First Ride of 2026

January 5, 2026

If winter isn't coming (yet) to south-central Montana, I am going to take advantage of that and get the bike out for a ride.  The temperature was in the low-50s and the was scarcely a wind so why not.

I didn't get away unto about 3:30.  I had my usual gear on: riding pants over my jeans, a sweatshirt of a long sleeve t-shirt, riding boots, and my cold weather jacket with the rain liner installed.  I was quite comfortable.

It was a short loop because the sun was going down.  I rode out Rimrock, heading west, and worked my past the Ironwood subdivision and into Echo Canyon.  Here's a video as I worked my way up the hogback.

The ride to Molt was pleasant.  I just set the cruise control to about 70 and relaxed with Boz Scaggs playing in my helmet.

When I arrived in Molt I stopped for a few photos.

I headed back east, again just relaxing and enjoying.  I decided to head down the big hill and then turn off on Shorey Road and take the to Hwy 3.

At Hwy 3, I went straight and took Alkali Creek Road to Skyline Drive.  This put me right into the sun.  I had to block it with my left hand on a couple occasions.

The rest of the ride was down Zimmerman and then Rimrock to home.

It was almost a 50-mile ride.

Another Winter Ride

December 26, 2025

Am I really getting another ride in?  Absolutely!  It was a busy morning and by the time I got it together to get out is was 2 pm.  The weather was a bit different from yesterday.  It was a few degrees cooler and there was some significant wind.

I headed west, taking the usual route to the Canyon Creek Battlefield site but rather than heading north from there like I yesterday I turned south and rode to Laurel.  The clouds looked a bit threatening but I figured that I'd ride toward them and turn around if I hit some rain.

I was hitting the wind head on once I left Laurel.  The bike handles well but it's still not as enjoyable as when it's calm.

In Rockvale I turned south.  If it was earlier, and less windy, I'd like to ride south to the Wyoming border but that wasn't going to happen today.  In Fromberg I turned on the Main Street and cruised through the neighborhoods before heading across the highway and riding out to edge of town.  I stopped for a few photos.

I headed back the way I had come and it felt good to have the wind at my back. The wind noise was also reduced to where I could easily hear the music playing in my helmet.  I passed back through Rockvale and right after that, I took the old highway back to Laurel.  It's a two-lane and less traveled than the new(er) route.

As I got back to Laurel I turned off on Theil/River Road and took that back to Duck Creek.  Going across the Yellowstone River I could see that there was substantial work being done on the Duck Creek Bridge.  I had heard that they were going to close the bridge at some point and traffic would be routed southward on Fritz Road and eventually to Blue Creek.  That hasn't happened yet and I wonder if it will.  Most of that route is not paved and there was some concern that paving it would increase traffic, something those who live out there don't want.

I rode the roundabouts up Shilo.

I stopped for gas on Grand and Zimmerman.  I topped off with the alcohol free version, again, since I'm not sure I'll be riding again until spring.

I pulled into my other garage, downloaded a few videos, and plugged in the battery tender.

It was a 85.7 mile day.  The bike now has 53,582 miles on it.

Winter Ride

December 25, 2025

It's winter here in eastern Montana but with dry streets and 60 degree, it does not feel like it.  I'd put the bike away a few weeks ago after a heavy snowstorm but the warmer weather of the last 10 days has taken away the snow and ice except from tiny pockets still in the shade.  It was an opportunity to get out a nd ride.

I did a 6 miles run in the morning with a friend it even though I was down to shorts and a t-shirt I was still sweating.  This is great running weather.  Here are a few views of the morning.

The bike was already fueled up so it was just a matter of getting my own gear on.  I had my heavier jacket with its rain liner, and a sweatshirt with my regular riding pants over my jeans.  It wasn't cool enough to warrant thermal liners.

I headed west and stopped at the Canyon Creek Battlefield site for a quick photo.

Then it was north on Buffalo Trail. I rode to Molt Road, glanced at the village of Molt, a couple miles to the west, before turning east and riding to Shorey Road.  I stopped along Shorey for a few photos.

When I arrived at Hwy 3 it was decision time.  I could go straight on Alkali Creek Road and head toward Billings Heights, turn right and head back to Billings that way, or turn left and head out of town.  Out of town it was.  

I've ridden this road many, many times and it's one to just set the cruise control to 70 mpg and enjoy.  It's flat and straight and the view is unimpeded by anything.

I stopped in Broadview for a quick photo.

When I got a few miles outside of town I stopped for a photo with a nice view of the Snowy Mountains in the background.

The next stop is Lavina.  They have a large solar farm there so I stopped for a photo.

And one looking into town.

I rode through town and then the 1/2 mile to the intersection with Hwy 12.  I checked my map to see how long it would take me to ride to Roundup, 23 miles away, and back home from there.  Hmmm,  I am supposed to meet friends at 3 pm and it would be a tight fit so I decided to go back on Hwy 3, the way I had come.  I stopped at the Adams Hotel for a photo before leaving.

Then I spied some outhouses down next to the old bank building.  We had a pretty severe windstorm through the area in the past week and it looks like it knocked down both of these.  Interesting that each one is down in a different direction.  That's Montana wind for you.

The ride back was uneventful.  Just sailed along with a bit of a crosswind.

It was a 116 mile ride.

The Pryor Road/Lockwood Loop

November 21, 2025

I had some chores to get out of the way but by early afternoon I was thinking about a ride. It was in the mid-50s and there was no wind.  With the number of riding days rapidly dwindling, I had to get the bike out.

I usually don't ride in town but needed to pick up some pencils for a drawing I'm working on so I stopped by the art supply shop and took care of that.  Then I was undecided as to where to ride so I headed south on 15th and since I wanted to avoid King and 24th, I headed to South Billings Blvd. and out of town.  

It's been a while since I've done this route and it was a near perfect day to ride it.  I headed south on South Billings Blvd. and continued on to Pryor Road.  I turned left and followed that to Hwy 87.  This is pretty much wide open country.  The speed limit was 50 MPH and I set my cruise control at that but was passed by several who didn't like that speed.

When I arrived at Hwy 87 I stopped for a few photos.

From there I headed to Lockwood through some nice twisty curves.  I went through the edge of downtown Billings, stopped to top up the tank, and arrived home without incident.

Here'some video from today's ride.

It was about a 50 mile day.

A Short Loop

November 15, 2025

It's been a busy few days, getting work done on the other house.  Today wound up the bathroom exhaust fan project with the HVAC guy followed by the roofing guy.  I caulked the panel I installed on the wall next to the shower and called it good.

The weather fine and the was really just enough time to grab a short ride and that's all I really wanted to do so I rode the loop out Molt Road to Shorey, to Alkali Creek, back on Skyline, and down Zimmerman.  It was about 25 miles and just felt good to be out.  We have some more nice weather in the coming week and after that it looks like a change so I'll try to get out for at least one more day ride.

Here's a few photos from the ride.

And some random videos.

It was a 25 mile ride.

The Billings, Roundup, Lavina Triangle

November 3, 2025

While it is definitely fall, it's still riding weather and with an open afternoon, I wasn't going to waste the clear skies and temperatures in the low-50s.  There wasn't even the wind we've had for the past few days.

It wasn't a complicated ride.  I headed out at a bit after 2pm and rode up Zimmerman Trail and took Skyline Drive into Billings Heights where I got on Main Street and then headed north on Hwy 87.  This is a nice, 2-lane road that travels to Roundup, about 50 miles.  

Not much to say about it.  I had on my good gear so was warm.  I had some good music playing in my helmet.  The cruise control was set to 70.  There wasn't much traffic.

Just before Roundup I turned on Hwy 12 and took that west.  I don't ride this route very often and it is a good one.  It has quite a bit of the flat prairie but there are a few hills and curves along the way.

A few miles in, the station I was streaming went away so I pulled over to start another one.  Plus, a message had come in on my phone and I wanted to see who that was.  It was a friend I've been trying to connect with and I call him back when I get home.  I took a few photos while I was pulled over.

I turned south on Hwy 3 and rode through Lavina and then through Broadvieew.  Just short of Acton I pulled over for a few more photos.

I cruised on into Billings, stopped for gas (2.6 gallons) and then on to home.  I downloaded some random video clips from my dashcan and assembled them into a quick video sequence.  These are just random selections from the front and rear cams.  

The big discovery is that when I download from the cam head unit to my phone, they arrive as .mov files which are ready to import in iMovie for editing.  When I pull them directly from the memory card they are .ts files and have to be converted before I can edit and post them to the blog.  That's a great thing to know since doing the conversion when on a multi-day trip and using my iPad is major hassle.

It was 123 mile ride.

A fall ride to Nye

October 22, 2025

With some beautiful fall days ahead I didn’t want to waste them and not get in some riding.  Keith and I talked about a ride and decided last Saturday that today would be a good opportunity with good temperatures and clear skies.

I got the bike out, check the tires, and packed up a few things in my side case.

We left at 10am and it was a brisk 46°F.  I was wearing my cold weather coat with the rain liner in, a sweatshirt and a long sleeve shirt.  I had my riding pants on over my jeans and, of course, my cold weather gloves.  I was perfectly comfortable.

We rode west and took Buffalo Trail to Laurel where we picked up the back road to Columbus.  We crossed the Yellowstone River and rode to Absarokee where we stopped for a couple photos.

Here's a video of that part of the ride.

We took Nye Road through Fishtail and on to Nye itself.  It was great.  No traffic.  No wind.  Lots of sweeper curves.  I had the music cranked up and enjoyed the wide open space as we approached the Beartooth Mountains.

We went through Nye and continued on to the Stillwater mining complex.  It is heavily industrial and looks out of place in this serene, mountain landscape.  We passed through and continued on the road to Woodbine campground.  In the past, this section of road was really bad, with lots of potholes but they are working on it and it’s all new compacted gravel.  It’s no fun riding on that but it wasn’t more than a half mile.

We arrived to find that the gate to campground was closed.  We stopped, took a break, and a couple photos.

We discussed the route back and decided to head for Red Lodge.  

Right before we got back to the mine, we pulled over to check these guys out.

The to Redlodge is about 30 miles and covers lots of hills and curves.  I remember that the summer I got the bike, about 4 years ago, I rode this route and was very intimidated due to my inexperience and the strong winds.  With 52,000 miles behind me now, I own that route now.

In Red Lodge we stopped so Keith could gas up and we took snack break.

The ride back was uneventful, which is what one wants on Hwy 212, a rather dangerous road due to idiots.

W\When we got to Laurel we turned on Their/River Road.

When we got back to Billings, it was up Shilo through the roundabouts.

We parted ways at Shilo and Grand.  I stopped for gas and then rode the latest couple miles to home.

It was a 214 mile day.