows don't have much stamina and the chase only lasted about ten yards before they gave up. I have no pictures from the chase because I was too busy pedaling for my life.

I was a little worried about the next 70 miles to the next town. I knew it would be difficult and I knew there would be no services, but I was ready to give it the old college try.

I was aided by a relatively flat route, but the air was hot and the sun was intense. I drank every ounce of my questionable water. At times I felt like I would have gladly traded all my unused warm clothing and rain gear for the shade of just one view blocker. Alas, it was not meant to be. I pedaled on with my sunburned skin and chapped lips.

The Little Missouri River is narrower down here, but a little less pathetic than in North Dakota.

All day I daydreamed about finding a motel in the town of Alzada. I was exhausted. I wanted a bed and a shower. I felt a little weak.

Alzada turned out to be the kind of town where trucks don't even slow down as they drive through. I ended up sleeping behind a gas station/convenience store--a first for me. I bought all kinds of drinks and snacks from them, but I'm not sure they appreciated me planting my ass inside the store for a couple of hours to use the wi-fi.

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Today's ride: 74 miles (119 km)
Total: 383 miles (616 km)

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Scott AndersonAlzada! I had a piece of pecan pie here. I didn’t hang around and use their WiFi though, because: 1) it was well after sundown already and I still had thirty miles to go to Broadus and a motel; and 2) it was 1974, and Mr Gore hadn’t invented the internet yet.
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4 years ago

Gregory GarceauTo Scott AndersonI remember you telling me about the day you passed through Alzada. As I recall, it was one of your longest days of riding in your illustrious bike touring history--something like 650 miles? Of course, you had a tailwind.
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4 years ago