Friday and Saturday, August 9 & 10

Good day in Denver.. Got to catch up with my friend Benny who unfortunately is not doing well. It was great to visit with him and his family. 130ish I got on the road for Cheyenne. I-25 north was completely stopped by the Tech Center, south of downtown. I took surface streets to about 92nd street north of town. It looked like the interstate was moving. It was extremely hot and I was baking on the surface street stoplight routine. So I made a poor decision and I got on. Anything to beat the heat.

Before the first mile was under me, it was stop and go, 6 lanes until Fort Collins. About 60 miles. Denver traffic I will never understand.

Fueled up just before the Wyoming state line and pulled into Cheyenne. Found my friend Mike’s place. Went to a great local establishment for drinks and appetizers. The Metropolitan. Had an excellent rye whisky. Angel’s Envy. Went back and finished the evening on his front porch with a couple more drinks and a cigar under a classic Wyoming sky.

Beautiful sunrise on Saturday morning and temps in the 60s. Had a breakfast of Chili Relleno eggs and coffee. Mike had family commitments so we were on the road at 830. He let me ride his new Harley for 70 miles or so until he had to bail east and meet up with his wife. Fueled up my bike, said our good byes and I headed north on I-25. Great cruising. Light traffic north bound. Scenery impressive. Constantly changing.

Got up to Douglas, maybe 100 miles and refueled. This is where I got off the interstate and headed north on a state road all the way into Montana. Maybe 225 miles. While refueling, this gentleman pulled in with a unique luggage arrangement. 4 0r 5 suitcases held on by one strap. Speed limit 80mph. Yowser.

Headed up WY-59. Nice road. Energy all the way from Douglas to Gillette. 110 miles. Oil. Gas. Coal. Trains. Long coal trains. Freight trains. Dozens. Each at least a mile long. Some places trains cued up waiting for their release and right of way. North and Southbound. Wow.

Oil wells. Gas fields. Water reclamation units for fracking. Open pit coal mines. 75 miles to the first available fuel. I’m glad I gassed up.

Got to Gillette and refueled again. Big open pit mines. Not much farther north the topography got more interesting. Every 20 miles or so it changed. Absolutely beautiful. Valleys with small rivers meandering through, great trees following the river. Just like you think it should look. Kept speed to 65-70. No traffic. I had the world to myself. I was in my Zen moment. Impressive rock formations. Vast. Incredibly vast.

Just 30 miles or so south of Montana I passed through Thunder Basin National grasslands. Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Trying to imagine the time when millions of bison roamed.

Finally crossed into Montana. The scenery continued.

Settled into the little town of Broadus, MT at the Sage Brush Inn. Real cute little place run by two ladies. Unloaded, showered and walked downtown (a sort of downtown) to get something to drink, eat and get rehydrated. Decided on the Big Sky Bar. Ended up talking with Glen. Guessing in his late 70s. Hard to tell. Nice guy. Funny. He had many stories. He also had a semi with a load of hay he was supposed to be dropping off parked around the corner. He was just getting a couple of quick coolers. Whisky and 7up.

Sitting on the porch, still drinking water, watching an early evening thunderstorm blow through. Talking with the other travelers. A couple from France, Minnesota, South Carolina, Indiana.. Oooh big lightning.. Another. Nice.

Content. Tired. Still heading north. Tomorrow I should be in Saskatchewan. I have to cross Montana first. Need to plan a route that will be fuel available. Thank God for that Google thingy.. 350 miles I think. Make sure I still have my passport.

Then east. Went over the 2,500 mile mark today.

So there you have it. 8 days out. Maybe 1/2 through. I just poured myself a scotch. Time for bed soon. Thunder boomers still doing their thing.

Life is good.