b'Day 23JUNE 20We travel south through the Blackfeet Indian Reservation toward Browning along Route 464 and then onto State Road 89. With a blazing sun bearing down on us, the peaks of the Rockiesthe very mountains we have just climbedform a regal backdrop to this new arid landscape.The wind picks up to over 20 mph. No matter our direction, it feels like its hitting us head on.Just south of Browning, black clouds roll over the mountains and settle just above us. It begins to hail. We stop and change into our rain gear and travel another quarter mile. The hail is now coming down violently, so hard we cant ride any longer. With no cover for miles around, we lay the bikes down on the side of the road, and sit huddled under a tarp. Even through the tarp, the hail is painful so we put on our helmets and hold the tarp up with our panniers to protect our heads and arms. It continues for 20 minutes.When we finally emerge from our makeshift shelter, cattle from the ranch on either side of the road have escaped onto the highway. Immediately, two trucks and a Montana State highway patrol vehicle show up to corral the cattle. This doesnt work, and moments later, cowboys on horseback arrive to guide the cattle back through a gap in the fence.We see another cluster of clouds coming over the mountains and decide that we should take advantage of the break in the action to ride on and get to our next campsite, which is still a mystery to us at this moment.We arrive at the little town of Dupuyer (pop. 86) and stop in at the Ranger Bar, really the only place in town. We eat a few slices of frozen pizza that have been heated in a microwave at the bar and inquire about camping nearby. Emilie pronounces the town name the French wayDu Pu YAY. The bartender, an old rancher with deep wrinkles on his face, wearing a checkered shirt and crumpled hat, and smoking non-filtered cigarettes, corrects her by askingYou mean Du-POO-yer?Well, people coming through town are welcome to set up camp or have a picnic at the little shed down next to the creek on the edge of town, he tells us. But grizzly bear have been known to travel down the mountains along that creek, so be mindful.The rancher/bartender then tells us that its common courtesy and tradition in small towns out West for visitors to be able to camp in the town square or the city park as long as you check in with the police department or the mayor.We thank him for the tip and the hospitality and proceed to ride back to the park next to the little stream on the outskirts of town.BEGIN: KOA Campground, Babb, MT END: Town Park, Dupuyer, MT DISTANCE: 77.16 milesTRIP TOTAL: 997.2 miles21'