Woke up in the middle of the night to a huge thunderstorm and I was thankful to be in a cabin. It was still cloudy and looking like rain when I was packing up to leave so made a trip to the park office to get the weather forecast. At the office they checked the weather forecast and it was looking good. I met Greg, a very kind park ranger who was very interested in what I am doing. We talked for a while, had some coffee, and he gave me a bag full of snacks and beverages for my ride. Thanks again Greg!!! I made it to Williston in just 2 hours and had the whole day ahead of me to explore the town. The ride into Williston was really nice with a few big hills but then it was a good 6 mile downhill stretch into town. I stopped at the ElRancho Cafe and had a really good burger with bacon, ham and cheese. Hopped back on the bike and went to the park for a little bit where I got an exciting ride on a golf cart. I got online and found out that there was a movie theater in town so I went to see the move Public Enemies. When I got out of the theater it was 10:00 and still bright out. I headed back to my room and got some good sleep.
Cow bones?
Leaving Lewis and Clark State Park
View of Williston from the top of the last hill before town
July 8th - 47.10 / 1,648.90 - Williston - Culbertson, Montana
After a quick gas station stop for some supplies I hit the road and headed for Montana. I had checked the weather and although there were big storms in the forecast it looked like I would have plenty of time to get my destination. About 30 minutes into the ride some very dark clouds began to fill the sky and then it started to rain. I could see lightning in the distance so I was pedaling as fast as I could. I eventually made it through the dark clouds and the rain let up. Just after entering Montana I came across some road construction. The crew was great and guided me through the now muddy road from all the rain. I met several workers while passing through and everybody was very kind and helpful. I had now entered the Mountain Time Zone and gained an hour which was great! I made a stop in Bainville to eat lunch and find out if that was then end of the rain. I was told the big storm was coming in quickly and that it would be wise to stay in town for a bit, which I did. As I was eating lunch a few bikers entered the cafe and we talked about our days adventure thus far. They invited me to join then as they too were headed West. The group was awesome and I was very happy to join them for the time being! There was Grace and Alan from Ohio, Andrew from New Jersey, and Laurie from Michigan. They had all met up a few days prior to us meeting. We spent a few hours at the cafe waiting out the wicked storm that we were told would produce baseball size hail and possible tornadoes. It was nice getting to know everyone and watching the storm from the cafe's shelter. After a phone call to my good friend John back in Milwaukee he took a look at the radar and assured us we would be safe to move on and that the storm was in fact over. We all headed on to the town of Culbertson. It was a nice ride and fun biking with other people. Alan got a passing train to blow it's horn, awesome! Upon entering Culbertson we visited the town museum which was very nice with plenty to see and a lot of area information. We made a group decision to stay at the city park which was not only free but also had a large shelter and plenty of picnic tables. There were 2 other bikers in town who came to visit us and even treated us to pizza's at a local restaurant. It amazes me how many people are riding cross country and the kindness of strangers. The pizza was delicious! Shortly after getting back tot he campsite the mosquito's got really bad so we all headed in for the night and got some good sleep. We planned to wake up early as we were about to have a day of fighting strong Western winds.
Leaving Williston
Entering Montana
The start of the road construction
The Welcome Stop where I met my new friends and took shelter from the storm
Rain spout
Laurie cruising down Hwy 2
The Culbertson Museum
Interesting cloud formations at the campsite
July 9th - 55.97 / 1,704.87 - Culbertson - Wolf Point
I woke up to a passing train at about 5:30 a.m. and decided I should probably wake up. Everyone else in the group was also waking up and we were on the road by 7:00. The wind was against us but not too terrible in the early morning. By midday the wind really picked up and it was a struggle to even go 10 mph. The ride started with many rolling hills but flattened out when we reached the little town of Brockton. We stopped for coffee and snacks and to take a break from the nasty headwinds. From Brockton we took turns drafting each other and took breaks every so often. It was pretty neat seeing the tumbleweed blow across the road. After a grueling ride we eventually reached Wolf Point where we decided we would set up camp for the night. Made a stop at the grocery store and then we headed for the city park. Everyone was pretty beat from fighting the winds all day. Laurie showed up a little later than the rest of us and had a turtle that she had rescued form the middle of the road. The gang cooked up a delicious dinner of sausage, cheese, and rice filled tortillas. Very tasty! Alan and Grace even headed back into town to get everyone ice cream for desert, awesome! I was thankful to have such a great group of people to ride and camp with. We were told there was going to be a street dance so Andrew, Laurie, and I headed into town to check it out. It was still pretty early and the crowds were just starting to form so after a cheeseburger we headed back to the campsite. Slept really good after using up so much energy fighting the winds all day.
Sunrise in Culbertson
Grace, Andrew, and Alan
Grace and Alan enjoying a break from the wind
Bruce, the turtle that Laurie rescued
Sunset in Wolf Point
July 10th - 58.83 / 1,763.70 - Wolf Point - Circle
I was sad to be leaving my new group of friends but they were taking the Northern route and I decided to stick to my plan on taking the Lewis and Clark route. We all headed into town for cinnamon rolls and coffee and then parted ways. After a short stretch down hwy 2 I got on the Big Sky National Back Country Byway. It had drizzled a little bit in the morning but the clouds broke and it became a beautiful day in the 80's with plenty of sunshine. There were many hills along the route today but with the wind at my back they were a lot of fun. About 40 miles into the ride one of my Burley trailer tires wore very thin and shredded away popping the tube. I replaced it with the spare tire I was carrying but the other tire was looking pretty worn so I made a temporary fix with electrical tape. I made it to the town of Circle and did some more work on the worn tire to try to make it last to my next destination. I knew I would have to replace the tire a.s.a.p. so I called a bike shop a couple hundred miles away and they were able to mail out a tire for me. Not sure how long it will take to arrive but I have a day off in the next town so hopefully it will arrive soon and I can push on. After eating dinner I had a couple of cold beers, caught up on some emails, and called it a night.
I was sad to be leaving my new group of friends but they were taking the Northern route and I decided to stick to my plan on taking the Lewis and Clark route. We all headed into town for cinnamon rolls and coffee and then parted ways. After a short stretch down hwy 2 I got on the Big Sky National Back Country Byway. It had drizzled a little bit in the morning but the clouds broke and it became a beautiful day in the 80's with plenty of sunshine. There were many hills along the route today but with the wind at my back they were a lot of fun. About 40 miles into the ride one of my Burley trailer tires wore very thin and shredded away popping the tube. I replaced it with the spare tire I was carrying but the other tire was looking pretty worn so I made a temporary fix with electrical tape. I made it to the town of Circle and did some more work on the worn tire to try to make it last to my next destination. I knew I would have to replace the tire a.s.a.p. so I called a bike shop a couple hundred miles away and they were able to mail out a tire for me. Not sure how long it will take to arrive but I have a day off in the next town so hopefully it will arrive soon and I can push on. After eating dinner I had a couple of cold beers, caught up on some emails, and called it a night.
Big Sky Country
Lewis and Clark Bridge
The Missouri River
The long open road
Reflection of me
June 11th - 67.79 / 1,831.49 - Circle - Jordan
After an early breakfast I hit the road and headed for Jordan. I was told there are no services during the 67 mile ride so I stocked up on food and water. It was already a hot morning and eventually heated up to the 90's. Needless to say I was drinking warm-hot water by the end of the day. The ride was incredibly hilly with very little flat ground. I saw plenty of deer, hawks, antelope, cows, and even some sheep grazing on the land. There were very little trees as the land became desert. I saw plenty of cacti, wildflowers, and sagebrush along the road. The scenery was incredible as I got about halfway into the days ride. I passed through Montana badlands as far as the eye could see. I couldn't put my camera away! Traffic was very light and probably will be for some time. I arrived to Jordan early afternoon and was very happy to get some cold water and chocolate milk after drinking hot water all day. The ride was beautiful and somewhat challenging with the relentless hills and heat. After checking into a motel I stopped for a burger, made a trip to the grocery store, and a had a beer with a retired man from town now living in the old firehouse. I will be in Jordan now until my new tire arrives. Hopefully soon as I would like to push on towards the mountains.
The start of the very scenic ride to Jordan
Entering the Badlands region
Lot of rocks, few trees
Loving the scenery!
Grasshopper hitchhiking on my trailer
Many flowers and cacti along the road
Montana cows
One hill after another
My room at the Garfield Motel in Jordan
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