June 28, 2021
Day 28: Rest Day in Glasgow
Gateway to the "Middle of Nowhere"
“I’m taking two bulls to the ladies, anyone want to come along?” Swede asks mid-afternoon.
We say yes, Robert is thinking Janet would be going into town and needed something printed off.
We’ve had a lazy morning and a great breakfast by Mary of coffee, egg scramble, bacon and oatmeal muffins. She and Swede have things to do and leave us to work on our routes, looking at maps, and napping. It’s been refreshing that we barely hear train whistles in the distance.
Mary tells us Glasgow has been designated as truly “in the middle of nowhere,” by a research study that studies the intersection of disease, geography and demographics, and reported by the Washington Post Glasgow deemed “Middle of Nowhere” - Montana Hunting and Fishing Information (montanaoutdoor.com) Glasgow is the furthest town from any metropolitan area than any other town in the lower 48 states.
Our ride with Swede takes us about 15 miles away, the pick-up truck pulling a huge trailer with two bulls. As we drive, he tells us a bit of the history and geology of the valley. Even though the Milk River now flows through it, this valley was really created by the Missouri. During the last ice age the ice pushed the Missouri further south into the canyon that is now the Peck reservoir. The milk river is extensively used for irrigation but also spawns the mosquito plague around here.
We drop the two bulls off in a small valley where 52 cows are lounging around in the shade of cottonwood trees. They have recently been inseminated, the bulls are here to take care of the cows where the artificial stuff did not take.
Rachel asks about the signs “Save the cowboy Stop American Prairie Reserve” and later researches the local issue. Much more complicated than what we as travellers can understand between preservation and control of the land by a group or the individuals in the cattle and agricultural industries. Save The Cowboy - Save The Cowboy, STOP The APR, Montana is coming together through the Save The Cowboy movementto stop the american prairie reserve
Another local issue, whether chickens are allowed inside the town boundary. Their daughter wanted to have 6 chickens, but the city does not allow urban chickens. They asked permission at public hearings, got shot down and eventually took the issue all the way to the ballot box where it was turned down big time. You would expect an ranching town like Glasgow to be more flexible when it comes to livestock, and certainly would reject “big government” telling you whether you can have chickens or not.
We have another great discussion at dinnertime. Tomorrow onto Wolf Point. This is where Robert will go South to Circle and we continue East on Highway 2 to Culbertson.
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You tell some great stories, and someone is a good photographer as well! I'm enjoying following along.
A question though; how has it been traveling Highway 2? Is it a scenic road, is there much/any shade, is there a lot of traffic, is it a 2-lane or a 4-lane highway? We are trying to decide which way we want to take from Circle - we can't travel to Glasgow as we originally thought, because it's not a paved road - so to intersect with 2 we would head north from Circle to Macon (6 miles east of Wolf Point) and then head west on 2.
Not having traveled either the current ACA route or the original Highway 2 route, it's difficult to decide which is the "best" route - but that's what we have to do soon. We are in Glendive today (Tuesday) and will travel to Circle tomorrow, then take a rest day in Circle on Thursday and plan out the remainder of the trip. It's actually about 70 miles shorter and 5,000 feet less climbing if we take Highway 2, but that's not necessarily the deciding factors for us.
You have given us some input already, if you have anything else to add please do. Thanks!
Buddy Hall
3 years ago
Highway 2 has been okay. Not much shade, but lots of small towns with city parks you can camp in for free. They provide restrooms and in some can you shower somewhere. Traffic is not too busy and the shoulder varies from 1 feet next to the rumble strip to 6 feet wide. We are in Wolf Point tonight, definitely a town where you don't want to camp in the city park, there is a decent looking campground RV park about 1.5 miles west of town.
The guy we have been riding with is headed to Circle tomorrow so you might meet him, his name is Robert Ferrari.
3 years ago
3 years ago
Safe travels,
Jeanna and Kerry
3 years ago
So true that it would have been great fun if we'd been able to all meet up and following each others journals too. Robert who has been cycling with us a week or so, will probably meet Buddy & Doc tomorrow in Circle. You'll just have to plan a trip through Boise ID (when we are home)! On any mode of transportation, and stay with us.
The Anderson's are now doing part of a route we are planning in Michigan. Love the networking!!
Toast the wind, happy travels
Racpat
3 years ago
And very interesting about the chickens ...
3 years ago
We are a about 5 days to Minnesota
3 years ago