September 16, 2026
It’s my final day on this trip and while I am ready to be done, I did a nice ride and enjoyed the scenery.
I was up and out at 5:30 and started the morning stuff.
It’s a bit chilly so the reheated dinner from last night and a cup of herbal tea were appreciated.
I was on the road by 7:45 and was glad to be wearing everything as it was 42°F. The other issue with leaving as the sun comes up in the east over the mountains is that I ride through shadow and then sunlight with that sun right in my eyes. I really have to slow down during those transitions.
Along the way I saw the sign for the DeVoto Memorial Cedar Grove. I’d never stopped here so thought this would be a good time to check it out.
The trail isn’t very long and winds through the forest with the occasional interpretive sign explaining the ecology and the life of the cedar.
As I continued on I crossed Lolo pass and back into Montana. I don’t want to get into lots of details but I hear that Billings drivers are the worse in the nation but based on the next hour or so, I’d say it’s just a “Montana value” to be rude, risky, and inconsiderate. I’d already ridden about 2,000 miles across a couple states and one province had had ZERO issue but back in Montana…well….
The first thing I saw was a guy tailgating me on the 2-lane road before he passed me to then try to pass another car ahead of me. I could clearly see an oncoming motorcycle but that didn’t deter him and he went for it, causing the car he was passing to clam on the brakes and the motorcycle to do the same and head for the shoulder. The car had a “6” plate in that makes any difference.
In Missoula I was pulling out of a gas station and a guy changed lanes, no signal, and cut me off. A few blocks up the road went down to one lane and we were doing a “zipper merge” but when it was my turn a twirl in an Audi gassed it and prevented me from merging. Then, outside of East Missoula am asshat in a pickup tailgated me even though I was doing 5 over. I was looking for a place to pull over when he went across the double yellow line and passed within a couple feet of me.
Welcome back to Montana.
Anyway. I rode the 2-lane roads for the rest of the way back to Billings. I stopped at the top of MacDonald Pass for a few photos.
Then it was to Helena where I parked in front of the capitol to have my lunch of pound cake and an apple.
I gassed up in Townsend and avoided White Sulphur Springs by taking the shortcut via Hwy 294 past Martinsdale. It’s not a bad ride but the first chunk of miles one has to be careful due to all the tar snakes which are treacherous in a curve. I stopped along the way for a some photos just as a wide load was going by.
I stopped in Harlowton for a break and then straight back to Billings. I got gas before heading for home.
It was a 422 mile day.
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