Today I rode the 400 and some miles from Bismarck, ND to Billings, MT. I thought about stopping several times and calling it a day, but I kept pushing on. I’m glad I did because things turned out very nice in the end. The day started in the high 40s with a lot of wind. I’m guessing 20-30mph winds mostly headwinds, but occasionally from the side.
It was tough work riding, and I quickly wore out. My arms and legs are tired from the workout they got all day. My fuel economy suffered badly as well. I nearly ran out of gas near the North Dakota/Montana border as I went from 45-50mpg to 30-35mpg.
The scenery was surprising to me. I had only crossed Montana once before, and I don’t remember it very well. The scenery alternated between prairie and big hills. It was mostly green and towards the end of the day there were many evergreen trees – looked like mainly pines.
I saw a bunch of critters today. Most of them alive, but several dead ones too. Wild buffalo, wild horses, prairie dogs, a bald eagle, and a few cows in the road. There was even a dead porcupine on the side of the road. I was tempted to take a photo of him, but decided I was too lazy. lol.
Most of the photos taken today are with my new point-n-shoot a Nikon AW100. I bought it for this trip for two reasons: 1) waterproof 2) GPS aka auto Geo-tagging. #2 means that if you click through on almost any photo below it will take you to the flickr page with an exact location on a map. Very cool! (and a big time saver for me!)
Menacing clouds for most of the day. They’d fire a couple warning shots and then blast some rain down.
I tried to visit the giant cow at New Salem, ND. It looked really big. Notice how it dwarfs the parking lot lights.
It was on a steep winding hill. I tried to ride up it, but only made it about 1/3 of the way. The top 1-3 inches was a very slippery mud. After my rear tire slipped out over a foot for the second time, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk to continue as it got steeper and looked worse. I was tempted to park and walk, but decided the giant cow wasn’t worth all that mud. I performed a 8 point turn and went slowly back down.
SV parked in front of the ‘Geese in Flight’ sculpture at the start of the enchanted highway. It stands 156 feet long and 110 feet high. The goose on the left has a 30 foot wingspan and is 19 feet long. It is a really big sculpture. I did not ride the enchanted highway. too tired from fighting the wind, so I just kept plugging on. This pic is my favorite of the day.
Much easier gravel road to get to the geese.
My tasty lentil soup and Gatorade picnic at the Painted Canyon. There were live buffalo roaming around too.
One of the two wild buffalo roaming about. They were very interested in eating their lunch.
Amazing scenery. I need to come back here again. The pictures just don’t do it justice at all.
Me in front of the Yellowstone river in Montana. It warmed up nicely. I was finally able to stash the rain gear and put on my tinted shield!
Rattlesnakes don’t like sidewalks. I didn’t know that.
The rest stop on the other side is clearly more fun. Notice the people walking around on top of the rocks. No fair! The other side had a couple trees and some grass. We also had a rattlesnakes stay on the sidewalk sign.
Bugs!!
Nice to end the day with some blue sky and warmer temps.
I just looked at the map and noticed how close I am to Yellowstone… tempting, but the wrong direction. Tomorrow, I head towards Missoula and Lolo.
Route:
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Other than parts of Texas (and of course airflights to the west coast) been west of I29/I35 by more than a mile or two... looks like I am truly missing the better half of the country... at least I have my, all be it shorter, trip to the central-west this summer. Enjoying tagging along in photos :)
ReplyDeleteThere is some nice stuff west of I35/I29. Colorado for one, Arizona, Utah, and I guess now Montana too. :)
DeleteI have high hopes for Idaho too, we'll see how it goes.
I hope rattlesnakes can read! Also, I want that camera! Glad you decided to forego getting to that cow--too many great roads ahead, definitely not worth that risk. Besides, the pic you took was great for showing the scale of the thing. Ride on, ride safe
ReplyDeletelol. The camera is nice, but it doesn't do RAW, so I don't think YOU'd want it. I originally wanted the Canon S100, but it wasn't waterproof. I thought this trip I'd need the waterproofing to keep it safe. I'm glad I abandoned the cow as well.
DeleteChris, I'll have to read up on that camera. There have been times when I get home after a trip and then wonder where I was when I took a particular picture. The GPS tagging looks like a neat feature. I had looked at GPS tracking devices that would record my route and could sync to a camera/pictures using the clock but, I don't usually have a problem remembering where I've been, but where a pic was from.
ReplyDeleteDon't be fooled by the rattlesnakes on sidewalk signs. I feel that in cooler weather, they might just come out and lay on that slab to warm up!
I have been in the same boat. I tried using the software to sync up later with a GPS track and the photos, but you have to keep the time of both devices in sync which can be a real pain.
DeleteI've been wanting something like this built into the camera for years, and now it seems that many new cameras have it. awesome!
I was being silly about the sign. I expect like other cold-blooded creatures they would be on the hot rocks enjoying the sun. :)
Chris:
ReplyDeleteawesome photos and I am glad you are taking the time to stop. I also purchased a Waterproof Camera, Lumix TS3 (has GPS too). I usually have 2 or more camera with me and both my Sony NEX-5n and T2i shoot RAW.
I realize that Yellowstone is out of the way, but you are missing BearTooth Pass, but I am not sure it is open yet
did I mention you are taking scrumptious photos. Wish I was there . . .
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
Thanks Bob. I'm glad you like the photos. Taking the time to stop?? heh. With the crazy wind, I'm happy to get off the bike. tough work!
DeleteI read the TS3 is good too. A prime competitor to the AW100. Lots of cameras is handy. I also have my T2i with me, but it's stashed away, and I have to park the bike and take off my gloves/helmet to use it properly. The AW100 is just so easy, and it is glove friendly.
I know I am missing yellowstone... another time. It's not THAT far from MN. Beartooth is closed I think as is going to the sun highway.
I did bag my first pass of the trip today... more on that in the next post.
Them are some serious bugs on that face shield.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures.
I wonder why the folks on the other side of the rest stop got to play on the rocks. Maybe we need to ask why the rattlesnakes don't cross the road? I'd think they like to sun themselves on the asphalt and sidewalk.
Those bugs were on everything. headlight, mirrors, gps, bags, my coat. bleh. All of those in less than 20 mins too.
DeleteThey should have diverted the road, and put the good stop in the middle, so both sides could have fun. I suppose that would have cost too much money though.
why did the rattlesnake cross the road? :)
I bet you wished you had your Ural when you attempted the steep hill with the giant cow ;)
ReplyDeleteactually I would have preferred my WR250R for that road. Heck my SV would have been fine if I had knobbies :)
DeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteI suspect rattlesnakes are much easier to see on the sidewalk than in the terrain around the sidewalk. I'm quite happy with the geese vs giant cow. Wise choice. I'm, also, glad you passed up the dead porcupine photo-op. It's a slippery slope. Before long you'd find yourself stopping all the time to immortalize roadkill.
I like bob's choice of words: scrumptious. Yes, your photos are just that.
~Keith,
Circle Blue
slippery slope.. I tried to ride up one of those. It didn't work. wrong tires.
Deleteglad you are liking the photos. I think you will enjoy the ones from today as well.
You are very close to the Beartooth pass into Yellowstone, if you haven't done it, you MUST do it. Just go pass Red Lodge and you will run into it. Nice pictures.
ReplyDeleteI didn't do it this trip. Too much snow. I will get it another time. It is on the list with "going to the sun highway"
DeleteThe course of the road looks a bit boring on the map but the pics are pretty spectacular.
ReplyDelete