Red Lodge/Columbus Loop

April 4, 2024

When the weather is this nice, a ride is in order.  We’ve had snow off and on and rainy snow predicted for the weekend so when it’s supposed to be clean and 70 the calendar gets cleared and the bike gets out.

I planned to do the Red Lodge/Columbus route and figured it would take 3 hours or so.  Leaving around noon would work great as the Urban Sketchers of Billings were meeting up Downtown from 3-5 and I wanted to get a piece of that since I missed the last two.

I got the bike out and checked the air in the tires which was right at 42 psi front and rear but thought to take a look at the wear marks.  Hmmm, they are getting a bit close.  When did I put these tires on?  This is a problem which I hope is not a sign of aging but I couldn’t remember for sure.  Luckily I wrote it down in my service log and it was April 2023.  Ah, yes, right before my trip to San Diego last year.  It was about 10,000 miles ago and that about how long my previous tires lasted.  OK, I have a big trip coming up and I might, might get these to last but why take a chance.  I went inside, logged on to Revzilla and ordered a set of Michelin Road 6 GT tires.  That’s a bit of an upgrade from the GT4s I was running and I remember telling myself I wanted to try the GT6 next.  I placed the order and expect them to be here next week.

I gathered up by drawing tools and packed a sandwich.  By the time I hit the road it was 12:30.  I went out the usual west end exit except detoured around where they are putting in a new roundabout on the west end or Rimrock Road.  The ride to Laurel was fine.  I was wearing my cold weather coat with its liner and had on a t-shirt and sweatshirt.  It felt just about right with the temperature in the low 60s.

I passed through Laurel and took the new version Hwy 212 to Red Lodge.  Very light traffic today and only a steady breeze from the southwest.  I pulled over for a photo near Roberts.

In Red Lodge I pulled over to park by the old depot and use the public restroom there.  It’s next to the EV chargers and I wanted to check them out too.

We want to drive our new Tesla here and give the charger a try while we go walk downtown and maybe have something to eat.

I headed out of town on Hwy 78 which will take me to Columbus.  It was a little windy but I took my time and set the cruise control to 62, just enjoying the scenery and the big sweeping curves.  I did stop for a photo or two.

I stopped at the campground in Columbus for a quick relief and then, due to time, grabbed the slab back to Billings.  I parked in the Depot parking lot and joined my friends who were already busy drawing.  Since I knew my time was limited I decided to do just one corner of the bar building.

The ride home was like the rest of the day, uneventful, which, considering all the motorcycle wrecks here this past week, a good thing.

The odometer indicated 165 miles.