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This was booked as a relatively short day in order to allow us time for more Railway Legends, Myths, and Stories field-work. But in the end, it took just about the same amount of time, and the amount of time and money we saved wasn't really work it, and we got soaked in the process.
Here was the planed route, and aside from a diversion at Missoula, we stayed pretty close to it. As usual, click through for more photos.
( Kalispell to Missoula )
The Travelodge in Kalispell only had a light continental breakfast, so we decided to try to get lunch at the A&W in Missoula, which involved a long detour off I-90. There Lisa got annoyed and A&W lost a sale. Lisa doesn't suffer fools much ordinarily, and she was wrong-footed by having to use the drive-through because the dining room was under renovation. Then the speaker at the first stop was inaudible. Then she tried to give what should have been a simple order ("Papa Burger, completely plain"). The clerk kept trying to add stuff to the burger and up-sell it to her. After three tries, she got fed up and we drove away.
( Missoula is Cursed )
Rain continued to fall off and on as we continued to Deer Lodge, which was our primary target today.
( Going to Prison to See Trains )
We spent an hour in Deer Lodge, and would really like to see more. If we find ourselves coming through here again, I'd like to spend two nights and a full day exploring the multiple museums there. I'd also like to visit the National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula, and Lisa would like to visit the mining museum in Butte.
( Orthanc in Montana? )
Around 5:30 PM, we arrived at tonight's hotel, the Rocker Inn on the west edge of Butte.
( Not Worth the Savings )
So including the trip into and out of Butte to get dinner, we got fed and settled in about the same time as all of the other nights on this trip, saving no time at all and very little money, at the expenses of once again having to haul our rather heavy bags up a flight of steps. The next time I come through here, I'll pick a different hotel.
At least our sleep should not be disturbed by the industry next door: It's a Yellow Freight terminal, now shuttered by YRC's closure and impending liquidation.
Oh, and a footnote from yesterday's story, which I have also edited into the entry: Lisa drove all day yesterday except for the section from Cardston, Albera to the US border and to the Blackfoot monument just south of the border. She suggested (and I agreed) that the CBP agent would consider me driving to fit the most harmless narrative. It must have worked, because the agent waved us through quickly.
Here was the planed route, and aside from a diversion at Missoula, we stayed pretty close to it. As usual, click through for more photos.
( Kalispell to Missoula )
The Travelodge in Kalispell only had a light continental breakfast, so we decided to try to get lunch at the A&W in Missoula, which involved a long detour off I-90. There Lisa got annoyed and A&W lost a sale. Lisa doesn't suffer fools much ordinarily, and she was wrong-footed by having to use the drive-through because the dining room was under renovation. Then the speaker at the first stop was inaudible. Then she tried to give what should have been a simple order ("Papa Burger, completely plain"). The clerk kept trying to add stuff to the burger and up-sell it to her. After three tries, she got fed up and we drove away.
( Missoula is Cursed )
Rain continued to fall off and on as we continued to Deer Lodge, which was our primary target today.
( Going to Prison to See Trains )
We spent an hour in Deer Lodge, and would really like to see more. If we find ourselves coming through here again, I'd like to spend two nights and a full day exploring the multiple museums there. I'd also like to visit the National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula, and Lisa would like to visit the mining museum in Butte.
( Orthanc in Montana? )
Around 5:30 PM, we arrived at tonight's hotel, the Rocker Inn on the west edge of Butte.
( Not Worth the Savings )
So including the trip into and out of Butte to get dinner, we got fed and settled in about the same time as all of the other nights on this trip, saving no time at all and very little money, at the expenses of once again having to haul our rather heavy bags up a flight of steps. The next time I come through here, I'll pick a different hotel.
At least our sleep should not be disturbed by the industry next door: It's a Yellow Freight terminal, now shuttered by YRC's closure and impending liquidation.
Oh, and a footnote from yesterday's story, which I have also edited into the entry: Lisa drove all day yesterday except for the section from Cardston, Albera to the US border and to the Blackfoot monument just south of the border. She suggested (and I agreed) that the CBP agent would consider me driving to fit the most harmless narrative. It must have worked, because the agent waved us through quickly.
