Almost at the end of the line

June 27 – Today we headed west again to Bozeman, MT., our last stop before reaching Island Park, ID.  We left around 9:30 and today was another windy day.  It also seems the traffic on I-90 was heavier than it had been.  I do hate driving in the wind and with some of the WIDE LOAD trucks, I hug the edge of the road. 

The scenery had changed yet once again.  As we left the low rolling hills of the high plains, we entered plush fields of green and higher hills and deeper meadows.  This was beginning to look like the Montana people envision.  We had some cloud cover and a couple miles of heavy drizzle and then we looked and there were the mountains breaking away from the clouds with snow-caps.  I’m not sure how many photos Bill took but I’m sure there were quite a few.

Our only tourist stop was an hour down the road, Prairie Dog Town State Park.  Normally there are brown signs along the Interstate denoting state and federal locations.  Not this time!  Bill could see on the map about what exit it was and when there were no signs he said, well, get off here and we’ll see what there is.  Luckily at the end of the ramp was a brown sign pointing left

under the interstate.  Then it pointed left again and Bill thought it was going to take us up a gravel road.  It didn’t!  It was a rather narrow paved road and appeared to go way up the mountain, but it turned out that this is an unattended park with a loop at the end of the road a short way up.  It was perfect for us since we were the only ones there and we parked in the loop and enjoyed the frisky little prairie dogs racing from hill to hill and chatting each other up and then, posing on top of their hill just as perfect as you please.  I haven’t checked my photos yet but Bill said I got some really good ones.

It was back on I-90 into Bozeman and as the road turned left a second mountain range

came into view.  This time the sun was broken through and the snow caps glistened.  Bill says this is what it feels like for someone in Montana to visit Daytona Beach.  To us it’s no big deal, just as the mountains must be to them.

It was easy off on the east side of Bozeman to our RV park for the night.  We were parked by lunch time but Bill had to do the hook ups in some light rain.  We had lunch and left out of the park and onto Main Street.  We like Bozeman.  It’s a college town with nice restaurants and good shopping and great grocery stores.  Of course there is a Wal-mart and we found a big used bookstore today.  We came here several times for the day when we were in ID 2 years ago.  It’s about 2 hours so you have to make a day of it.  Some times I’d drop Bill at the theatre and go shopping.

We went to the mall first and I hit Joann’s and Bath and Body Works while Bill hit Barnes and Noble.  Then we went to the used book store and made a stop at Starbucks.  I checked out World Market but left empty handed, shocked Bill!  Last stop before dinner was Wal-mart.  Couldn't get anything refrigerated since we were going to dinner on the way home.  That was OK since we’re going to Rexburg (45 miles south of Island Park) on Friday as Bill has 2 appointments and we can pick up what ever we missed today.  Groceries will be once a week so a list will be VERY important.  West Yellowstone is 14 miles but only has 2 small overpriced tourist grocery stores.  It breaks my heart to pay those prices. 

There’s a little southern style (yes, in Montana) chicken place we like called, Roost Fried Chicken.  I had the spicy with cheese grits and collard greens.  Conventional Bill had fried with cole slaw and potato salad.  When we got to the RV the place was much fuller.  We put most of the stuff away, some we left in the car until tomorrow and later we had our free ice cream sandwiches that the campground gave us in Garryowen.  They are huckleberry ones.  I must say even with the chocolate wafers the huckleberry went really well.

Then it was time to sit down and get this blog caught up and hope the WIFI holds out long enough for me to get it posted.