07/08/23 Lovell, WY to Billings, MT - Training Ride - CycleBlaze

July 8, 2023

07/08/23 Lovell, WY to Billings, MT

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I’m on the edges of Billings, which is as generic and ugly as the edges of any city anywhere, staying in an astonishingly decrepit Motel 6.  I can say with certainty it’s worst US hotel I’ve ever stayed in. But in my room the AC works and I can’t hear the freeway so that’s good enough. 

It was a fairly easy ride with gentle grades, no big climbs or descents. So, pedaling all the time but at a higher pace than I’ve been used to up to now. Speedy as I was, I had several hours more daylight and didn’t feel particularly tired when I got into Billings, but too tired to plan any more for the day. So, even though I could’ve gone further I called it a day.  Which is good, because now that I’ve been here a while and have been playing with routes I’ve decided to go another direction out of Billings than I’d anticipated. 

No interesting encounters, just cranking out the miles. 

Leaving Lovell on a cool morning
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Faint smell of petroleum in the air
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I crossed into Montana shortly after 9 am. There was no Welcome To Wyoming sign in the other direction
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Also collections of trucks and tractors on the sides
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Both states inspect incoming boats
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There a lot of these. Enough to make spotting them first a contest for bored children
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I enjoyed a huckleberry shake here
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Not much to look at, but it’s the start of a 60 mile gentle descent. Easy pedaling.
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Bad design
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Sharing the road. He had just taken the lane to pass me with plenty of space
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I’m not sure where the boundary was but I’m now out of the Rocky Mountain System and onto the Great Plains. For a while, anyway
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I noticed it was carrying something so I took several pictures, hoping I could enlarge them later
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It was carrying dinner
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George MercerAwesome photo, Dave.
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9 months ago
Bill ShaneyfeltOsprey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osprey
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9 months ago
Google routed me to Billings via a refinery
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Riding the I-90 frontage road. Bleh
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Today's ride: 91 miles (146 km)
Total: 2,067 miles (3,327 km)

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