So...how was the weather in Billings?

After spending Sunday afternoon in the Rapid City ER(they found nothing but gave my excellent health insurance a good run) I kinda lost interest in continuing so returned home. On the trip home, I stopped when I felt like it, ate "sit-down" meals midday, and had no health issues whatsoever. The weather...a different story. Monday I burned up, but was surprised to see the results of some rough weather having passed through. In the first 150 miles east of Rapid City on Monday I saw four semis blown off the road and rolled upside down and in the ditch. Along with that were numerous signs either blown away or if on metal posts, they were blown over in a sharp angle which told me a pretty strong wind had passed through. Tuesday was still hot but clouding up as I moved east so I checked into a hotel early since it appeared I was riding into some bad weather. Come Wednesday, it was raining but not a frog choker so waited until about 10:00am for some of it to pass. I rode until about 1600 hrs at which time as I came around a curve I was facing a huge black wall, no rain and the wind was suddenly dead still. Not a good place to be so turned around and headed back to Winona, MN...checking in just as the sky opened up again. I was thankful to be inside and safe from the elements. Thursday I left midmorning in horrendous winds which only got worse as the day wore on. I had 220 miles to go, the sky was clear, not hot...but the wind was almost as bad as running in the rain. At times it literally blew me sideways which is something for a loaded trike weighing in excess of 1200 lbs. I finally got home about 1530 hrs Thursday, very tired from battlling the wind, attended a function at my daughter's place with my friend Nancy...then home. I then slept for 11 hrs. straight.

Having heard and read about some weather that passed through Montana, I'm curious as to how it affected the rally. I guess Yellowstone took a real beating, hope it didn't hit Billings equally as hard. It sure hit Green Bay and the country leading up to it with a vengeance. Literally hundreds of trees blown over, many across the roads I was traveling.

Sorry I missed the gathering, but after nearly seven hours in the ER and facing an additional 322 miles to Billings on Monday, the excitement for me was gone. Guess it will have to wait until next year now, and maybe I'll have a new partner by then. Time will tell about that...but I sure missed seeing some of my old friends this year.