POST 638; 05/24/12; CHESTER - SHELBY, MONTANA

We are in the first of four days of bitter cold. Rained all day with a stiff North west wind blowing, chilling to the bone.

Saturday and Sunday SNOW is forecast in addition to the freezing rain. Bbrrr.


Finally, a grocery store, Mikes Thriftway in the town of Chester, Montana, where we spent the night in the City Park. Chester also has a top class Rest Area where overnight parking is also available. A nice Cafe is in the center of town, where I was treated by Bill and Ginger to breakfast...thank you...and an invitation to stop at their home in Essex, Montana, at the Southern tip of Glacier National Park, which is only 90 miles distant.


Early morning saw me walking BACK East on US 2 for 18 miles to pick up the miles driven yesterday to Chester. Took a short nap to warm up inside SPIA, a bite with Bill and Ginger, and then West on US 2 for 20 miles toward the town of Shelby, Montana, 42 miles distant.


Chester, Montana, looking East from US 2.


The few historical signs along US 2 treat the Indian Wars with a definite slant AGAINST the US Army.


OIL is the life blood of this part of Montana...keeps the economy rolling. The big recent oil finds have NOT reached Chester / Shelby region yet...oil has been a major industry in this area for many years.

Have driven from Chester to Shelby, finding a parking spot only 100 feet from the busy railroad tracks...kept a symphony of roars, toot toot's, and rumbling wheels all night...I simply tune them out and sleep well.

Have discovered I have stupidly added to my misery by drinking some week-old ARIZONA Ice Tea which I did NOT refrigerate after opening. Have a more than mild food poisoning from it, a constant head ache, sore body aches, and listlessness. Have had to mentally push myself to continue walking at all.

No VERIZON power behind their signal last evening, so had to wait for early morning to upload yesterday images...probably because of lots of folks on line at the same time slows everything down.

Now 5:30 am. will walk BACK East on US 2 for 20 miles to pick up yesterday's driving; then, will try to walk West on US 2 toward the next large town of Cut Bank, Montana, only 23 miles distant.