3 Days on the Road

Ok - a little behind with updates. Rapid City was in the rear view mirror and we headed west to open country and Wyoming! Last time we were here there was not snow - the snow makes these peaks - they should always have snow.  They are the Big Horn Mountains. Wyoming has a great welcome center - on I90  with this great Bronze out front.

A little further west there was a sign "Scoria for Sale" - perhaps all of you know what that is. I was curious. Lava rock - who knew that ugly red stuff they sell for landscape comes from here and looks like this before the pulverize it.

We found a great little town called Story. After weaving around and down into a valley it is lush with aspens and pines and we ate lunch at theWagon Box Inn. Burgers and French Dip. Food was ok but location was divine. It was as if you were in another place. Sign on the deck where we ate said "No Dogs on Deck" - about half way through lunch a beautiful black and white Australian shepherd comes out from the kitchen area and heads to the back of the building. He didn't stay on the deck!

When we headed back to I-90 we saw this hidden waterfall - there are wonders all around you here.

We arrived in Bozeman and stayed at the Rainbow Motel. Locally owned it is the old fashioned type where you get to park in front of your room. All was clean and quaint. Ate dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ. We were in Bozeman 4 years ago and really like the town. It has a college and has a nice vibe to it. Both young and old mix and the downtown is great. Old buildings still in use and updated mixed with the new.

We left this morning and headed west to Butte. We had never been to Butte before but it is quite a town. The history is alive here and the "old" town has been restored and is being used. We drove up the hill into old town and found a wonderful farmer's marked blocking the street. This town could have become decrepit but the city council seems to be improving it rather than letting it go. Tiny OLD houses from the hey day of the copper mines in the late 1800s are painted and lived in. The first mine is right across the street from the Federal Court House.

We ate at the City Cafe which is in the walkout windowed basement of one building and had a hearty breakfast.
West to Anaconda for gas fillup. Another cute little town to drive through. Although I am pretty sure that the bathroom at the Conoco has not been cleaned in at least 30 years!
At a rest stop just East of Missoula we found these cute items. Walked down to the river and beaver had been busy

And lovely forest roses - you could smell them - seemed like bees would love the aroma!

Tonight we sleep in Missoula at Ruby's. Nice clean hotel room with FAST internet and nice hot water. We ate at a Mexican restaurant called Rowdy's. It was ok. Drove through old down town and wish we had more time to spend there. Didn't get a pic of it but they have the COOLEST tunnel! This town is great and wold love to spend some time here. This is the view out our hotel door.

Some cute metal art in front of Rowdy's.

Well, thats all the news thats fit to print tonight! See ya on the flip side.