10/2/2015
Crystal and I left the cold weather outside for the evening. The chill never had the chance to creep into the room. The only noise that could jostle this bear from hibernation was the sound of his own growling stomach. We had gotten into the routine of waking up for breakfast and then returning to nap until checkout time. Rick had prepared extra coffee for some satellite repair men but they had not yet arrived. Crystal was the beneficiary of that pot. After I shut myself down again, she was moving like the Flash.
Eventually my limbs started to tingle and the sprockets in my head began to turn. The day ahead of me was long and I had delayed starting for too long. The jaunt out of town happened in an instant. I ran past some rodeo grounds and a pungent smell followed me. I scanned the area for cattle but I didn’t need to look far for the culprit. The scent wafted from the bottom of my soles. It was just an unavoidable hazard of the road.
With all the running on dirt and grass, by the time I reached the trailer the dung had disintegrated. The forest gave way to open range. I could see for miles and miles as I cruised the Montana roads. The passing cars faded into scarcity as I approached our trailer parked in a wide open space. I found Crystal napping around the twelve mile mark. My loud entrance into the trailer had jarred her from the bed.
We had a break with a snack before pushing forward. My route for the day led to the Lewis and Clark State Caverns. The humidity seemed non-existent. I was surprised to find my clothes had no trace of sweat. My lips also felt a bit chapped. As I ran I saw more fish jumping out of the water. One sight that was a bit peculiar was a large metal bridge sitting in someone’s yard. Did they purchase the thing? I saw as I approached a small gas station, I saw more Lewis and Clark signs. It made me think about my journey. I stared at a silhouette of Sacajawea and the explorers. In this image, Sacajawea carried a baby on her back. I thought of our advances in technology and everyday items. Perhaps the things that had been created to make our lives easier contributed to a weakening of our minds and bodies.
The thought stayed with me to the Rodeway Inn in the town of Whitehall. It was another quiet little town with a cute and old style downtown. I was greeted with a smile and a room key. The silent room was a sanctuary from the road and the elements.
At breakfast, Crystal and I chatted with other guests and a member of the staff. They asked if I was ready for an uphill climb. I told them I enjoyed hill workouts. My day of running to Butte was one giant mountain workout. I asked Crystal to meet me at the first exit about seven miles away from the hotel. My legs pumped at a steady rate uphill, against traffic and in the rain. I got there in a short time as my sights were locked on my destination. I arrived at the destination before Crystal so I took shelter under a bridge and shivered as I waited. When she arrived I quickly removed my wet clothes and geared up for round two.
After running a half mile it was apparent that I had put on too many layers of clothing. I stood off the side of the freeway and began to remove the winter garb. The sweatshirt was tied around my waist while the gloves and beanie were distributed to pockets on each side of my body. I wanted to stay balance.
The incline of the mountain grew more pronounced with each step. The air was also thinning. I could feel less oxygen going to my lungs but it wasn’t my first time running up increasing elevation. The mountain pass was a majestic thing of beauty. The boulders mingled with the evergreen trees. I hardly even noticed the slow traffic passing me. I was lucky the lanes were very wide and the drivers very cautious. I felt safe despite the dark skies and freeway locale.
Another eight miles later I reached a rest area. Crystal happened to be on the other side of the freeway. I had to time my dash like the old video game frogger. When the opening came I darted towards the middle of the freeway, jumped over the concrete divider, and sprinted to the trailer. In the warm shelter I discovered the clothes on my body were drenched in sweat. One day hot, one day cold, I just had to be prepared for anything. I removed the wet items and took a nap.
The second part of the day was all cruise control. I had peaked out at 6900 ft elevation and I crossed the Continental Divide. As I descended the mountain, I watched the valley unfold. On the way down the rustic yellow leaves decorated the trees. The variation of vegetation on different sides of mountains always amazed me. I let gravity do the work and I hardly strained a muscle. That was until I reached the bottom of the hill and took out my phone to check the map. I took my eyes off the road for a second and my foot found a pothole. I stumbled and almost fell on my face but I found my balance at the last minute. I decided to put the phone away and run on instinct. The Super 8 was only a couple miles away and it was on the main street.
The good news was that I didn’t injure myself. The great news was that we were going to have dinner at The MacKenzie River Pizza Company. I ran past it a mile before I reached the hotel and remembered the scent of pasta had caught my attention. Did my thoughts manifest the donation? They were happy to help us on our way and gave us anything we wanted to eat. The service was excellent. My glass never went empty. That was a feat considering my thirst at the end of the day. The grilled veggies on top of the pizza had a roasted hearty flavor and the pesto pizza sauce put a tangy sensation on my tongue. With my belly content, my eyes began to turn red. It was time to kick off the shoes and put up the feet. The reclining chair at the Super 8 would be the perfect piece of furniture for my legs. 
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