06/08 Today was mostly riding in a wide, flat valley along a 1-lane road with no shoulders. That would have been OK but there was a lot of truck traffic so I spent most of the time staring into my mirror. Saw a total of 5 tourers heading East. One group of 4 stayed at the KOA here in Dillon last night (according to the guy that runs the place). The KOA was kind of pricey for just a tent site ($25) so for $20 more I decided I might as well stay in a cheap motel. Yes, that is really how my mind works. 
Outside of a town called Twin Bridges I couldn’t help but notice the scariest looking place I’d ever seen…and it was day time! I looked it up online and it used to be called the Montana State Orphan’s Asylum. If the sign out front had read, “Montana State Asylum” I would have easily broken my top speed record riding away from there. It was established in 1893 and the buildings look like the original ones. They changed the name in 1959 to the Montana Children’s Center and it closed in 1979. I wish the picture I took was better. It’s hard to appreciate just how crazy looking the building to the left of center is. Here’s a better picture of it. The 26 acres of land and all the buildings are for sale BTW.
Went over to the Alternative Bike & Board shop in town (Dillon) to grab a new spare tire and another tube. Of course the only true touring tire in stock was another Continental Touring Plus (same one I have on now). I didn’t have much of a choice so I bought it. The owner, Joe, is a pretty cool guy and we chatted for a bit. He recommended the Mexican place next door to eat so he let me leave my bike in the shop while I went over and ate dinner. Had my first (and 2nd) margarita since leaving Florida. Good stuff.
The weather today was a little better than yesterday but it’s still pretty cold. I think I remember a sign saying 46 F. It didn’t rain until I was about 5 miles outside Dillon. I could see this massive dark cloud slowly making its way toward me as it moved across the valley. It hit pretty hard with some strong wind gusts and lots of rain ut it was over in about 5 minutes. At least there wasn’t any hail.
The picture of the water that appears to be bubbling is from a water treatment plant just outside Dillon. The entire “pond” was really green in color and bubbling. All it needed was some foam to complete the scene.
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Kinda creepy about that asylum and what year were your born? Grandma always said, ” He’s kinda special.”
Don’t get angry at Aunt Leta for the comment. I’m on her laptop and forgot to change names.