Ride Summary

The ride started out nice and cool, but quickly got sunny and dry. I ran out of water on the way back and searched high and low to get more. I pulled over into gas stations, but Montana has very strict mask rules for indoors and somehow I forgot to pack my mask. The doors were so well signed and customers so compliant, I simply couldn’t go inside even though I was desperate. I tried waiting until the store emptied so I could run in alone and not interact with anyone, but it was too busy. I searched for hoses, water fountains, anything. I’d settle for a puddle at this point, but there was nothing. I tried resting in the slim slivers of shade left by the sides of buildings, but it was no used. I resolved to simply keep pedalling and drink up once I got home. I never felt like I was in danger, the thirst just felt very uncomfortable.
I turned around at a pleasant BBQ (one of the 46 BBQ places I passed in the area) that had shaded outdoor seating.

I could count everybody else on the trail on one hand. Other than that, I saw nothing but cars.

Road, what road? I biked on a dedicated bike path the whole time! The path was straight, flat and followed a busy highway the whole time, but I couldn’t resist biking on a path this long!
The path vacillated between bleeding-edge architecture, urban art, and fancy overpasses to long neglected, overgrown, dirty and cracked stretches.

Does an empty water bottle count as a mechanical? Do the masks missing both from my jersey pocket and the emergency stash in saddle bag count as a mechanical?