On the road, near Belt Montana.

Friday, August 14, 2009, 0805 MDT, just south of Belt, Montana on HWY 87

We got a late start yesterday, leaving Wyoming around 0730, instead of our planned 0600.  By the time we went to Menard’s, Wal*Mart, Sam’s Club, Safeway, and back to Sam’s Club, we wound up leaving Casper at 1230!

Things were uneventful until we left I-90 in Billings and headed north on 87.  It was getting dark, but the sky was getting brighter!  Our public service scanner’s WX-Alert function warned of the potential for severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and hail.  For the next 150 miles of dark Montana two-lane highway, we watched the sky explode all around us.

About 75 miles in, the rain started and it just poured.  Finding the road was pretty tough at times.  When we finally got to the turnoff for the campground we’d planned on using (Ackley Lake), it was so late that we just kept going and hoped for a rest area around Great Falls.  And here we are!  Right beneath railroad tracks, and next to a weigh station, it’s not the cozy campground we expected, but at 0130 this morning, it sure worked great.

And now, we’re slightly AHEAD of schedule.  I figured we’d be leaving Ackley at 0900, but we’re going to be starting out 62 miles closer to our destination for this evening – Willow Creek Campground in Alberta.  Time to get the passports out.

Papa Frits – I had the first taste of the oude kaas this morning.  Wonderful!  I’m so glad you brought it from Holland, and that we saved it for the trip. Thank you!

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