Highway 93 2024
  
 

Day 14

June 30

  
   
   
  Today's a 'short' day of a little over 300 miles. Church doesn't start until 9:30 AM so I have plenty of time for breakfast. And that decision is easy after supper last night - I just mosey on down to the same place.  
   
  They whip me up a great cup of hot chocolate while I wait for my omelet to appear.  
   
  It's might tasty and the taters ain't half bad either.  
   
 

I get BlueBelle all packed up and head out to the church as I hate to be late to anywhere. They are open and flourishing and I am warmly greeted and welcomed. I enjoy the service and the fellowship and make a mental note to come back if I'm this way again on a Sunday. .

  
   
  I find my way out of Great Falls and head for Hardin which is near the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument.  
   
  It's just across the rolling plains without much dramatic scenery as I have experienced over the past few days of riding.  
   
  The sky really does not look favorable but since it's kind of off to my right I figure I'll ride on and take my chances.  
   
  And fortunately I've called this one right as the dark clouds keep moving away from where I am headed.  
   
  When I come across these things, I understand their usefulness but I don't understand the ugliness of their presence across the landscape. It's progress I guess but of what sort I am not sure of.  
   
  Then my 'friends' - those dark clouds - seem to be coming back my way or else I am headed back their way.  
   
 

I make a short stop in Harlowton to see the 'last electric locomotive'. The marker reads -

The Milwaukee Road 657 mile electrified railroad ended at 11:40 PM June 15, 1974 when Engineer Art Morang stopped the E57B & E34C on the Harlowton roundhouse track. They were the last operating locomotive of the original 84 locomotives built by General Electric in 1915. The electric locomotive roster had totaled 116 locomotives of 5 different types operating from Harlowton, Montana 440 miles to Avery, Idaho and 216 miles from Othello, Washington to Tacoma, Washington over 5 mountain ranges. The E57B is 57' 8 3/4" long and 16' 8" high 10' 0" wide and weighs 144 tons. Rated at 1500 h.p. it could develop 2395 h.p. starting effort, a 62% overload. Operating in 1 to 4 unit consists, they were very trouble free locomotives. Their 3000 volt D.C. trolley restricted them to a small portion of the 11,248 mile railroad and they were replaced by the more versatile diesel electric locomotives.

 

  
   
  Then it's back to the open road which at least has a curve of sorts every now and then.  
   
  I arrive at the Super 8 reasonably early and get BlueBelle unburdened and me sort of cleaned up.  
   
  Walkable supper options are somewhat limited so I figure the local Pizza Hut is close enough and good enough for me.  
   
  Once again figuring there are no reasonable breakfast opportunities, I order a pizza with ham and bacon - the perfect breakfast meats. Since I have a microwave back in the room, that will work nicely for supper and for breakfast in the morning.  
   
 

The pizza is mighty tasty and they keep my soft drink glass full as I am a thirsty feller. With a good portion of the pizza polished off, I leave enough for a good breakfast. I get a to-go box and tote my 'prize' back to the room. While I am getting ready for bed I hear a strange knock on my window. It turns out that a heavy duty windstorm has blown up and my room neighbors just happen to catch my bike cover before it blows away. I thank profusely and tell them -

"It was quiet as mouse when I came into my room."

"Yes, the storm just seemed to blow up out of nowhere" they tell me.

I secure the cover with a locking cable underneath so at least if it tries to blow away it will have to take the whole motorcycle with it. With that bit of business tended to, I am blow away to the land of sleepyheads in short order.