I-90, east of Billings, Montana

August 23 2009 by Darrin.

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009, 2145

We’re at an interstate rest area east of Billings, hoping to catch some sleep before making the final ~300 mile drive back to Douglas.

This morning, we opened the camper door to Lion Lake and were surprised by its beauty.  We didn’t get a good look on the way by last night, and when we returned to camp here it was already dark.  At 0700, the water was mirror smooth and the sun lighting up the trees…

During breakfast, what appeared to be a grandpa, dad, and his two young boys drove up and put a small aluminum boat in the water.  Their electric trolling motor silently moved them out of sight as they began their family fishing excursion.  I would have loved to ask them how they did!  I heard stuff jumping out there in the dark last night, tho’ at that point we were thinking “swamp creature”.

  After a good meal of “Canadian rubber sausage” and eggs, we took off for Glacier and soon discovered that the vehicle length limit was 21′.  I thought it was 25′, but we’re 26′ with the spare tires.  We still couldn’t have gone had my memory been correct.  The woman at the gate suggested we go in, park the AATREC,  and take the free shuttles along the road.  We did consider it, but Charlis-dog had been such a good pup on the trip and he didn’t deserve to be left for hours.  (Anna’s doggy-dug sleeping bag was still repairable at this point, too!)

So we headed home.  We had about 840 miles to go, and there was no time like the present to start putting those miles behind us.  Instead of the interstate, we took US 89 down through Great Falls and then the Lewis and Clark National Forest.  Mileage between the two routes only differs by a few tenths, so we went “the back way”.  There’s lots of good camping there, for the next time!  US 89 is a rural 65 MPH two-lane that meanders through small ag towns.  Much of it is typical wide-open western space…

And here we sit, ready to shut the LED lighting off and catch some Zs.  More pavement pounting tomorrow, but our oasis of solitude and freedom will reward us at the early end to this journey.

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