Along the way
No trespooping.
Western Montana extends all the way to Billings. Then the topography gets less forested and more rolling grassland.
Glorious in its own right.
Now we’re at 7th Camp Ranch RV Park. It’s all by itself on a hillside.
The Montana part of the trip map
The RV camp is located close to the Little Bighorn River, and is named in reference to Custer’s 7th Cavalry. It’s a convenient home-base for exploring the sites and history of Custer’s Last Stand. We did that last time we were here, in 2012. This time we’re just passing through.
Sometimes life just isn’t fair
Like when the screw that holds your lens in on your glasses needs to be tightened,… but the screw that needs to be tightened is on your reading glasses.
We roll down the highway; through Missoula, Bearmouth, Goldcreek, Deer Lodge, and Butte. Through Homestake, Pipestone, Whitehall, Cardwell, and Three Forks. Which led us to Belgrade, Bozeman, Chestnut, and Livingston. From there, it was just a matter of Big Timber, Greycliff, and a stop for the night at Reed Point.
Montana highways.
Love, love, love Western Montana.
Old West RV Park. A charming little place that serves perfectly as an overnight stop.
In a walk around town, I engaged with a couple locals.
Found some old buildings.
…and stumbled across a Gremlin!
(Last manufactured in the 1970s.)
The Montana part of the trip map
We haven’t taken a day off driving yet. We’re being pushed south and east by the weather. There are temperatures in the teens following us. Temperature in the teens, by itself, isn’t a problem, but any accompanying precipitation could be. We can drive in a little bit of winter weather, but if there is snow overnight that collects on the slide awnings, we either have to skate around on the roof with a broom, or wait for it to melt.
Tuesday
A couple nights ago we had a nice site at Wanapum State Park in Eastern Washington.
And a drive across the Columbia River at the town of Vantage the next morning.
At Spokane, we pulled over at a Home Depot to buy something. Judy went inside while Henry and I waited out on the fringes of the parking lot in the bus. I’m sitting there, still in the driver’s seat, checking out the map, routes, and weather on the phone, when a pickup truck pulls up near us and a guy gets out and walks our direction. I open the window as he approaches and after pleasantries he asks if I’m looking for a campground. He explained that he saw me from his house across the street and thought I might be sitting in the parking lot trying to pick out a place to stay for the night. He was motorhomer too and could recommend a place nearby if we wanted. His concern was misplaced, we didn’t need any help at all, we already had our stop for the night picked out, but what a great gesture to notice us, get out of his house, drive across to the parking lot, and offer to help. That’s how trips go; people we never met before and will never see again, going out of their way to be friendly and helpful. The encounter ends with a handshake.
Our day ended at Coeur d’Alene as planned.
The Coeur d’Alene part of the trip map
Blackwell Island RV Park. A nice big well-spaced park. On an island! What a great place and bargain pricing compared to our expensive stays for the last several months.
Today, Montana highways.
And a stop in Missoula at Jim & Mary’s RV Park. Another very nice park.
The Missoula part of the trip map
There is a reason we’re headed east instead of south
Henry is getting a baby sister. We’re going to Mulberry Farm Kennels in upstate New York; the same place we got Annie. We told Henry. He said, “You say we’re getting a new puppy and I’m going to love it?”
“Just kidding, I’m excited!”
The puppy, named Jesse, is five weeks old last Saturday. Three more weeks before she’s old enough to pick up and take home at eight weeks. She’s a Cockapoo; Cocker Spaniel mom, Poodle dad. Here she is at four weeks.
Her Dad is the grandson of Annie’s Dad so we’re in the same bloodline. She is Annie’s niece!