Day 26: Big Timber, MT to Columbus, MT

July 2, 2023

42 miles

1,156 miles so far

We thought today’s ride would be a nice, easy, mostly downhill recovery ride to Columbus. For the most part that proved to be the case. While the route was only 42 miles and took us mostly on Old US HW10, at about mile 15, we were forced onto HW90, this time for about 8.5 miles. It wasn’t too bad, as we had dry, sunny weather today.

Before we committed to getting on HW90, I explored an alternative route from Ride with GPS which took us on an unpaved road for about 10 miles but would enable us to reconnect with the frontage roads and stay off the highway. I approached a man sitting in his pickup truck across from the Waterhole Saloon in Reed Point to ask him about the condition of the unpaved road. While he wasn’t familiar with the road, he felt that if it says unpaved it was probably dirt or gravel. We wished each other a Happy 4th.

Unfortunately, Sharon must have run over something sharp on the highway which put a small slice into her rear tire. She noticed the softening tire about half a mile off the highway. So, we pulled off, and I went about replacing the tube for the first time on the Surlys. Then a blue pickup truck pulled off the road and out stepped Jerry, the man I had talked to earlier. He had seen us and wanted to make sure we were okay. Good Samaritan of the day!! I told him that I had six spare tubes, and that we would be fine..eventually.

Another beautiful ranch

Dinner spot - Stageline Pizza in Columbus, MT