Montana to Home

From the Dead Indian Campground I headed on up Hwy 296 toward the Beartooth Hwy.    This highway runs between Cooke City and Red Lodge Montana.  You may recall I travel the Beartooth a few years back.      I decided this time to head toward Cooke City, and through the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park.   I got up VERY early because, those of you who know me, know I do NOT like crowds of people, so wanted to avoid most of the congestion I knew would be in Yellowstone.     The sunrise along the highway was wonderful.   The mountains are breath-taking.

I was not so early hitting Yellowstone that there were no people there.   Plenty of them, poised with Cameras to get that perfect shot in the Lamar Valley, and plenty of them just out to see the many many bison, and bison babies.    I didn't stop (unless traffic was stopped), but did manage to get a few photos out the car window.   It is amazing, and being LOVED to death I fear.

You may recall seeing photos from the flooding that occurred last year in and around Yellowstone.   One photo in particular showing how high the water had gotten, and a big swathe of the highway that was washed away.   I drove though that part of the park, and encountered significant delays due to the massive amount of reconstruction going on.    It was impressive.

I headed north out of the park through the little town of Gardener. and back up onto I-90.   This time I jumped off at Missoula and headed west on Hwy 12, over Lolo Pass.    Once again, I found a lovely little Forest Service Campground for the night.

Another VERY early morning as I was close enough to home to think I could make it from there in one day (nearly 500 miles).    Hwy 12 follows the Clearwater River and is another beautiful drive winding through the mountains and along the river.

Hwy 12 took me to Lewiston, Idaho and then on through Walla Walla, Washington.     I could finally see the Columbia River and knew I was getting close to home.

I ended up back on I-84, which takes me almost home.      Mt Hood in my view meant I was almost there.

I am home now, Waddles and the car have been washed.  I still have a lot of unpacking and laundry to do.    Trip Statistics:

Total distance driving: 4725 miles

Number of States: 9

Number of days: 15

I haven't totaled up my average miles per gallons, nor what I paid for gas, not sure I want to know, but the price varied wildly.  Wisconsin was the cheapest by far at $3.12 per gallon.   I think Oregon and Washington were the highest at about $4.49 per gallon.

Can't wait for our next adventure.    I still love Waddles so much.

South Dakota & Wyoming

I drove on I-90 west until Sioux Falls, South Dakota.    I have an app on my phone calls 'AllStays' which I use to find campgrounds.    It has served me well in the past, so I found a city park in Armour, South Dakota, about 30 miles south of I-90, which allows free camping, with electric hookups and showers!  So off I went.  

It was a lovely park, with kids playground, a very large lake, bird feeders, walking paths and very few people.    I was the only one camping there.    It felt very safe.   During the night there was a great lightening show, with thunder.   The sky is so big there, that even though I think the storm was not close, the entire sky was lit up.   

Sunrise the next morning was beautiful, and I hit the road early again.

I decided to stay off I-90, so headed west on Hwy 18, which crosses South Dakota and crosses through the Rosebud Indian Reservation.   Way back in the early 1970's, when I was attending Portland State University, Leonard Peltier came and spoke about AIM and what was happening on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.   I remember it had a big impact on me, so traveling through this area was important thing to me.

I took a side trip into Nebraska, because I was so close, to get a Geocache.   Those of you who know, statistics are a big thing in the geocaching world, and I didn't have cache from Nebraska, thus the side trip.    I came back into South Dakota at the town of Pine Ridge.    Just east and a bit north is a memorial to the Wounded Knee Massacre.    I wanted to visit this site, so off I went.    There is a large sign describing what happened at that site, and at the top of the hill is a graveyard.   It was quite moving.

 

From there I headed north, into the Black Hills area.      I tried to get into a park campsite, but the entire area was overrun with people and the campground had sign that said the only way to find out if there were vacancies was to visit Rec.Gov (not my favorite website) and I had no phone reception, so decided to get out of there.     I headed west on Hwy 16 and found a lovely little Forest Service Campground on the Shoshone National Forest.     I settled in for the night. 

This pulled in, not too long after me.   Waddles big sister, a T@B trailer.

That night there was a TREMENDOUS storm.   The thunder was so strong it made the ground tremble, the wind was so strong I thought it was going to rip the windows and hatch cover off Waddles and it poured rain for a long time.    I battened down Waddles hatch and we shook our way thought the storm unscathed.   I felt pretty sorry for the campers in tents, and anyone who left anything outside!    Got up early and hit the road again.

Pretty soon I could see MOUNTAINS!!!   I had been missing them a great deal.

I got back on I-90 in Wyoming and continued until just past Sheridan, where I turned off onto Hwy 14 heading for Cody.   I don't remember ever traveling on this road before and it was SPECTACULAR.   It climbs and winds and has amazing views of amazing geologic formations.

Yup Waddles and I climbed to over 9000'!

From Cody I headed north and on to Hwy 296 which connects with the Beartooth Hwy.   That night I found another little Forest Service Campground, unfortunately called 'Dead Indian Campground".    It was on a little creek.  There were some mosquitoes, but it wasn't too bad.

I know you can't tell, but that is a lovely male Western Tanager up in that tree.

Didn't see any bears.

I will post the rest of the trip in another post, so this doesn't get too long!   Stay tuned for more amazing scenery.

Wisconsin & Illinois

Wisconsin is such a beautiful state.    I got up early and drove to my nieces house.  It was wonderful to see her place and her lovely family.    She has become a skilled chicken farmer, breeder, eggs and meat producer.     

I decided to leave Waddles in Wisconsin and drive to Illinois without her.     I booked a hotel for the next 4 nights and left Wisconsin to visit my sister, my other niece and her family, and my brother-in-law.    My sister has been having health issues, and this entire trip was centered around spending time with her.

I didn't take many photos while I was there, but did spend every day with my sister and lots of time with my brother-in-law.    I attended some little league softball games which were a delight.    Got to briefly  meet my nieces' new T@G trailer (we are a 2-T@G family now!).

I visited an amazing Yarn Store (because that is what I do!).    It was so big they had shopping carts!  For those of you who don't visit yarn stores, that is not normal!

After 5 days I said my good-byes, and headed back up to Wisconsin to pick up Waddles and decide how I was going to drive home.    If you recall, I drove straight east on I-90.   On the way home I wanted to take the roads less traveled.    Driving on the freeway has the advantage of allowing me to drive a comfortable speed without feeling like I am holding up traffic.   I am much less apt to stop and take in the local sites however, and I prefer more scenic and interesting roads.

It was a wet drive back to Wisconsin.   I spent the night there, said my goodbyes, and hit to road early.    I will create a new post for the trip home.