Montana and Wyoming

1498 - 2112

Today I traversed Montana and then into Wyoming, definately a long drive. I chose to stay off the interstates from Glacier until Billings, passing through towns like Belt, Moccasin, and Judith Gap.

I would not have seen this parade of antique cars (at least twenty) near Great Falls if I had been on the major highways. Time passed quickly with audio books by Louis L'Amour. Easy to imagine the plots happening right outside my window.

Montana is definitely Big Sky Country. It was fascinating seeing the whole horizon before you. Today was quite overcast, and I could see rain in the distance, sometimes in a couple of places, with sunshine and blue skies on either side. Sometimes I would pass through it (always lasting just a few minutes), sometimes miss. Very cool.

In Wyoming I saw this double rainbow!

Bummer of the day was missing Zoo Montana in Billings. I knew it closed at 5, figuring, like at Woodland Park Zoo, that 5 is when admissions closed. I arrived at 4:20 to find admissions closed at 4.

Travelling back roads into Billings took me through residential neigborhoods, which felt like I could be anywhere in the country. Downtown also felt normal: large buildings, banks, hotels; I even saw a homeless person. Then I pulled up behind this pickup with several pigs in the back. Nope, I was not in a typical downtown.

I had dinner in Buffalo, Wyoming and felt compelled to try buffalo. I guess I had hoped to be filled with some sort of essense of the beast of the plains. Alas, nothing special.

Today's beer: Easy Street Wheat by Odell Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado). Alas, also nothing special. It was the only microbrew on tap I had not had before. They had Bud, of course. But I am researching beers :-).

Tomorrow: The Black Hills of South Dakota.