On July 2nd we rode from Townsend, MT to Harlowton, MT, another century ride. We stayed on US 12 the whole way. The early part of the ride was through Deep Creek Canyon, a very beautiful place. We followed the creek all the way up to it's headwaters. The day was absolutely beautiful and I loved the whole ride up the gentle grade.
About 13 miles out of Harlowton the wind shifted to a northerly and the temperatures dropped significantly. Now all I wanted to do was get to the town. My speeds dropped from a comfortable 20 mph to 8-10 mph with a strong crosswind. A couple of riders were blown off their bike.
In Harlowton we camped on the football field which is not adjacent to the school. Arrangements were made for us to shower in a hotel about 1/2 mile away and then "$10" dinner night out on the town. Because of the high winds, teamwork was required to set up the tents. Then the rain and hail came, this time some hail was 1" in diameter. In Montana they do things big. We ate at a brand new place that didn't have indoor seating yet, so we sat at a folding table out on the gravel drive with some local folks. The menu consisted of burgers and dogs. I had a buffalo burger. We wandered back to camp and called it a night.
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