July 14th
3413.2 (start)
now: ?

Putz. Looks like I still am losing things - I lost yesterday's letter sometime this morning. Too bad - there was some good stuff in it. I pushed on fairly late yesterday, partially because I want to get to Billings as early as possible but also because the only campground I passed looked like it was over a mile down a rocky road. I wound up sleeping behind some bushes in the town park in Joliet. The town cop discovered me before I fell asleep and asked if I was "wet". After I explained why I was there he left and I fell asleep.

I got up fairly early and rode to this restaurant about six miles down the road. Looks like I'll get to Billings around noon.

July 14th
odometer now: 3459.5

I'm now in Billings at a motel. The only train that heads east leaves at 1700 so I have a fair amount of time here. The sole reason I am here is because I need a shower. Being Sunday, the local YMCA is closed so I don't have much choice.

Believe it or not, Amtrak doesn't service Cleveland! The Chicago - Cleveland - Buffalo route was shut down from lack of patronage. So I'll go to Chicago and spend a day or so there and take a bus or plane to Cleveland.

I will be very interested in seeing how much I remember of the Museum of Science and Industry.

I don't have much to say about the trip in general. I would have liked to have spent some more time in several areas, but considering that the theme of the trip was "whirlwind tour" of the west to identify areas to return to it has worked out extremely well. Right now, I am very interested in getting home to see how all those pictures I took turned out since haven't seen any results of Kodachrome-64 film!

All in all, for my first longer than one day trip, I have no real complaints.

Ric

'

Billings: end of tour

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Written 2024 June 24, last updated 2024 June 24.