9/15/2015
I was excited to rise from bed and eat the famous Holiday Inn Express cinnamon rolls. When Crystal and I reached the dining area, we spotted two of the band members from the previous night’s show. We said good morning then walked over to the breakfast counter and filled up on a large complimentary breakfast. I grabbed two yogurts, scooped eggs with potatoes onto my plate, and picked out a couple of cinnamon rolls. We chatted with John and Elliot for a little bit before they took off for their flights. I continued to fuel my body before returning to the room for a few more minutes of rest.
My body relaxed but I didn’t have an opportunity to rest. I had computer work that called my name. It consumed every minute until checkout time. My fingers moved like the legs on a scurrying insect. The tapping sounded like Morse code. In the end, I was not quick enough to complete everything before 11:00. After all was said and done, My feet began to move through the city around noon time. I made short work of the town and discovered Montana would be lots of dirt roads. It was a weekend so there wasn’t a soul around. I ran in silence with lots of open space. Every time the wind kicked, I tasted dirt in my mouth. There were no towns for miles and miles and miles. Even the houses seemed uninhabited. My feet stopped thirty miles later in the town of Fallon. I would have assumed it to be a ghost town had there not been a gathering of vehicles by where we parked.
We found a flat spacious spot underneath a tree along the side of their main road. It was close to the train tracks but we were too tired to search for something better. Crystal fixed me a dinner of chili and veggies. The heat from the stove warmed the trailer and we put a video on my computer. The entertainment brought in the night and we tired soon after it finished.
The iron monsters roared in the morning. It was not a day for sleeping in. Luckily the destination city was only ten miles away. I ran into the town of Terry and found that I had an interview with the local newspaper. I thought it was strange that someone was snapping my picture on an old dirt road next to the freeway.
It was not yet lunch time when I finished the interview so we continued running. I let loose for eighteen more miles. As I neared the end of my run I found that mosquitoes were once again plugging into my legs. Why were they always able to penetrate my socks? I saw Crystal stopped in the middle of nowhere. It was a perfect place to park. There wasn’t a town or a person in sight. Motorists and farmers passed on occasion. The slice of land was near a freeway exit but the cars could not be heard. The same could not be said for the roaring trains. At least they didn’t sound their horns as they passed.
It was easy to get up and go. There were no things to pack. After a hearty breakfast I ran down a frontage road while Crystal drove on the freeway. I knew my route ended three miles away. When I reached that point, a steep climb and barbed wire fence stood between me and the freeway. Like a nimble deer, I found a hole in the fence and jumped through. I scaled the hill and ran along the freeway for another few miles. Eventually an access road appeared. Another fence blocked my way but I climbed it with ease. Dried grass crunched on my way to the decrepit road. The vegetation breaking through the asphalt betrayed the age of the path.
The nights without lodging gave us a real sense of appreciation for hot baths and modern comforts. The roads took me right into the center of Miles City. I met with Crystal to stock up on food stuffs and in the process we ended up with a large donation from Pizza Hut. The smell of bread, sauce, and cheese drifted into my nose and tickled my stomach. We took our food to go in order to maximize our time in luxury. I found myself chomping on cheesy bread and pizza slices while soaking in the hot tub. The soak was relaxing enough to be mistaken for a warm cozy bed. Unfortunately the bath eventually cooled and I had to get out. The large bed called and I was ready to pass out. 
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