Week 525 - Montana Mattson Memories - 09-04-2016

Montana Mattson Memories

Our newly altered route took us from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho through Western Montana.

Last view of beautiful Lake Coeur d'Alene. But, then "isn't water always beautiful?".

1) The I-90 was under construction and this section looks like a bobsled course. We had a lane just a couple feet wider than the MotherShip. Not something for your first month of driving, but Pete made it with no scrapes. 2) Our first day was just 87 miles staying at 50,000 Silver Dollar Casino where 30 amp hookups are FREE!

1) You parallel or cross the Clark Fork River many times on the I-90.
2) The smoke from many of the Northwest fires gave us the filter for this photo.

We got up early at 50,000 to travel 97 miles to Missoula to play local Pickleball at 9:00am. 1) We stayed the night at Missoula's Jim and Mary's RV Park. 2) The next morning the trek to local Pickleball in Butte, Montana was only 48 miles.

The Butte PB group uses modified tennis courts that attracts about 20 players. Then another 42 miles to Indian Creek RV Campground in Deer Lodge.

Our next day took us through Whitehall, Montana ending up at the Missouri Headwaters State Park, a trip of 90 miles.

The state park camping was without hookups but a very large and private site.

1) Within a mile is the confluence of the Gallatin, Jefferson and Madison Rivers. What is the longest river in North America? The Mississippi? Wrong. The Mississippi is 2,202 miles. It stretches from Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. However, the Missouri starts at the Headwaters Park and winds North, East, a little bit West and South to join the Mississippi at St. Louis, Missouri. This takes 2,341 miles making it the longest river in North America. 2) Pete's brother Mike stands not at the headwaters but at the Three Forks city park and golf course.

We visited Mike's condos in Belgrade, Montana. Mandy loves grass and thought she went to Heaven.

1) Mike, with permission from his HOA, has planted wild flowers, vegetables and fruit trees around his condo units. This photo represents only about one quarter of his plantings. And he mows the grass as well! We were very impressed. 2) Mandy, not so much!

1) Mike gave us the local tour. This wonderfully restored home is in Bozeman. 2) The vehicle here is not totally visible. It is actually on tracks not tires. Mike worked one winter helping to restore the Yellowstone Lake Lodge. Yellowstone roads are not passable with 4-wheel drive vehicles in the snow. Thus this tracked vehicle carried Mike and his fellow crew members on a four hour trip from the North Yellowstone Gate to Yellowstone Lake. About a dozen workers were crammed into the trailer, hip to hip and facing each other knee to knee. Even with below zero temps, they had to open the window to cool down!

On the back road from Belgrade to Three Forks we captured these well-groomed wheat fields.

1) Our final leg for the week was 123 miles on Route 287 south from Three Forks to West Yellowstone following the Madison River. 2) Something that always surprises us is a remote town having lower diesel prices than the larger cities.

Ennis is a darling western motif town and yes, it had the cheapest diesel of the month.

The 287 is right along the Madison River yielding us the next three photos.

1) Earthquake Lake is on the Madison. It did not exist until August 17, 1959 when a 7.5 quake brought down the hillside that dammed the river to make the lake. 2) Sadly 28 campers along the river lost their lives.

Mandy keeps on eye on the road as we pass Hebgen Lake.

Reaching West Yellowstone, Montana, Mike joined us for the evening. Ellen prepared a nice dinner and we all went to see Ben Hur at the IMAX theatre. The huge 60 by 80 foot screen is a magnificent view, however, the Dolby sound was so loud, we have renamed it to the EarMAX.

West Yellowstone is less than 1 mile from the west entrance to Yellowstone Park. But, if you stay here, be sure to visit the town and spend a day or more; it is cute and loaded with all the stores that have all the stuff you don't need!

On Sunday we went to the First Baptist Church. It caters to all Christ-based church goers as visitors come from all the states and other countries to visit Yellowstone.

Once a month after the service they have a church-provided pot luck. Bring nothing, eat everything. It was delicious and we got to personally know a few others.

Remember Craig's Rule? Travel at most 200 miles a day, get there by 2pm and stay at least 2 days. For us 200 seems like a lot, so we like 150 miles. In six days were drove 487 miles (averaging 159), just about right. It was so enjoyable to just meander our way and participate in whatever we encountered. Try it!

With love, Pete, Ellen and Mandy

Photos from Sep 2016