I had to take one shot here. My stitch program said it is a lousy job with lots of overlay errors. But it is too hot to go for another shot.
Besides, the only reason I wanted to take the picture is to show the bridge. I bet Lewis and Clark were very happy puppies when they saw that bridge, because US 191 goes over it, solving their problems of getting to the Pacific!
First panorama of the Missouri R.
Where is James Kipp Rec Area (BLM) Campground?
Today’s travel: map item #25 to #26 , 67 miles
Barth digging in her tires in preparation for 100+ temps:
Nice campground for primitive camping. Was 111 F yesterday according to the host. No reason to expect the temp to decrease. CG is located in a depression on the banks of the Missouri River. It would be cooler one mile from here on the plateau, but since rec areas are designed for the spring/fall fisherman, not the summer camper, no one cares that the campgrounds are located in the hottest place imaginable.
So I will stay here a night or two. The CG host suggested moving North a few miles to Zortman where a campground exists that is not in the river depression. But I do not want to offend Annie; she worked so hard to help me back into this camp site.
I visited the Lewistown Museum today, a nice little museum. The kind I like, small. I am overwhelmed by huge museums and just want to run, run, run away from them. But I left Annie the Dog and Ranger the Truck
The nice lady in the museum, the one that useta winter in Mesa, AZ told me about a couple drives to ghost towns nearby. I found one of them, but not the second. But I did find a nice mountain peak with a view, and enough cellular telephone antennae to fry a hot dog!
I heard some bumbling around outside, out of site. Then a fellow named Joel appeared asking for electrician tape. Gave it to him, then followed to satiate my curiosity.
Seems that he has four horses in a trailer, towing them from races at Great Falls to home at Fargo. One of them came in third. That was the one smiling.
Seems that his accelerator pedal is about to break, an the fray had him stuck at 70 mph. He somehow got it into this campground/rest stop. Making phone calls to sheriff to try to muster some help on a Sunday eve, having thirsty and hungry horses, and all.
There are enough bales of hay across the fence on the airport to make enough methanol for next year’s odyssey.
All the local news breaks at the rest stop in this town of 5000!
Where is Lewistown Kiwanis Park?
Mileage is only 17 Miles, so I am not going to post the route change.
But I will post a picture with the airport in the background. They make a lot of hay on the airport! They have hangers, so it is a real airport.
Lewistown, MT Town Park (Kiwanis) is a donation overnight parking area and rest stop. Coulda shoulda known that and stopped here instead of Eddie’s Corner Truck Stop 17 miles back! I have a headache from the idling trucks.
I will probably spend a few nights here and explore the town and area if they do not run me out of the park.
Where is Eddie’s Corner Truck Stop?
Today’s travel: map item #23 to #24, 218 miles
No photo of Barth’s campsite as all truck stops look alike. However, this one is a mini-TS, having everything the big ones have, just smaller.
I decided that a campsite on Friday in the lake area I was at this morning offered no chance to grab a campsite. Maybe on a Tuesday, but not a Friday! So Eastward I headed.
I did stop in Great Falls, MT at the Lewis and Clark Center there. Very impressive. The only thing not impressive was the instructions given me by the staff to find the legendary Great Falls. I finally gave up and moved on to Eddie’s.
Since the last diesel fuel I purchased in Idaho was $3.23, I was worried that my receding fuel gauge was going to get me into trouble, price wise, in this sparse area of the universe. Things that are called ‘towns’ on maps turn out to be a ranching operation with a cluster of buildings hidden by large trees, the only trees on the landscape. However, was I surprised at $3.06/gal.!
Not much to do here except… stop. I will head further toward a real campsite tomorrow.
