Day 495 – US – Montana [Pompeys Pillar to Custer]

12/08/21

39.5km

  From Pompeys Pillar (Montana) to Custer (Montana)

North America

A little help from a friend, then on to the run on a very straight and uneventful road

Waking at 5am to go drive a stranger runner in the middle of nowhere… Thank you Jesse!

At 6am sharp, Jesse’s huge pickup truck (for my standards – totally normal size in the area!) turned into the entrance way of my hotel. I loaded BoB and my gear, and off we went, towards Pompeys Pillar. Jesse is part of the Billings Area Trail Runners, like Amber (and Chad) whom I met yesterday. We chatted all the way, the landscapes were truly amazing in the morning sun, a very different perspective from my running standpoint. At some point we saw a car wreck by the side of the road, next to the body of a dead deer. It is so sad that I get to see so many roadkills here, plenty of deers in particular – and motorways here often do not have any barriers either side.

Beautiful covered sky with orangey morning light

Jesse saw me off at Pompeys Pillar, exactly where I left off yesterday. The road today was a straight line on the frontage road, all the way to Custer. No twists or turns. The weather turned cloudy and it got almost cold. I was glad about it. I had been fearing August would be as hot as it was last year in southern Europe – so for everyday that is not scorching hot, I am happy.

Loads of these today

A lot of time for thinking on this long straight line runs, with no distraction at all – I must have seen less than 10 cars and only 2 herds of cows today. I am trying to avoid comparative thinking, as one should appreciate something for what it is, not what it compares to. But I am sometimes drawn to it. And comparing the experience of crossing Europe (and literally going all over the place) with that of crossing the US is such a contrast. Sometimes I struggle to find commonalities. Probably my choice of route (that of going through some of the least densely populated states) also is a factor.

With Denny, the boss of the Junction City motel & burger joint

I reached Custer for lunchtime, there is just a motel & burger joint, next to the gas station. Denny, the owner of the joint, was very enthusiastic about my visit (I had dropped him an email to explain my journey, as the motel appeared to be closed online). He welcomed me very warmly. There’s a map on the wall where visitors place a pin on the place they come from. I proudly place one on Paris and one on Singapore. The map was literally overcrowded with pins. I also got a little souvenir of the place and a picture with the boss. Thank you Custer!

Check out today’s flyover video: https://www.relive.cc/view/v1vj113W1Yq

Check my daily run GPS data on or

Here is the map of today’s run: