Shelby, Montana to Havre, Montana

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I left Shelby on Thursday just before 7:30am. There was a light easterly headwind as I headed west and the traffic was light. I made good progress for most of the morning but the pace slowed as the wind speed picked up. The landscape was predominantly flat although there were a few hills along the way on either side on streams and creeks. As the afternoon wore on, the easterly winds picked up and for the last 50 km or so I rode against winds that were steady at about 30 km/hr. My pace slowed significantly and I had to take several rest breaks. A rumble strip along the edge of the highway for the last 40 or so km also made riding difficult. The traffic picked up as well, the closer I got to Havre. On a positive note, it was mostly sunny and hot. The steady breeze helped keep me cool. I rode 167 km and plan to make it a shorter day today.