Monday 7-09 Day 15

Start: Billing, MT
End: Hardin, MT
Scheduled Miles: 52.8
Actual Miles: 90.4 (read on)

Woke up at 5 this morning and the cue sheets were not being released till 8 so I helped Phil with the water jugs even though it wasn't my cook team. We made lunchs before breakfast, and while waiting for breakfast, ate my lunch, so I had to make another sandwich. It was a long climb up out of Billings, winding along various ridges and valleys. I've notice a real pattern here. All the early settlements were done in valleys, so as you come into them at the end of the day you typically have a nice down hill. The next day however, your ride inevitably starts with a climb.

Riding with Iron Mike today, the route took us on Hwy 87 for the day, lots of rolling hills, saw my first priare dog colony, and a herd of antelope. Going was easy and with only 50 miles to do, (onlty 50!) we are done by 11:30. Things weren't quite settled on the exact spot for us to set up our tents, so we couldn't unload the truck, so we went to lunch.

Back from lunch, the truck had been unloaded, so Andy L, Jerome and myself headed out to the Little Bighorn Battlefield, commonly knowns as Custers last stand. We paid the pedestrian rate of $5 to get in and went through the visitors center and listened to a 30 minute lecture the gathering of the tribes, the weaponry used by both sides and timeing of the various squirmeshes. From there we hopped on our bikes and rode along the roadway that was build on top of the ridge. From there you could see the white markers showing where the calvary troops had fallen and the red markers where the indians had fallen. It was very sobering. One thing I had not realized is how spread out the battle was. It was not just on one hill but along an entire ridge that was 4.5 miles long. It was also a long drawn out fight that took several days. the trip back to camp was tough as we were battling a head wind. Tonight was $10 night, so we got our ten bucks, and Rodney, Bill and I went out for dinner, broasted chicken and the 4 Aces Casino. Mmm Mmm good.

I also boiled two dozen eggs that night for breakfast the next morning, I was looking to break up the same breakfast we had been having so I opened my mouth and suggested eggs, so I had to follow through and do them.

Had to stake down the tent tonight, winds are really picking up.