Day Two of LZB's ride home - Billings Montana to.......
.... it turns out to be home!
1,389 km 15 hours 20 minutes
Set off at 6:42 am arrived 9:00 pm (plus 1 hour time change)
Billings wasn't that much of a town - although I did enjoy a nice pork chop last night washed down with some Oregon Pinot Noir. Thus, when I saw 5:18 am on the clock this morning it didn't pain me to get up, shower, hit the breakfast spot next door and be on my way before 7 am.
Perhaps I should have looked at the weather forecast but really, who cares, it's not going to change if I don't like it. So I set off in a mild drizzle but it soon stopped. What I wasn't so ready for were the temperatures across Montana. All morning it was in the mid to low 50's which is pretty cool for late June.
I checked off all the B's (Billings, Bozeman, Butte) and headed for the M's - Missoula. Had lunch there and a plan began to form in my head. It was warming up and I was making great time. 'Let's see how things look when I get to Spokane' said the voice in my head. Spokane was my intended stop for the night.
Well, I got there around 4 pm, rush hour, and I thought I bet I could just make it home to Kelowna in daylight. So there and then I put Osoyoos in the GPS and headed off across the middle of Washington State. So flat and vast in parts you can see the curve of the earth!
I crossed the border into Canada about 7:30 and then it was the familar sights and smells of the Okanagan as I cruised home. I swear I could even smell wine fermenting as I came through Summerland. As the last rays of the sun hit the mountaintops I rolled into West Kelowna.
What a lucky guy I am! A wonderful tour of the southwest with The, Andy and Eleanor. A spectacular ride around Colorado with the Fukawi. And home from Denver in two days.
Pinch me!
The end - LZB out.
And thus another ride comes to an end. Already looking forward to next year.
ReplyDeleteAn epic end to an epic trip. Extra spit and polish for the Wing.
ReplyDeleteWell done LZB! Not sure what the criteria is for the Iron Butt Award but surely you must have achieved it. Glad to hear you're safely back in your nest. RR
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