Day 22, Malta, MT - 90 miles

Last night our SAG wagon developed a bit of an alternator problem.  To deal with this, Michelle, our guide, was to hang back in Havre to see if she could get it fixed in a timely manner. If she couldn't, our only support was to be the van for a 90 mile day. The temperature was supposed to be 90 degrees so we started rolling at 6:30 in the morning (which made for a wake up call at 5am – the first time we had been up before the sun).  What a tailwind we had!  We were booking along at 20 miles an hour with almost no effort.  Because there were no restaurants along our route, at mile 45, we had a WomanTours hosted lunch with pasta salad and sandwiches, and because we were moving so fast, lunch came at 9:30 in the morning. 

At mile 65 I saw the van ahead indicating our third rest stop of the day.  The bugs were terrible whenever we pulled over so I was planning on making this a fast one.  As I was standing there, filling my water bottles and getting eaten alive, what should appear but our happy SAG wagon all fixed up and running like a dream.  I helped move the support items from the van to the car and the next thing I knew our tailwind had turned into a headwind.  What's a biker to do??  Well, wait for my friend, Ellen, and have her help be fight the wind, of course.  Ellen pulled up in just a few minutes and, after getting ice cold water dumped on her head, she was refreshed and ready to go.  The two of us took off to battle the head/crosswinds for the next 30 miles and we made it to Malta at 1:30. 

Now it's time to struggle with the internet (it rarely functions as advertised at these small hotels) and get ready for another delicious meal.  We are very busy on this tour.