From Puyallup, WA to Medora, ND

We need to be in the Chicago area by September 22.  We decided we would front load the driving so if we have any difficulties we can deal with them and still arrive there on time.   Also, maybe we can pull ahead our appointment if we are nearer.  So we have been moving across the country about as fast as we ever have.  We drove from near the West Coast to the Plains in 6 calendar days including 4 days of driving.  We drove over 1,100 miles.  We know, lots of other people drive far more than 300 miles in a day, but for us, that is almost unheard of.  Why, that is nearly a third of the driving during our entire third year of full timing.

We spent the first night in Moses Lake, WA and already blogged on that stay.  And that was a drive of less than 200 miles.  Upon leaving  Moses Lake we drove over 300 miles that day.

Here’s Spokane, Washington.

 

 

 

 

 

And here is Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.  These are the kinds of things you miss when you are “racing” across the country.

 

 

 

 

We finished that day in Missoula, Montana and spent two nights there.  We had read accounts of fellow bloggers visiting the Smokejumper Visitor Center.  We headed over only to find it closed for the season.  Tourist things start to wind down after Labor Day.  We also stopped in at the Big Sky Brewery, brewers of the American Brown Ale, Moose Drool.  Big Sky may be the only brewery in the country with a brown as its signature and highest selling ale, but it is an outstanding one.  And the best part – tasting was free.

From Missoula we drove over 300 more miles to near Billings, MT.  We needed to refresh our memories on why we don’t like to spend nights at Walmart even when it is very convenient for just a quick overnight.  First, a Walmart truck driver didn’t like where we parked even though we had consulted with their security officer before parking.  The truck driver called over an Assistant Manager to have us moved.  In the next spot we had a lot of noise from the freeway as well as the street sweeping of the parking lot during the middle of the night.  But we were able to keep the car hooked up and make an early departure.

Next was another near 300 mile segment just across the eastern border of Montana into Medora, North Dakota.  We are staying here for 3 nights in order to take in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and to watch some football.  Unfortunately, Saturday was a very bad day for the Big 10.  Gary watched all or parts of the losses of Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan, and Ohio State.  We’ll report on Teddy R. in the next blog.