Saturday May 8th^th , Best Western Paradise Inn , Dillon Montana

21.45

A beautiful sunny evening yesterday in Twin Bridges. Nothing much to do but enjoy the scenery. As far as entertainment went, Chuck’s Bar was full of tattooed women holding a shouting competition and the Blue Anchor had four customers: one asleep, one talking to herself and a young couple trying to eat each other. I retired to my room to press the wild flowers I had collected during the day.

Today was a really good cycling day. 28 miles of flat road in cold bright sunshine with hardly any wind. If you hadn’t been cycling for the past nine weeks you would have loved it Even if you had it was still pretty good.

We got to Dillon at 10.30. Not much of a place. The town would have died long ago if it wasn’t for the fact that there was a junction with Interstate 51. We checked in to the Best Western and I was really disappointed that the we’d just missed out on the previous nights College Graduation Special when the motel had been full of celebrating teenagers. Both Mike and I felt that their noisy exuberance in the wee small hours would have added greatly to our enjoyment.

We had lunch in Grandma’s’ Kitchen next door. I still fall for this every time. The words Grandma, and Kitchen (see also Mum, Ma, Home, Finger lickin’ and anything that would be difficult to pin down in a court of law) should act as a red light. We had meatless chilli con carne and semi-raw potatoes, and slunk out, dejectedly.

We strolled downtown and had a beer in the Hotel Medlen which must once have been a fine old hotel but was now just a shell, with a sad roomy bar where a couple of old men were playing pool. In the gents there was a w.c, and a large zinc bath, half-full of ice. I’m still trying to work that out. In the afternoon I did my laundry while Mike had a kip. Mike and I agree that I’m turning into Howard Hughes with my obsessive washing but it is part of my desperate clawing on to some sort of civilised life .

Dinner was in the Lion’s Den, a pretty decent lounge (that means bar) and restaurant, just up the road. A sort of very large Berni Inn. A pint of Fat Tire and one of Moose Drool (a brown ale that is not as nice as it sounds) while watching TV poker, which I could easily get addicted to. Spaghetti and red wine and one last pint of Moose Drool. Home, eager for the long day ahead.

Tomorrow (today in England) is my grandson Tom’s first birthday and I am very sad that I will not be at his party in Walton. It’s also my niece Lydia’s birthday so-

Happy Birthday Tom and Lydia!!!!!!!!!XXXXXXXX!!!!!!!!!!

I will hopefully raise a glass to both of you in either Jackson or Wisdom tomorrow.

(Drinking in wisdom, that would make a change)