Our rest day has come and gone!  It is back on the road coming to the most challenging part of the ride...the mountains!  We got into Billings today and will be heading to Great Falls, Montana tomorrow.  The weather was perfect!  All the riders coming in commented on how great it was to be riding today.  Patience is doing well, only needing some minor fixes like her chain that is getting loose.  I left Mark in charge of being the mechanical helper tonight :)

We did not have much for a breakfast at our hotel and before we could make plans our friends Bill and Georgie asked to have breakfast with them.  We found a local place, Weimers Diner and Donuts, on Main Street.  By the time we got finished it was about two hours!  I will say it was very busy with so many others also finding this gem.  The whole time there was only one waitress to serve tables, get donut orders and be the cashier!  She was pleasant and never complained, she did it with much grace.  The woman cooking would come out to serve some of the orders. And for all the coffee drinkers, we all took turns bringing the pot around to keep the cups full (the wairtress never scolded anyone for that either).  Nothing fancy to eat just the basic eggs, meat and hashbrowns and all were excellent!  My only disappointment was that I was not quick enough to get a donut!!

As I mentioned in my previous blog, we had some friends in Sturgis who came to see us as well as a couple who lives there that hosted a wonderful supper for our small group.  Stretch and his wife, Ginger, prepared a meal that was delicious and a welcome change to what we have been eating.  It was a roasted turkey, green bean, cucumber salad, homemade rolls and chocolate chip cookies.  We met a few of their neighbors as well as our Omaha friends, Dave and Teri.  Kevin was able to break away from Patience to enjoy the evening for a bit.

I took my turn last night to be the side mechanical helper. Okay, it was more like part holder and flashlight holder!  Help is Help :)

Kevin working on Patience prior to supper

This morning was just a bit of a chill.  There was a bit of rain possible in the forecast but as I mentioned earlier, it turned out to be a perfect day for the riders!  Our friends came out to see Kevin off and wish him well.  

As for us, we had just a few sprinkles on the windshield but not enough to put the wipers on.  We had the interstate to travel.  I believe the highlight of the day was the Spearfish Great West Bank!  Mark had to go in and came out raving how cool the place was!  He said the inside is part of the old Sturgis post office with old signage and decor.  I should have made a point to go in with how impressed he was!

The road started off with a bit of red to the rocks similar to the Utah landscape.  It quickly changed to just brown jagged hills with green sage brush sprinkled on them with an occassional tree on the landscape as well.  There were a few fields that were green due to irrigation I believe.  An interesting observation; herds of  cattle were all out in the range of brown while the antelope who roam free found the lushous green to eat!  

I tried to pull off to get a photo but this is all I got for you!  Not great but gives a general idea.

Montana from I-90 

We had a terrific crowd again at the local Harley-Davidson store.  They had a nice selection for supper: fried chicken, hamburger, brats, assorted chips and desserts.   We sat with a gentleman who drove 150 miles to see the group!  He shared his experience about a museum in Canada with old motorcycles and showed us some of the photos he took.  As interesting as it is to see them come in, it is even more impressive as they all leave.

a glimpse of the crowd

the release of the bikers from the show

I hear we/the riders are in for some cold and some possible rain tomorrow, let's hope they are able to escape the wet!