11APRIL2016 near Billings, MT

The sunrise awakened me and I was on the water about as fast as one can stuff two sleeping bags, strike and fold a tent, clean the site and get it all in the canoe.  I did not see Mr. Bell ... he being energetic I was a mite surprised by that.  The river to Billings was noneventful other than the increasing amount of people evidence.  Maybe two miles above town, though, the river changed to a river-wide rapid.  Being river-wide it was universally paddleable ... and yet there it was, speedy, choppy, alert-intensive.  That lasted for over half a mile and was fun.  After that the Billings Sandstone cliffs began ... and all through town the river was strewn with cliff-fallers.  Again, it was fun and required being alert.  With no wind I was able to steer as I wished and pretty soon Billings was fading away.  Various wastewater discharges were seen in and near Billings.  Having worked the Billings wastewater scene in the 1970s, I can attest that it is improved.  At the Huntley Dam I got a present courtesy of the irrigation crew.  They directed me north to a side channel which flowed around the dam.  Amazing ... and wonderful.  I arrived at Cowboys Restaurant (Huntley) at about 3PM.  Cowboys is right on the river and has a large grassy back yard.  My kind of place.  As I prepare for bed I recall seeing geese, ducks, marmots (lots of marmots) and lots of fish breaking the river's surface.