Helena
Time Traveled: 2 hrs
Distance: 6 miles (walked)
Food Eaten: veggie omelet, small amount of hash browns, wheat toast w/butter, coffee w/cream & sugar, coffee w/honey, salad w/huckleberry dressing, beer, dates, chocolate covered cranberries
Rest, recovery, relaxation.
Walking did us good. It started across the street from the motel to the Howard Johnson. We acquired fuel from a not so well oiled machine of a rooftop restaurant, and enjoyed a mildly scenic view of the surrounding landscape. The local wildlife nervously twittered about the room, rushing to pick up all the odds and ends of the inevitable mix ups a restaurant will have on its first day of serving breakfast. Unfortunately their food turned out to be mediocre. Still, calories were consumed and we went on our way.
Our destination was an outdoor shop which we needed in order to regenerate our cooking fuel supply. It was getting dangerously low. As we headed further west, Helena gradually became more charming. Soon we were getting into the downtown historical district. There were neat tall buildings with intricate detail and old Victorian mansions bragging huge wrap around porches.
Right away, I wished we had the energy and will to have found a cheap motel down here rather than our place right next to an interstate subdivision. Even so, after the night we had last night, I really can't complain.
Another few miles worth of walking after the sports store brought us to Helena's only organic, natural food store. I can see this as being good for the owners of the store by monopolizing the market and getting plenty of business, but bad for Helena on having so little options. The place was a welcomed sight for me, as is any quaint, locally owned health food store. We stocked up on some nutritional necessities and headed back to our luxurious Super 8.
The night was spent well and we were able to fully let go of everything and relax.
