has it really been 17 days? part of me feels like its been onlya few nights, the other part feels like its been a month. i still cant tell you what the date is or what day of the week it is, and just forget about asking me what time it is. the days just blend together.

yesterday i ran into an australian couple that was staying at ten sleep brewery. we talked for a bit and fiscovered that we were on the same trail for a bit. we had actualy stayed at the same campground in yellostone at the same time. they recognized my tent. we got to know each other over a beer and they offered a ride over the pass through the bighorn mountains. i really wanted to say no, but there were three things that i had to consider: the climbing throws my body off and makes it difficult to ride for a few days, this would be my biggest climb, up to 9800 feet and it would take what seems like forever, i really want to stay on schedule and i was already a day behind because of the dehydration and heat. plus i really miss lindsey and i can hardlg wait to see her again.

i accepted. we went over the pass, arrived in buffalo and talked over a coffee. rosie and ralph are really great. they bought an rv a year or two ago and fly over here ince a year to travel the united states every year. when we parted ways i stopped at mcdonalds and filled all of my water bottles with ice water. i was getting sick of drinking hot water that bakes in the sunlight. the ride from buffalo to gillette had everything. heat, rolling hills, false tops, wind, rain, and to top it off, a huge temperature drop after the rain.

i rode theoug it and talked to rosie along the way via txt. they passed me moments before i had went from the side street to i90. they scouted oht camp sites and couldn’t justify costs vs services. i like that. i ended up setting up alongside their rv in the walmart parking lot. things to remember: sprinklers turn on at 5:15am and it always feels like dawn in the tent when you’re in the walmart parking lot. i really wanted to look for meteors last night but sincr the storm has just hit there were clouds everywhere.

today is a short one, 62 miles to devils tower. i need to find more water sources becaus i’ve been going through my supply quick lately. day 17 done.

There are some photos that for some reason show up flipped on here.as i currently have a limited battery supply, there’s not much i can do. maybe it will be resolved soon.