Safe Return Doubtful

72 miles (115 km) – Total so far: 566 miles (912 km)

Two surprises on waking this morning. From 6 I was sure I could hear thunder. I’m up a bit later here in Montana as it isn’t light until about 6:15. On surfacing indeed it was thunder, and some lightning. I managed to get the tent away and packed before the rain came. They haven’t had rain here for weeks so it was quite unexpected even by the locals. The other surprise was mosquitoes around. There had been none at dusk last evening. I’ve become skilled in spotting the very first one, so I had some more clothes on quickly.

The ride follows the highway 200, the Montana rail line and the Clark Fork river, gradually uphill – but an undulating road. The rain was heavy and continued for half an hour or so. After 3 miles was a gas station so a perfect excuse for a coffee. Then through Trout Creek and Thompson Falls to Plains. The temperature was up by now, but I would have gone on an hour or so if there had been anywhere to stop. I’m at the County Fairground which is perfectly good and pretty quiet.

Waking up to thunder

Waiting out the storm at a chapel

Banana time

The Clark Fork river

Riding alongside the main Montana rail line, originally built in 1870 and then, the Northern Pacific line, extended 6,800 miles across the country. These trains can be 2,000 metres long.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Pacific_Railway

Campsite at the Shannon County Fairgrounds – really good and recommended.

Dublin Rugby Tour

My first teaching job was at Henry Meoles School on the Leasowe estate on the Wirral. I had 7 tremendous years there. We had a great staff and liaised well with New Brighton Rugby and Cricket Clubs. The sport we had at the school at that time was incredible for a State school in an area of high unemployment. The kids were given lots of opportunities, and many took them. There are plenty of boys (it was an all boys school for the first couple of years I was there) who’s lived have been, and still are, dominated by the sport they picked up then, in 1981 – 6.

Being the youngest, Nigel was finishing his school at St Anselms, but wasn’t getting on well. Seeing the opportunities in Leasowe my parents moved him for his Sixth Form to Henry Meoles. So, at the age of 16, he was being taught by his big brother. I was 23. Really just on the sports field though.

To compete with the bigger and private rugby schools the aforementioned Paul Tregenza put together a senior team from the three local schools, that included Mosslands and St Marys. The team played about 10 matches a season and toured Anglesey each year, where they stayed in Paul’s holiday cottage and those around of a few friends. The team’s performances were good and in the two years Nigel played this was a very good side.

In his Senior year I arranged to extend the Anglesey sojourn to include Dublin, by boat of course from Holyhead. We played well in some tough matches but the most memorable was the game against Guinness Under 18s. I hasten to say we were very lucky to have an excellent Head who supported us hugely. I suspect some Heads may be less keen to have Guinness on their fixture list.

We had previously visited the Guinness Visitors’ Centre and after a short tour the group of about 25 of us was taken to the tasting room. We were told we had 40 minutes. Considerable amounts of Guinness was drunk. My old friend and colleague ‘Two Sheds’ Dutton had to help behind the bar to serve us all.

We didn’t quite know what to expect at their rugby club. It was with that sense of adventure I had investigated and booked the fixture. It was a very competitive game which we just won. Nigel played on the wing and in those days was quite quick. He also kicked the goals and on that occasion that was what won us the game, narrowly.

Their bar area had two rooms and after the presentations and formalities, something to eat and a beer or two, it seemed we were ready for the road. In the other room a wake was taking place, and by now it at an advanced stage. We were invited to join it and challenged to a fast pint race. Our best competitor in this sort of a contest was Martyn, one of the Kennedy twins who sadly died very young. At six foot six his Irish opponent immediately claimed it was unfair, and asked for a stool to stand on. Martyn won well and we grieved at the wake for a couple more hours.

Nigel went on to play on the wing for New Brighton in a very strong Colts team and then in the Seniors. Rugby was never really his passion though, his strong focus was on cricket, and on football once he was living in the US.