Last Stand

We started a bit later on Wednesday.  Our destination was the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.  It is South of Billings and we had another drive.  It was about 100 miles.  The drive started the same direction as Tuesday but then diverged East.  The drive itself is great scenery.  The terrain was a mix of hills and farmland.  In some places it reminded me of Idaho and other places the Dakotas.  

On the way, we stopped at the visitor center and picked up a map.  It seemed very quiet and we saw few people during our visit.  Our first stop was Sullivan’s Knob where you hike from the road to the canyon rim and look down on the Lake below.  Yes it looks like a river but it is actually a dammed lake.  The views are amazing and the drop is sheer.  We stayed a respectful distance from the edge.

As we were leaving we saw some bighorn sheep in the distance.  They were cool but were hard to see.  That would change soon.  After the first hike we visited a Ranch that ran from 1896 to 1968.  It was just part of the operation but it reinforced that 1800's ranch life was not for me.

We headed back to the main overlook and as we entered the drive to the parking area we saw a group of sheep.  We stopped and took pictures while they ate.  Occasionally they looked at us but mostly they ate.  

We then went to the main viewing area for more great views.  The drop off was even steeper here but they had provided a railing which we respected.  I read about an arch that looked cool and is a popular instagram spot but at the visitor center the ranger showed me where it was and then warned us it was not recommended due to the steep, loose terrain and 1,000’ drop.  He did add that no one had fallen off yet.  Given the yet, we decided to stay safe and in the yet category.

When we parked, I saw something in our left front tire.  At first I thought it was a rock but a closer inspection confirmed that it was a large bolt.  It was really jammed in there and when I first listened and felt, I did not hear any leak.  I decided to check the spare, it was present but devoid of meaningful air pressure. Thank You Avis.

We decided to go on the next hike.  On the way we checked the tire pressure and it was stable at 34.  We parked and took a quick hike on the Rangers Trail.  The views were not as good, maybe they would be better if we had more danger tolerance but we enjoy living.  Upon returning to the car, I felt a slow seep and could hear the air coming out.  This was less good.

We decided to skip the last short hike and head back to town.  It was 15 miles and as we started the pressure had dropped to 32.  Thankfully it held there.  It is a small town of about 2,400 people but surprisingly it has 5 gas stations.  The Sinclair station had a tire service business and we pulled in.  The manager asked us how it was going and I explained our issue.  He had me move the car to the repair area and in just a minute the car was up and the tire was off.  It was a freaky big bolt but the tire was fixable.  15 minutes and $24 later we were back in business. 

We decided that our next step was a late lunch.  I had read about a local Billings BBQ place, Montana Outlaw BBQ.  It is a BBQ grille business that makes BBQ three days a week.  We ordered the lunch platter and it did not disappoint.  I can’t imagine eating it myself.  It came with 1 lb of meat, we had a mix of pork, turkey and brisket.  You also get a half rack of ribs, macaroni and cheese, bacon potato salad, Texas toast, jalapeno corn bread and a drink.

 

We walked out with 2 large containers of food and the $40 price was very fair.  It’s at least 4 meals worth of food.  How did it taste? Delicious!

Our travels today went from Montana to Wyoming and then back to Montana.  The hikes were all in Montana but the tire was fixed in Wyoming.  Cool fact, the border between the states is the 45th parallel.  Longtime readers will know we just enjoyed straddling the 45th in Michigan.  Another similarity with Michigan was that every small town we drive through has its own post office.  I was going to re-rant about this but the BBQ has mellowed me so I’ll leave it there.

On our last day in the billing area, we headed East for a change.  Our first stop was Pompey's Pillar.  This rock is famous because Clark of Lewis and Clark fame carved his name into the rock on July 25, 1806.  It made the rock famous, don't try it now though, apparently if you do, you go to federal prison.

It is a nice site, along the Yellowstone river.  They have a boardwalk and you can climb the rock and enjoy the view as well as stare at all the graffiti.  Yes, after Clark defaced the rock, others came along and repeated the violation.  The 1800’s must have been wild and not just becasue of the dysentary and typhus.  In addition to the rock, they have some nice paths that provide a river view.  We have seen a lot of the Yellowstone.  The river is notable as the longest free flowing river in North America (non dammed).  It is also quite scenic.

Our next stop was Little Big Horn.  We have all learned about Custer's last stand in school.  They made it seem heroic.  Standing there, reading the history, I was reminded of our trip to Vietnam where they tell you about the American war.  Just think, if things had gone a bit differently, it may have been called The Lakota and Cheyenne’s very good day.  

When you arrive there is a graveyard.  It is very interesting as it is for soldiers buried from the late 1800’s with the last reservation accepted in 1978.  This graveyard does not hold any of the soldiers from the famous battle.  From the graveyard you can look up and see Last Stand Hill.  Across the battlefield there are grave markers showing the locations of the fallen soldiers.  There are also markers for the fallen Lakota and Cheyenne.  

I wondered how they knew where to place them.  After the battle the Lakota and Cheyenne marked their graves with Cairns which were replaced decades later with the markers.  The battle was July 25, 1876.  Yes exactly 76 years after Mr. Clark’s graffiti. On July 28th the army returned and buried the soldiers where they fell.  In 1877 the army returned and marked the graves with crosses and in 1890 they were replaced with the white marble stones we see today.  They had looked newish on first glance but we were looking at 136 year old stones.

In addition to Last Stand Hill you can drive the entire battlefield.  There was another group of soldiers about 4 miles North East that also got beat badly but many survived.  They had retreated to a better position and were able to hold off the attacks.

One thing you never learn about in school is the horse.  This was the calvary but when they were cornered, the soldiers shot their horses and used them for cover.  It did not help though.  It was an interesting visit and I always like learning and seeing history.  

I was surprised at how busy it was. At the Pillars, we had it to ourselves and only saw one other person on the trails.  To be fair it wasn’t super crowded but it was not empty.  The last two days we had pretty much had the sights to ourselves.  At the battlefield we were seeing people at all the stops.  Small world moment, yesterday we had met another couple when taking pictures of the Bighorn Sheep.  He was a Delta Pilot.  At one of the pullouts, we stopped to take pictures of some horses and they were there as well.  

Our next stop was The Big Horn County Historical Museum.  It is a small local museum in Hardin, MT.  They have displays of local history and many artifacts from the late 1800s and early 1900s.  They also have many historical buildings and some new ones with historical stuff.  We wandered about, enjoyed the history and if I ever had any lingering doubts about living back then, they are gone, gone, gone.  Just kidding, I never ever wanted to live in the good old days.

We had one more important stop to make.  After all the history I needed a Blizzard and Hardin has a DQ.  I did show restraint and get the mini size.  After that it was time to head back to Billings and get ready to head to Bozeman.

Thinking about all we have seen, I am brought back to previous comments that I have made.  I think influencers have skewed the ratings of our national landmarks.   There are the big super popular ones but thankfully there are some of these non hyped gems left.  For example, The Bighorn Recreation Area was like the Grand Tetons combined with Horseshoe bend in Arizona.  The Beartooth Highway had such a variety and depth of scenery that every turn was a delight.  Montana and Wyoming are way underrated!  Don't tell anyone though, I really enjoy the quite solitude of  these parks.

America's most beautiful drive

When we were accumulating states on our 48 state quest, we stopped in Billings for gas but we had no time to sightsee.  We can now say we have sightseed Montana.  There are several things we wanted to see around Billings and top of the list was the Beartooth Highway which has been called “America's most beautiful drive “.  That said, many would argue that Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road  is better.  I have no dog in the fight and just based upon pictures, Glacier likely wins.  That said, Beartooth is extraordinary.

After our windy arrival, we spent the afternoon in and around Billings.  The airport sits on a mesa and there are 500’ sandstone cliffs parallel to the land called the Rim Rocks.  They have several overlooks and we enjoyed the views.  After dumping our stuff at our hotel we headed out to see the Four Dances recreation area.  It has a nice overlook of the town and the Yellowstone River.  We wwould see a lot of this river in the coming days.  The recreation area trail is a quick climb up a steep hill.  As we reached the top the wind was bracing, it almost blew us over.  The official report was 29 gusting 42. But with the topography, it felt like more.

We enjoyed the views and then headed up the road to the Pictograph Cave State Park.  It's small but a nice hike.  We walked around, and viewed the remnants of cave art.  We have seen other examples and I stand by my previous opinion, the key to longevity in the art world is finding how to make really indelible markings on rocks.  Canvas juest doesn't have the same staying power.  Frankly, their drawing skills are a bit suspect.

The final stop of the day was downtown to see the street art.  They have decorated the traffic boxes, each one painted differently.  I doubt these will survive as long as the cave drawings.  

The next morning we awoke early as we still were on Eastern time.  This meant we were on the road at 7:45 but it felt like 9:45 to us.  Our objective today was the Beartooth highway.  Many people drive the Beartooth highway both ways but we made a loop.  We started at the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and then joined the Highway near Cooke City.

While the Beartooth is the more famous route, the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway is just as stunning. The drive is a winding road and you have rapid changes in elevation.  We drove from overlook to overlook and enjoyed consistent breathtaking views.

It is typically only open mid May to mid October due to snow.  It was hard to believe that the area would be snowed in in just a few weeks.  There had been a weather advisory a few days before we arrived when a quick storm swept through.  With the warm temperatures there was no ongoing impact.

We did not see much wildlife other than chipmunks but there were plenty of free range cows.  The land is a mix of federal and private land and there are signs warning you to avoid the cows.  They were ever present munching on the grass by the highway.  Luckily they focused on the grass and avoided the pavement.

The chipmunks were a bit brave for my taste.  Unfortunately too many people feed them which is bad for the furry critters and really not too bright.  It’s all fun and games until a critter infects you with rabies and you die.  We saw some feeding first hand later in the day and it makes you wonde about your fellow citizens.

We saw several waterfalls and went as far as Cooke City.  It’s not much of a town but we did get ice cream.  The waterfalls were all small but long time readers will know I am a sucker for any falling water.  In addition to falling water, there were also many lakes.  The books say more than 950 and while we saw many, I think we missed a few.  

One thing I really liked was the variety.  We were looking at mountains but there were many different kinds, yes geologically this is probably all wrong but visually there were so many types.  Some were grey and spiky, some rocky, some forested, some red, some that looked like striations ripped from the ground and much much more.

Overall it was a perfect day for a visit, clear blue skies, mild temperatures, light winds, light traffic and no crowds.  The one cold spot was the Bear Tooth Pass where we ascended to 10,900’ and had sweeping views of the winding highway and terrain.  Fun fact we were higher in the car than we had been on the trip out in the airplane.

While we were here to visit Montana, we spent a good amount of time over the border in Wyoming.  We drove a total of 265 miles with 114 on the official scenic highways.  Though the scenic highway is the official viewing area, we found almost all of the journey had great views even if not designated a scenic byway.

Microburst Alert

I was really blown away by Montana.  I don’t mean figuratively, I mean I was blown away.  Arriving in Billings it was 29 gusting 37.  Later in the day it was 29 gusting 42.   It all started calmly enough.  As the sun set in Sidney, NE weather had arrived. The blue skies had changed to 200 overcast with 1 mile visibility.  I was expecting this and the forecast was for clear skies by 0800 so in theory it was not an issue.  

At 0700 it was pretty cloudy but I could see the clearing trend.  As we prepared to leave the hotel, the grey skies were starting to have patches of blue.  By the time we had the airplane ready. It looked good.  The ATIS was VFR so we fired up and after our checks departed direct Billings.  The flight was pretty straight, we departed runway 31, our on course heading was 311 and we would be landing runway 28.  

The computer had predicted an average of 20 knots headwinds and a 2:19 flight time. We took 1 minute extra.  I did run 1 GPH higher than my plan so our fuel burn was 2 gallons more than predicted but overall not a bad prediction. The winds started strong, then died off and then really picked up near Billings.  On departure we had 30 knots on the nose.  

As we progressed we got a quick reroute.  The direct path took us too close to the mountains and the controller said we needed to climb to 13,000 for the MEA or we could re-route via HERKA intersection which we determined  added only 2 miles. An easy choice.

As we progressed our blue skies became a cloud deck.  As we slid in, we started to get bounced around a bit.  Continuous light turbulence is no fun and is even less fun in the clouds.  We were at 8,000’ and I asked the controller for 8 block 9 so we could get over the deck.  The ride was marginally better above the clouds but it always feels better when you can see out.

Block altitudes in busy airspace are typically rare but out West there is much less congestion.  The last time I asked for one was back in 2023 in a very similar situation,

Once on top of the clouds, we had a great view of the mountains, we were also making good time and other than some gentle mountain waves, it started to smooth out.  It also looked like we might beat the predicted time, as we were running slightly ahead of plan. After clearing the mountains and in the home stretch to Billings, we dropped back to 8,000’ and were handed off to approach.  The headwinds had been slowly returning but then they really picked up with 40+ on the nose.

As we checked in we heard a jet going around because of the automated microburst warning.  The surface winds we reported as 30 gusting 37 from 270.  Approach informed us that they were holding inbounds.  We asked for 7000 and received it.  The jet started holding at 6,000’ on the final inbound. 

This presented a problem, as he needed to keep us separated.  It was severe clear so I cancelled IFR which made it easier and the controller asked me to stay at or above 6,500’.  As we got closer, the controller updated us from that the automated sensors were clear.   

It looked like we would need to wait for the jet but he had started outbound before declaring he was ready and we were number one.  I was looking for wind shear and flew VREF +10 on approach.  Our VREF already provides a generous margin so we could easily handle significant shear.  

We were handed to tower and had a nice bumpy ride down final.  I had gear down and flaps set approach, I decided to keep the flaps there.  Given the elevation, 4,300’ and the high density altitude, I did not want to have too much drag out in case of a go around.  I was prepped to go around if things did not stay stable, but they did and we did not see any shear.  

I kept all that extra speed and crossed the threshold  at 110 KIAS.   Typically this would be way too fast, especially with partial flaps.  Today it was extra insurance and with 10,815’ of runway, I had plenty of room.  Entering ground effect I reduced power to idle, used way more crosswind correction than would have been needed if the winds really were 270 and not closer to 250 and let the plane gently slide onto the runway.

CC clapped, and I said it wasn’t done till we had the plane tied down, especially in these conditions.  Even with the extra speed, I needed to add power to make it to taxiway C which was 3,200’ down the runway.  The FBO was directly across and the tower cleared us onto the ramp.  Edwards jet center had people out to marshal into a spot and our car was waiting.

Usually unpacking the plane is easy but today with the wind howling, it was a chore.  You had to be really careful things did not blow away, we had trouble hearing each other and we had to make sure the doors did not get caught by the wind.  Edwards did a great job, got us fueled and put us in tie down so I could install the rudder lock.  

Finding Sidney

The trip to Billings Montana is 1568 miles using the great circle route.  Assuming no wind, that’s 8 hours and 43 minutes. Add in wind, fuel stops, and a few extra miles to maneuver and it’s 9 plus hours in the air plus ground time.  I looked at the route and thought that’s gonna be a really long day, in fact that would be a record for us.  I think our longest single day was returning from Moab, 1460 miles. We had a heck of a tailwind for over half the flight and made it in 8.1 air hours. 

Going West in September usually means headwinds so I gave up on the idea of a single day.  I also decided to break the flight into 4 hops rather than 3 even legs.  3 hops would have made each leg over 3 hours.  Also this meant on day one we would only fly about 6 hours, less than optimal.  In the end I decided day 1 would be about 7 hours and day 2 a short 2 hours so we could start sightseeing on arrival.

The next challenge was finding our overnight stop. I drew a line to Billings, and then headed back about 360 miles and it was in the middle of nowhere.  I started looking at the airports near the theoretical perfect spot and after going through 7 possibilities, settled on Sidney, Nebraska.  It was not my first pick, that one had no fuel this month.  Another choice had no local transport, others seemed sketchy, pricey or in a sub optimal locations.

Sidney checked all my boxes, not cheap but reasonably priced gas, a car we could use, good hotel options and places to eat.  After that I used Airnav to plan our stops routes. With the changes in the oil markets, I have found that much of the gas data Foreflight is wrong.  Airnav is not perfect but much better.

My plan was simple, stop at Monroe Mississippi, then Emporia Kansas and overnight at Sidney Nebraska.  I watched the weather as the date approached and it was all looking good.  That was until 2 days out.  The winds got a lot less favorable and the Southeast was forecast to have widespread morning fog.  Then the night before, Kansas decided to spawn some big storms.

The fog was easy, we could wait it out, we had plenty of daylight.  Waking up most of the Southeast was 200 feet overcast but Monroe was clear and as the sun rose I could see things improving.  We took our time and by 9:00 I was sure things were improving.  We departed into blue skies with a few low puffy clouds along the way.  The ride was good and other than an extra 10 knots of headwind, it al was good.  

Our first stop was smooth.  The place was deserted but they had a good self serve pump, clean bathrooms and good weather.  I had quit worrying about the low clouds as they had burned off but had been looking at the storms in  Kansas.  They looked strong and while they were moving through, it was not clear what they would do.  

Inbound to Monroe I had formulated my alternate strategy.  We could go due West and fuel South of Tulsa, OK.  I say formulated but I had planned several routes and briefed them that the morning. The Tulsa weather was looking good but it was a big detour.  As we fueled in Monroe, we still had almost 3 hours until Kansas so I decided to stay with our original plan and if the weather was not clearing, divert mid flight.  Our departure was smooth but as we climbed, the headwinds increased.   Headwinds stink but it was clear and smooth so on balance things were good.

We had plenty of time to watch the storms over Emporia and they slowly moved off the airport. The surrounding storms were not heading for Emporia and they looked like they were diminishing.  I had chosen a decision point about a third of the distance and I decided to continue to Emporia. I was not committed yet, I also had another back up airport pretty close to Emporia so if it got covered we with storms, would just divert there.

About an hour out the winds shifted and got a lot worse and the ride became quite bumpy.  The forecast had said 10k winds were the same as 8k so we asked for a climb.  It smoothed out and had slightly less wind.  Until the last 100 miles we had blue skies but now we had shades of grey.  We got lucky though, by the time we arrived the storms were falling apart.  XM was still showing light to moderate rain but our radar was much more optimistic.  We passed one shower and got a few drops on the windshield but otherwise it was high overcast and dry.

The fuel stop at Emporia was fine except the hose was short.  I had to use the trick of running the hose under the plane and still had no slack when filling the right tank.  The FBO had really fancy bathrooms for a country airport but I would have traded the swank for a longer hose.   

It all worked out and we were soon back in the air and on the way to Sidney, Nebraska, not that place in Australia that is spelled differently.  On climb out I was watching the winds carefully.  Down low we had a light tailwind and as we passed 7,000’ it went to a full crosswind but no headwind.  By 8,000’ we had more than 20 knots on the nose.

Now we were heading 289 degrees which means even altitudes.  That’s the rule but we were over literally nowhere with no other traffic.  I asked ATC if we could get 7,000’ and ATC  said sure.  So down we went and the headwind melted away.  We even picked up a small tailwind as the crosswind became a slightly quartering crosswind.  

We had been in clear skies to start but we soon were swallowed by a layer.  It was bumpy but our speed was good, the clouds were warm and there was no rain.  About 70 miles from Sidney we broke out and had an uneventful landing.  The surface winds had been calm at our other stops but here the winds had picked up and were blowing 19 with gusts in the high 20s.  Luckily it was all down the runway.  This was a preview of things to come.

I had called ahead and they had offered a courtesy car as there is no Uber in Sidney. We bought some gas, secured the plane and then it was off to the Fairfield. We grabbed some food and got some rest.  We had flown 7.8 engine hours, 7.3 in the air, and covered 1226 nm for an average speed of 168 knots.  Overall we had about 15 knots average headwind.