Harlowton, Lewistown, Roundup Loop

July 11. 2023

I started the day with a 7.8 mile run on the West End as part of my Run All the Street of Billings Project.  After getting back home and recovering, I needed to bake a loaf of bread from the dough I started before the run and when that was in the oven I gathered up my gear and got the motorcycle ready to go.  A friend had told me about Ackley Lake State Park near Hobson and I wanted to check it out as a possible camping place so that was my destination.

It was a pretty nice ride although a bit warm at 80 degrees.  Just short of passing through Broadview, I had to pull over to photograph my odometer.

Yes, 26,000 miles.  According to the service manual it is now due for a valve adjustment.  While I’ve done those on a variety of engines in the past, I decided that it would go back to the dealer where I bought it for that service so a trip to Rapid City, SD is set for July 19th.  I’ve got a nearby campground for 2 nights so that should give them plenty of time to get the job done.  I’ll ride it there and back and my wife will follow in the Suburban.

The ride along the Musselshell River was great and the river is high and everything is so green.  Between Broadview and Lavina there was some road construction and I had to wait for a bit.

I stopped at the rest area in Harlowton for relief and a snack.

The ride from Harlowton to Eddies Corner is always an adventure because of the cross winds but today wasn’t bad.  Here's a video clip with the wind turbines on the right.

I stopped in Judith Gap to clean my windshield for the dashcam.

I went by Eddies Corner and headed to Hobson.  I’ve been by here numerous time but never gone through the town itself.  It’s small but welcoming.  At the other end of town I followed my navigation commands and took the road to Ackley Lake State Park.  It was about 7 miles and the last 1-3/4 miles was gravel.  

The park looks OK but it’s a long drive, about the same as to Lake DeSmet in Wyoming which we camped at last month.  Not many trees and it looks like it primary caters to the powerboat crowd.

I headed back down the gravel road and when I got to the paved highway I couldn’t remember if I needed to go right or left.  I tried right, which was wrong because the pavement ended a few miles along the way but a good time for some photos.

When I got back to Hobson I stopped for a photo in front of a tavern

And a view down the street.

I stopped for gas in Lewistown and then a ride through some non-straight roads through the Judith Mountains.  Very enjoyable.

I went past Grassrange, hit some strong cross winds south of there, and stopped in Roundup for a butt break.

The rest of the ride is very familiar, having done it so many times.

When I got back to Billings I picked up the tail end of a thunderstorm but nothing very serious.  It was a good day out.