Day 37 Butte MT

Today we travelled in three states. We left Washington (the only state named after a president by the way), traversed the northern part of Idaho and into central Montana.

I wish I was a quicker draw with the camera. Then I would have a picture of the Oscar Myer wiener that drove past us on the Interstate (not kidding a giant yellow and orange hotdog passed us!), or the “fields” of water lilies that David thought were crops, it was so large and plentiful. I wondered if they were actually being cultivated, but there was no indication of that so I must assume that they grow well in Idaho!

You know you have driven over plenty of mountains when you cross a pass with a 3,000 foot elevation. They don’t even mention it, and you don’t mind that they didn’t!

We weren’t a mile into Montana when the Stetsons once again appeared. It’s easy to tell when you’re in cowboy country! The land here is wide open. “Big sky Montana” is not just a catch phrase. Ranches dot the landscape but there is not much sign of life. I guess everyone is out on the range. They may brand cattle here but they also brand the hills overlooking their towns! Cool idea and helps the wandering traveler know exactly where they are if you’re following a map!

Branding your town.

The campground is a hoot! Calling it the 2 Bar Lazy H was a bit of a hint, but we are camped beside a tipi on the open range! Funny that when we asked the girl in the office (like we always do) if there was a good trail for walking nearby, she first looked somewhat confused and then responded, “There’s some grass out back you can walk through.” Where tell me is there NOT grass?

Main office with the bath house!

We are now directly south of Alberta. The terrain here looks like the badlands, covered with grass! We are on the edge of a wicked rain storm. The openness let us see it coming for some time. The lightning has been streaking across in the distance and the sky over yonder, black as pitch. Not sure we will actually get the rain but the wind is rocking the trailer so hard it’s hard to type! The variety in the geography on Turtle Island may just be the most memorable part of this wonderful trip!

What Montana calls a hiking trail.

Tipis next to us.

Actual pine poles and sticks holding the front canvas together!