13May2011 @ Billings, MT - Between departing Billings at 0145 and arriving in Butte at 0540 I remember little. Sleep is good stuff. At Butte I learned that my paddle - checked luggage - had not arrived with me. I had planned ahead and wanted a paddle to hold as I stood along the highway hitchhiking to Helena. Why hitchhike when I hold a bus ticket? Well, my ticket shows a 12-hour layover in Butte. Attempting to hitchhike is better than whiling away 12 hours only 60 miles from my destination.

So-o-o with my hitchhiking gimmick NOT in hand, I made my way down Harrison Avenue to the interstate. I wasn't feeling very optimistic, standing there with one month's beard, wearing shorts, dirty deck shoes, off-colored green socks, red windbreaker. A mile away the interstate forks to either Helena or Bozeman, so drivers do not even know my destination. Except for it being early, when I perceive few bums will be moving about, I figure I looked like any bum not knowing where he is or where he is going. Well, shock of shocks, I was picked up by a banker associated with the Montana City bank (branches in Boulder, Ennis and West Yellowstone). Whatever possessed him to stop I do not know, but by 1100 I was leaving the Broadwater Athletic Club, shaved, bathed and in fresh clothes. At our home, Ron Beckstrom was completing his finish carpentry in our downstairs bathroom and neighbor Matt Pettit had delivered our accumulated mail and I settled in for an afternoon of snoozing and organizing. Later I went to the A-Frame, payed Alex his May rent overpayment and got his info about potential new residents. Not only had he shown the residence to some folks, one of them gave Alex a check for the deposit - already. Wonderful! By bedtime I had spoken with the potential new resident and arranged a Monday meeting and (probably) move-in. Sleep grabbed me before Leno's monologue was completed - no complaints here.