Today we rode 45 miles from Winnett, Montana to Roundup, Montana. We left Winnett early, partly because of predicted headwinds and late thundershowers, and partly because Joe and Charlene were heading down to Billings for the day and were appreciative of the early checkout (so they could clean the room and go).
Yeah, I know this is getting old, but the morning ride was, again, a pleasure. The headwinds didn't rear their, well, head (and neither did the late thundershowers), and the road out of town, for the first 24 miles, was small, relatively scenic, and untrafficked. We did get passed at about mile 10 by Joe and Charlene on the way to Billings (in a car, in a car, OK?). Then our route rejoined Route 87 for the balance of the ride, the day got hot, I got tired....well....you know the pattern by now. However, approaching one big climb, I did see a large herd of sheep being herded down the rockface into the meadow below. It was a pretty neat sight. They bounded down fast and sure-footedly.
The road into Roundup was also pretty cool, climbing up over some mesas and then descending into town to a very long and straight Main Street. But Roundup, like most of the towns we're travelling through in Eastern Montana, has definitely seen better days. Three of the main stores, the IGA, a laundromat and a realtor, are owned by the same family and labeled with their name -- Picchioni's. Otherwise...there wasn't much. We stayed at the Big Sky Motel where, when we asked how we could get coffee in the morning, they said we'll bring a coffee maker to your room now. And they did. When we asked where could we microwave our oatmeal for breakfast, they said go into the laundry room and grab one for your room. Sure enough, there was a stack of about 6 microwaves there. Interesting business model -- ask, and you shall receive; don't ask, and you're out of luck.
No photos today, so I'm posting two that should have gone up earlier. The first is of all the boys grilling their own stakes in Cardston, at the Foreign Legion dinner. The second is of Andrea and Britt, at the Mint in Lewistown.
Here are today's route and metrics:
Yeah, I know this is getting old, but the morning ride was, again, a pleasure. The headwinds didn't rear their, well, head (and neither did the late thundershowers), and the road out of town, for the first 24 miles, was small, relatively scenic, and untrafficked. We did get passed at about mile 10 by Joe and Charlene on the way to Billings (in a car, in a car, OK?). Then our route rejoined Route 87 for the balance of the ride, the day got hot, I got tired....well....you know the pattern by now. However, approaching one big climb, I did see a large herd of sheep being herded down the rockface into the meadow below. It was a pretty neat sight. They bounded down fast and sure-footedly.
The road into Roundup was also pretty cool, climbing up over some mesas and then descending into town to a very long and straight Main Street. But Roundup, like most of the towns we're travelling through in Eastern Montana, has definitely seen better days. Three of the main stores, the IGA, a laundromat and a realtor, are owned by the same family and labeled with their name -- Picchioni's. Otherwise...there wasn't much. We stayed at the Big Sky Motel where, when we asked how we could get coffee in the morning, they said we'll bring a coffee maker to your room now. And they did. When we asked where could we microwave our oatmeal for breakfast, they said go into the laundry room and grab one for your room. Sure enough, there was a stack of about 6 microwaves there. Interesting business model -- ask, and you shall receive; don't ask, and you're out of luck.
No photos today, so I'm posting two that should have gone up earlier. The first is of all the boys grilling their own stakes in Cardston, at the Foreign Legion dinner. The second is of Andrea and Britt, at the Mint in Lewistown.
Here are today's route and metrics:
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