We left Coeur d' Alene early, 830AM...we had pleasant neighbors in our camp ground. They were from Montana and gave me some clues, I wanted to reach Billings Montana....he did laugh a couple of times saying "you have one or two hills to climb"....
been there done that....or so I thought.
Coeur d' Alene is in Idaho....Idaho is about 110 km wide with Coeur d' Alene kind of in the middle.... we left....I had a half of a tank of fuel....before we left BC I unloaded my two saddle tanks....BC was killing me....regular fuel 1.59 per litre...with half a tank I felt comfortable...but the reserve was empty...
go figure we start climbing....the dually is great but when you go up...the tank goes down. I got lucky...on one of the mountain climbs...a gas station with diesel...I pull in...a guy occupying the diesel pump....I notice he is from California...first it takes 15 minutes to fill the tank...then he cleans his front windshield....I'm 10 feet away waiting to pull up....lol....then he cleans the passenger side....then the driver side....then the back window....his lady shows up with her big gulp pop...1000AM...need I say more.... (Leah did....)
Full tank and both saddle tanks full I felt great here we go....
The morning is beautiful...clear skies....and then it hits....
The mountains start to get foggy....but an eerie foggy...and then the smell....a forest fire. Portable signs indicating a detour....the smoke gets thicker...and it then starts filling the cabin of atonofun. We all start to cough as the smoke gets thicker... I turn of the lights for the truck and trailer...the vehicle in front of us goes out of sight....it was only five car lengths ahead....I slow to about 45 km with the four ways on...no body passes us...and we don't pass anyone....but we don't see anyone either. Then the smoke turns yellow...orange and then red...the red only lasts for about 2 minutes....then it's just smoke....
from start to finish with the smoke was approximately 120 km....interestingly Leah mentioned to me that during the thickest part of the smoke...the on board computer indicated an out door temperature of 21deg from 31 degrees.....
I hope no one was injured through this....
Ahhh yes...a couple of hills....
We hit one hill....I have no clue how the transports get up....my temperature gauge rose almost to the "hot" position...at times we were down to 20 km/h...nobody passed nobody.
After the climb..... down hill....9 degrees....for 17 miles... and what a sight. Totally different from the Canadian Rockies....(I still like ours best)....but I have never had atonofun fight to get up a hill....slow us down before...yes but never like this. I was concerned....what I did not know....Bute, Montana was going to be worse.
Leah made lunches for us....it was nice not to have to stop for a burger or whatever the road offered...we could stop at our leisure....and enjoy....lol.
I passed stops along the mountain rivers that would take your breath away.... spectacular places....lol...
I get hungry and make the decision to stop....a truck stop which has no view whatsoever...lol...transport truck to the left...one to the right....a train track in front of us....lol....did I mention the sandwiches were fabulous.
Leah never said a word...but I brought up the "worst lunch break spot" an hour later and we had a good laugh....
So we stop in Livingston, Montana...the drop HWY to Yellowstone National Park....nothing available...no camp sites in town. One place was nice enough to mention Big Timber....
Here we are....Big Timber, Montana...691 km from this morning...not a great distance...but safe and sound.... oh yes...check this place out.... another one for retirement.
www.springcreekcampground.com
I'm liking Montana...and we are not even half way through.
Mags....you were right....this place is special.
I hope we have WiFi were we stop tomorrow.....it is 1100PM....Leah and the kids are just finishing Mama Mia...movie...I am going to have a rummer... (again) and call it a night.
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