#3 Butte to Garryowen, MT

#3  Butte to  Garryowen, MT

The cattle were chowing down, below the snow-capped mountains.

The Yellowstone River now flows by the freeway.

I-90 passed by Bozeman and Billings before turning south.   We don’t think of Billings has an oil center, but several refineries reside there. The road continues to wind across the country side.

Hardin, MT boasts a population of 3837.  It resides on the edge of the Crow Agency and resembles a small, little town next to the freeway that provides services for travelers.  We filled up with reasonable diesel prices and expensive propane at the Pilot Truck Stop.   The young man who volunteered to get our propane didn’t know how to do it.  Thankfully, Derrille does.

From here to Wyoming services don’t really exist. SO we decided to stop for bread at the local IGA.  I waited in the RV and Derrille went after bread, eggs and lunch meat. It took a really long time for him to come out.  Frustration showed on his face!  He said all of the clerks in the store looked like they were supplementing their Social Security.  His clerk charged him $9.08.  He gave her a twenty dollar bill. Then she said he owed her $24. He asked to see the receipt which included a cake and ice cream.  It took time for her to understand that he only bought the 3 items. She said she didn’t know what to do! The store manager became involved and wanted to know where was the ice cream and cake! Derrille assured her he didn’t have it. The clerk spoke up and said he only got 3 items.   Then she tried to give Derrille $7 in change.   Those of you who know Derrille know he is a walking calculator.  Then he had to explain that $20 minus the $9.08 is not $7.  More laughs and adventures!

I found the Little Horn  State Bank interesting while I waited for Derrille to come out from the store.

This train of oil cars seemed to go on forever.  The streaks on the photo came from an inadequate window cleaning tool at the fuel stop.

The 7^th Ranch RV Park in Garryowen, MT maintains a lovely park.  We have stayed there before.  To access the park requires taking a frontage road off I-90. 

However on this day, we exited the freeway, crossed the cattle guard (which are on many Montana exit ramps) and came to a stop. Today they are repaving the frontage road.  A pilot car leads you down this narrow one-way lane around paving equipment.  Finally you get to your turnoff. 

 You head for the park only to discover the asphalt disappears and you are on dirt. We had forgotten that part. 

 But we arrived and were given a lovely clean, full hookup site.

Our view from our RV.  The haze hanging over the area represents smoke from fires in Canada.

Tomorrow Little Big Horn Battlefield.

#2 Regis MT to Butte, MT and beyond

#2…Regis MT to Butte MT and beyond

The adventures begin:  On the morning of day 3 we received a phone call from an RV park on the Missouri River that our reservations could not be honored. The River had risen and flooded the park. So we made new reservations high above the river.  Later that afternoon we received an email that one reservation was being cancelled for lack of payment.  Those of you who know how I plan, recognize a mistake by them.  I had confirmations on both stays in Augusta GA and yes, they had made an error in bookkeeping.

Long trains move goods all throughout this part of our country.

 Then we pull into Butte and discover I made reservations at the wrong RV Park. My bad! The park was less than desirable.   Derelict RVs with years of neglect were parked here as were some regular trailers and campers.   He gave us a site up on the hill and hoped we could get level.  We did and we stayed.  Actually it was very quiet at night, and very, very dark without any lighting.  However we won't stay here again.

Meet Buddy!  We drove into town to visit with our good friend, Nancy Cass. Her new little puppy is a real cutie. We went to dinner and also got to visit with her stepdaughters later.

Interesting facts:  Butte MT records a population of 34,602.  However it is the 7^th largest city by land acres in the United States.  The city claims 716.2 square miles!   Butte also sits at an elevation of 5538 feet above sea level.  Higher than Denver!

East of town the road climbs steeply. Homestake Pass lists an elevation of 6329 feet. At one point you cross the Continental Divide at 6393 feet.  In case you don’t know the Continental Divide is the point where rivers on the west side flow west and rivers on the east side flow east.  We have crossed the Divide in several other places down the Rockies.

Interesting facts:  Rest stops in Montana put restrooms in very nice buildings that I assume are for weather protection.  Each one sports 2-3 reader boards.  Derrille walks for 15-20 minutes at rest stops and we read the signs. One such sign said dinosaurs lived here in the Jurassic period.  At that time this part of Montana from here to the Artic encompassed a large, warm inland sea.  That is why the Morrison Formation in the mountains includes sandstone, mudstone and some limestone.

The highway rolls through high valleys.   A three trailer load is legal in Montana. 

As we headed down the mountain side the speed limit drops to 25. Check out the angle on this runaway ramp.

 Rivers flow around the highway, and snow-capped mountain encircle the route. 

Lots of chain-up zones which may explain why several houses have their living quarters visibly on the second level.

Further east the forested land, and pastures begin to include more farmland.  Then sagebrush desert like areas add to the mix. 

Side note:  This large brick building is a Montana Rest Stop.  You must enter the building to use the three men’s and three women’s Individual, complete bathrooms.  I think this facility helps travelers during winter snow and summer heat.

Snow fences stand in many fields hinting at the severity of the winters around these here parts!

We are headed to the Little Big Horn Battlefield.

#1 On the road to Newfoundland 2019

 #1   On the Road:

Newfoundland here we come!  The drive across Washington to Idaho felt like Déjà Vu from our start last year!  The 2018 itinerary took us across Canada from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. The 2019 itinerary follows I-90 across the states to Boston and then north to Nova Scotia.

The Columbia River crossing at Vantage, WA remains as impressive as always

We spent the first night in Moses Lake.  Day 2 we traveled across Northern Idaho to St. Regis, Montana.

The Coeur d’Alene lake area looks like a fun destination spot, although we generally just drive through.  The huge lake follows the highway for miles. 

A walking/biking trail also follows the lake.

Beyond the lake the climb begins into the Rocky Mountains. 

                                                                                       Hello Montana

Lookout Pass sits at an elevation of 4,725 feet.  We were pleased that this motorhome can climb with ease.  Chain-up zones for snow show up frequently throughout the day.

The Clark Fork River meanders back and forth across I-90 a multitude of time.  It flows through the Idaho panhandle and into Montana.  Lovely homes are perched overlooking its bank.

Big Sky Country is an apt name for Montana!  The wide highway surrounded by tree covered hills and some snow-capped mountains accentuate the largeness of the sky.

 Ranches dot the landscape.  Horses, cattle and some sheep graze in sprawling pastures.  Small towns pop up here and there to provide the needed services of the rural communities.

The speed limit speaks for itself.