My march across Montana continues apace even though the wind conspired to make today's trip a fairly grueling endeavor. Now due north of Yellowstone National Park and due south of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, I am at the doorstep of the first of three mountain passes that I am scheduled to cross in the next week. Tomorrow comes Bozeman Pass at 5700 feet separating the Bridger and Gallatin Ranges in the Rockies.
As I left the Billings area this morning, I sighted the Rockies for the first time on journey - the peaks of the Beartooth Range off to the southwest with snow visible at elevation in jarring contrast with the 85 degree temperatures felt in the valley. With hills and buttes to either side, I made my way up the Yellowstone River gradually ascending some 1000 feet over the day. By staying close to the river, the upward gradient was hardly noticeable, but the fierce headwind made it feel like I was climbing for 90 miles anyways.
While the wind and heat have been less cooperative in Montana than the Dakotas, the dining options are much improved. Billings has a small but eclectic downtown strip where I watched the decisive game of the Stanley Cup Finals at the Montana Brewing Company. A lunchtime salad today in Columbus, MT at 307 Bar & Grill was a pleasant surprise, and dinner at the historic Grand Hotel in Big Timber, MT was excellent. Stop by if you're traveling cross-country via I-90.
Distance - 87.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2313.3 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2344 feet
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| Snowcapped Beartooth Range in the distance |
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| My view on the I-90 |
My ride today also featured another foray onto the interstate. The wide shoulder on I-90 ensured no difficulties though traffic volumes were definitely heavier than what I encountered on my first interstate ride a couple days back. To my disappointment, my presence did not lead to any horn honking, but I do wonder what drivers think when they pass by a cyclist on the interstate - it must be somewhat unexpected.
While the wind and heat have been less cooperative in Montana than the Dakotas, the dining options are much improved. Billings has a small but eclectic downtown strip where I watched the decisive game of the Stanley Cup Finals at the Montana Brewing Company. A lunchtime salad today in Columbus, MT at 307 Bar & Grill was a pleasant surprise, and dinner at the historic Grand Hotel in Big Timber, MT was excellent. Stop by if you're traveling cross-country via I-90.
Starting Point - Billings, MT
Ending Point - Big Timber, MTDistance - 87.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2313.3 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2344 feet
Counties - Yellowstone, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, MT
Wind - strong headwind
Neil, this is fantastic!! What an amazing journey, and we've enjoyed reading your blog. Amazing dedication and wow, you must be sore :-) Hope the wind is at your back, and good luck with the mountain passes!
ReplyDeleteVarun, Priya, Rohan and Manas