The tailwind was a bit more restrained than yesterday, but it still was a great help as we rolled 85 miles to Billings. The temperature was in the 50s when we left to ranch at 7 am, and 78 when we arrived, low for this time of year and nice for riding. We have left the Rockies behind, but still have enough hills to make the riding and the vistas more interesting.
A bridge to nowhere. Many of the dying little towns we ride through once had rail lines, most of which had closed by the 1980's.
Two examples of once grand old hotels in need of a new lease on life.
But not all the rail lines have disappeared. I measured this coal train at 1.6 miles, someone else tried to count cars and thought there were about 150, plus two engines. At about mile 70, we were looking for ways to occupy our minds.
More ice and snow? It is the salts crystallizing out of the water as ponds dry up.
I remember wondering what those towns looked like when the railroad was king. The west has certainly changed.
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