August 6, 2003 - Butte, Montana

Forecast: 90 degrees

Road Condition: Good from Big Horn Mountains (Dayton), WY Hwy 14alt. West to State Route 310 North to I-90 West to Butte, MT

Fuel: Super Unleaded $1.87

Miles Traveled: Big Horn Mountains (Dayton), WY to Butte, Montana: 350 (Total 10,110)

Bike Update: Running good

Road Trip Log Update: We woke up to a brisk morning and a greeting from the "Big Horn Mountain Lodge Welcoming Crew" of Dexter and Baxter. Baxter is a Newfoundland that keeps a watchful eye over Dexter and the front door of the Lodge. We had a huge breakfast, and then headed out on 14A to Lovell. The 20-mile descent down the mountain to Lovell, WY was a long and winding road with 10% down grades and dramatic views that quickly dropped into farmland and small towns. As we dropped in altitude the air began to warm up and we found that we needed to pull over to take off some layers. The day quickly warmed up to the mid 80's and 90's. Around Bozeman, 60 miles out of Butte we couldn't help but notice the dark clouds of smoke rolling in from the distant fires. The beginning stages of the sunset combined with the chocked skyline made us think of the brave firefighters battling the multiple blazes in the area. The stretch on I-90 West into Butte took us through the Pipestone Pass, and once again during this trip we passed over the Continental Divide, this time at 6453 feet. A month ago we crossed the divide around Deming, New Mexico. When we arrived in Butte we had the opportunity to meet Bing Jacobsen, who was 84 years old, a proud retired Marine who loved Harley's. Bing shared with us, that he wouldn't know how to ride the Harley's of today because they didn't have the "suicide clutch" he was accustomed to. Tim asked Bing if he would like to sit on the bike and there wasn't much hesitation. Bing was quick to throw his leg over and grab the handlebars. We showed him how to turn on the ignition and start the bike. Bing gave the throttle a couple of rolls, which brought a big smile to his face. He thanked us numerous times and said, "I haven't sat on a bike for 40 years. That was good." Meeting Bing and then watching an incredible pink and purple sunset reminded us about the importance of having a good attitude and celebrating what each day brought. Tim's bike is ready for another service, and Butte has a Harley shop that can take us in on an early morning appointment tomorrow. Over dinner we contemplated where we could realistically ride to the following day. With a late start, the destination of Moses Lake or Ritzville, Washington seemed to be the best choice between Spokane and Seattle.

Dexter and Baxter Lodge welcoming crew
Bing
Ironman at Big Horn Mountain Lodge
Forest fire smoke in Montana
End of a long day in Montana
Sunset in Butte, Montana
Click to see Aug 5, 2003	Click to see Aug 7, 2003