A very wet morning greeted us at 6:30.  There was only time to pack and fuel up and go to another motel and meet the Harley group for our 8:00 departure. We were joined by another factory guy named Steve. Fred, Debbie, Noel and Yvette are from Colorado and have been with the ride from the beginning. This group of nine bikes is a very good mix.  The first 125 miles was a very wet one to our first gas stop.  The next fuel run saw a little lighter sky toward the end.  We went to another Dealership and were actually able to put some wet gear out in the SUN to dry out a bit.  Our next fuel run was all in the dry when we stopped for lunch.  Ron treated us to that lunch, which was very cool!  I met some more Canadians who were taking pictures of my bike and we talked for a while.  On the way out, my co2 tank for the train horns gave me the last blast and then it was empty. 

Back on the road again, for the last 75 miles into Billings, Montana. We only experienced a few short bursts of rain this time.  We rode to the same Holiday Inn that Joni & I stayed at a couple of months ago.  They were a lot more expensive this time.  I rode with Tony to another Motel 6 where it was only $117.00 for two nights.  We rode to Beartooth Harley-Davidson next to say hi. They remembered me from our stop here in June. When I was leaving, I noticed my headlight was out as well as one of my outside spot lights. I knew the turn signals quit working earlier in the day as the flasher controller was soaked and they failed to function.  I rode back to the motel and took my headlight apart to find the halogen bulb filament in pieces.  I headed to find a auto parts store and came across a Best Buy in the process.  I took my laptop in to have the Geek Squad fix it for me. I have not been able to get Sergeant Ben (Website guru) my first three days of this journal due to operator error.  Come to find out that when a program was installed it was only for a temporary trial period. Darian set me up and showed me how to make it all work.  He didn’t charge me anything and said to tell other people about the Geek Squad inside of Best Buy.  I found the parts store and got two bulbs and two flasher units (a spare of each).  They told me where a welding supply store is that I will get a full co2 tank in the morning.  I went back to the motel again and got ALL my lights working again.  Then Fred & Debbie showed up and Tony and I rode to dinner at an Outback with them.  Good dinner and conversation.  When we got back outside it was pouring down again.  Back to the motel and this time I brought my pillow in from the bike.  I showed Tony this Website and he said he can’t wait to tell his friends back in England about it.  A lot more bikes have showed up in town tonight.  Some of them left Missoula a little later due to the big downpour. This is a great game we are able to play, riding all around, RAIN or shine.  Tomorrow we meet up at the dealership to ride up to Beartooth Pass.  Perhaps the rain will have gone somewhere else!  Stay tuned for more…….