The was a pretty heavy thunderstorm during the night with lots of lightning and rain. I enjoyed it. I woke just before 5am and read for a bit before getting outside. I was surprised how little water was on the tent for all the rain I had heard.
I got things started and sat down to finish yesterday’s blog entry while I ate my oatmeal and had some cocoa. Unlike the lower campground, up here there is cell service. It’s not fast but it gets the job done.
I was able to read a KTVQ story about the semi that went off Hwy 14A not too far from where I am camping. That accounts for the road closure I’d seen yesterday. A few miles from where I turned for the campground, a semi going in the other direction was hauling something but I couldn’t tell what it was other than it was blue. I guess that was the cab of the truck. The article mentioned that road should be open.
I got things loaded up and was on the road by 8am. I stopped fro a photo on my way down the hill.
I rode up 14A and it is a steep and curvy ride. The road is in pretty good shape. Near the top I encountered some livestock on the road.
I pulled over to check out the scenery.
The clouds descended and the temperature dropped. A few times I had to really slow down because I couldn’t see much ahead. When I came to the Bald Mountain campground I turned in to have a look. It was pretty well occupied. I stopped near the entrance and put on a sweatshirt and got out my cold weather gloves. It was chilly, upper-50s and felt moist.
I rode across the the to top and passed Burgess Junction where I got on Hwy 14 and headed to Dayton. The ride down is long and there are plenty of twists. I got passed by a white SUV but before long I caught up when it was doing 15 MPH behind a logging truck. The truck would not pull over and there wasn’t much opportunity to pass.
Another motorcycle came up behind me and we did this slow tour for a bit until we had the opportunity to pass.
He went first and the SUVfollwed and the me.
A ways up we ended up behind another logging truck. I could see the road ahead was clear and so I went across the double line and passed the SUV and the truck.
The rest of the ride down to Dayton was uneventful. I stopped for gas and set my navigation app to take me to Pryor on the back roads.
The ride took me to Wyola and then Lodge Grass. Along the way I shot this photo.
The ride from Lodge Grass to St. average was on a rode I’d never been on before. IT was well worth it. It was just beautiful. I stopped to change out my gloves along the way.
I encountered some more wildlife.
From Pryor I headed north and went into Billings on South Billings Blvd.
I got home just before 1pm, a 5 hour ride and 203 miles.
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