Day 3 broke cloudy and cooler and was much more bearable. First off, however, JC needed an oil change for his new Slingshot at 600 miles to Yuki had picked up the oil and filter and made an appointment to have it done in Rexburg. He met JC at 7 a.m. and led him over there–and hour away–while the rest of us slept in. Then we got on the road and met JC and Yuki in Ashton. Yuki, you’re a good man.
From Idaho into Montana.
From Ennis we needed to get to Butte, and the best, most direct route would have been on Montana 359, but Jungle was so focused on the cars in front of him slowing to make the turn onto that road that he did not see the signs and so we blew on past. Judy and I noted this and presumed he had not been confident that this small road was paved all the way and had decided to go a little further to catch Montana 2 to join I-90 at Cardwell. When Jungle, who we later learned was still looking for 359, got to the left-right option at Montana 2 and turned right–the wrong way–I ran up close on his rear flashing my brights but he just kept on going.
Truth be told, there was nowhere at all on this little two-lane with no shoulder at all where we could have pulled over or safely gotten four bikes and two Slingshots turned around. So I settled in behind him knowing highway 2 would also hit I-90 at Three Forks Junction, just adding 25 miles to our ride. This, of course, on top of the extra 10 miles added by not turning onto 359.
Interstate 90 west to Butte was brutal but we finally reached exit 208 to Anaconda, where we were supposed to have met Terry, who had gone ahead in her Porsche (and had not missed the turns). Of course she was not still waiting; we had called her and told her we would be late.
We were now on Montana 1 headed to our day’s destination, Philipsburg. But our hassles weren’t over. We came upon road work and waited awhile in what was now about the hottest sun we’d encountered all day and once we got going we found we were facing nearly 15 miles of fresh chip seal. As in mucho, mucho loose gravel and absolutely no way to avoid it. But passing through some beautiful country on a very twisty road. I strongly recommend this route any time they’re not doing a chip seal.
We finally got past the road work and on to Philipsburg, a very nice old town enjoying a rejuvenation, and stayed in the beautifully renovated Kaiser House hotel where, at Willie’s direction, Terry had arranged a spread of wines and cheeses and sausage and crackers awaiting us.
What a relief to shed the leathers and dive in.
Biker Quote for Today
I don’t have a bucket list but my bike-it list is pretty long.
