It is Friday and I finally have decent Internet. I am pulled over at the information kiosk at Big Timber, which is between Bozeman and Billings. I am happily traveling at a snail’s pace through Montana, only 450 miles since Sunday afternoon.

 

Here is a look at last Monday/Tuesday. I hope to catch up soon.

I made it to Missoula without any mishaps. As usual, I drove the pokey speed. The speed limit on I-90 through Montana is 80 MPH, and the whoosh of cars passing me at that speed is intimidating. No matter. I did my thing. Once, an 18- wheeler pulled up right next to me and blasted his horn. Holy jumping Jehovah, I can do without that.

Since I had to get up early and get to the RV service department the next morning, I decided to try spending the night in the Walmart parking lot. What the heck, everyone does it! Walmart encourages it. People report that it works out fine. I pull in and find that 6 others have arrived ahead of me. By 8 or 9 PM, at least a dozen rigs have settled in along the perimeter. One person slept in their car.

Tango and I took several walks through La Walmart Resort, checking out the rigs. Then, I hung up my Broncos banner so that when I travel I can make my preference known!

 

The day had been hot and I craved a nice cool bath. However, I could not get past the idea of sitting in my bathtub, buck naked, in the Walmart parking lot. I consider myself an adventurous person, but I just couldn’t. After a washcloth bath, sleep came fast. I don’t worry with so many other people around. There is an assumed comradery and protective spirit towards other RVers, no matter where they congregate. Here are some pics of the La Walmart RV park in Missoula.

Flying Cloud and Blue Moon, all snug for the night. Would you take a bath there?

The RV dealer service people were great! Tango and I settled into the waiting room and I gorged on their hot coffee, TV, and Internet. I even got hugs from the guys who helped me buy my camper last spring! Within a few hours, they completed my warranty honey-do list and I was on my way after filling up my fresh water holding tank (I traveled over the passes with it empty, 60 gallons x 8 pounds is a lot of extra weight to pull!

BTW, I didn’t see my old camper, Half Moon on the lot. I checked online and it was listed there! I knew it was Half Moon for several reasons (cracked tail light, inside cover on bed). What a hoot! They were asking MORE than what I paid for it new. Craziness.

Time to continue on my journey. I return to I-90 and head east again. Meandering is a good thing; I will have a number of opportunities to travel longer distances before I get to Florida   I have burned a good deal of gas, however, thanks to mountain roads and a total of 6 mountain passes. I rarely go over 55 MPH, and on some uphill climbs I could not get over 35 MPH. Have you ever seen 18 wheelers in the far left lane, going slowly uphill with their flasher lights on? That was me this morning, right behind one of those trucks!

Back onto I-90 for an hour or so, then I turned off on Montana 1. This road is a scenic HWY that winds around back to I-90 near Butte. I hoped to find a place to camp for a few days out in the mountains. I loved the drive until it took a gentle curve to the east and immediately started up a steep, narrow mountain pass. Now those mountain passes on I-90 are easy, two-lane affairs with wide shoulders. This was a backcountry pass, only 1 lane in each direction and a minimal shoulder. AND, there was a construction project underway that required cars to follow a pilot car. You wait, wait, wait until the cars stop coming from the other direction, then the pilot car turns around and leads your group. I was at the end of our line of cars and when it was time, everyone took off up that pass like a bat out of hell. I chugged like the little engine that could: I think I can, I think I can. I couldn’t see anyone else up ahead as the pass wound up along drop offs that made me dizzy. Eventually, the pilot car came down with another line of people and they passed me going the other direction. Thankfully, both lanes were open or we would all have been in a pickle. Chug chug, chug. Near the crest, I saw a Forest Service campground sign and made a quick turn in! Whew. That was scary.

The campgrounds were on Georgetown, Lake. The trees were heavily diseased from pine beetles (something I don’t see as much in MT). One of the campgrounds had no trees left, it was just an eerie landscape of tree stumps and brush pile, left from recent logging to clear diseased trees. I pulled into another campground that still had ample trees, although most had a spray paint “blaze”, which usually means they will be felled.  By next year, I suspect that campground will also be denuded.

Anyway, Tango and I stayed two nights. Temps both nights dropped below 40 degrees. On our walk the first morning, we saw a cow moose meandering near the water. We also saw a sign warning us that a bear frequented the area. I don’t worry because I never see the bears, it’s a jinx I have.

Chilly early morning on Georgetown Lake. Saw a cow moose nearby!

This morning, we got back on the scenic highway, which was no longer scenic. Lots of vacation homes and small mining towns. Then, we reached Anaconda, a large mining town. From about 6 miles out, I saw a tall smokestack, which I learned is called the Anaconda stack and is 585 feet tall. Such ugliness on the mountainous landscape. The town itself was lovely. But the name Anaconda seemed so familiar, not in a good way. Hmmmmm. It’s a snake. What else? Mining related. I finally turn to Google for information. Anaconda was well known at one time as the biggest Superfund site. During the mining heyday, the smelter rained huge amounts of arsenic into the scenic valley I was now passing through.  You can read a 2011 article from High Country News for all the gory details and the status of the cleanup.

I am reminded about the ugly side of Rocky Mountain history: mining and deadly pollution. Clear cut logging. Whose great idea was this to call this a scenic drive???? Mystifying.Anyway, I suggest you pass on MT 1, between Butte and Anaconda!

On these days, I am thankful that I can pull over for a night and sleep in my home. I only need to move a few things off my bed. In the morning I can make fresh coffee and eat nourishing food from the fridge before I hit the road!

The most interesting people that I see: hitchhikers! I have seen 4 in just a few days, one of them a woman. Two of the men, at two different places, hold American flags while they wait. It’s been a long time since I have seen hitchhikers. I wonder about their stories and would love to talk, but I drive past for obvious reasons.

Onward to Spearfish, SD by Saturday afternoon. Will have to pick up the pace!