Total Driving Day
Today was not particularly interesting in that we didn't do any sightseeing, other than from the car. We left our hotel in Hill City, South Dakota around 8:30 with the goal of hitting Billings, Montana. That would be our first stop towards Glacier.
Our drive quickly took us through the historic town of Deadwood and through Black Hills National Forest. This was a beautiful drive with mountain after mountain covered with dense stands of pines, with the occasional alpine meadow.
Then, suddenly, the hills were gone and we were back on flat ground, surrounded by tall grasses. Along this drive, we passed through a town called Belle Fourche, which is called the geographic center of the United States.
From there we took US Rt. 212, which goes arrow straight for hundreds of miles through grass and sagebrush. (First day of sagebrush!). Along the way we went through about fourteen miles of Wyoming before entering Montana. Suddenly we started seeing these guys:
Yes, that's right. Pronghorn antelopes! Mile after mile we would pass clumps of them here and there. We saw a few of them jump a cattle fence like it wasn't even there. These boys can jump!
The drive took us through the Rosebud Mountains. This picture doesn't show it well, but they look like pink coral.
We hit the 2,000 total mile mark in Broadus, Montana and continued on US 212. It goes right through the Cheyenne and Crow Indian reservations. At some point on the drive we got cut off by a "Masshole" (The only Massachusetts plate I've seen west of the Mississippi!)
We arrived in Billings around 3:00. After checking in, we took an Uber to a place downtown called Überbrew. Great beer and dinner.
We've booked a hotel in Great Falls, Montana, which is about half-way between here and Glacier National park, so it looks like tomorrow is all set.
Our drive quickly took us through the historic town of Deadwood and through Black Hills National Forest. This was a beautiful drive with mountain after mountain covered with dense stands of pines, with the occasional alpine meadow.
Then, suddenly, the hills were gone and we were back on flat ground, surrounded by tall grasses. Along this drive, we passed through a town called Belle Fourche, which is called the geographic center of the United States.
From there we took US Rt. 212, which goes arrow straight for hundreds of miles through grass and sagebrush. (First day of sagebrush!). Along the way we went through about fourteen miles of Wyoming before entering Montana. Suddenly we started seeing these guys:
Yes, that's right. Pronghorn antelopes! Mile after mile we would pass clumps of them here and there. We saw a few of them jump a cattle fence like it wasn't even there. These boys can jump!
The drive took us through the Rosebud Mountains. This picture doesn't show it well, but they look like pink coral.
We hit the 2,000 total mile mark in Broadus, Montana and continued on US 212. It goes right through the Cheyenne and Crow Indian reservations. At some point on the drive we got cut off by a "Masshole" (The only Massachusetts plate I've seen west of the Mississippi!)
We arrived in Billings around 3:00. After checking in, we took an Uber to a place downtown called Überbrew. Great beer and dinner.
We've booked a hotel in Great Falls, Montana, which is about half-way between here and Glacier National park, so it looks like tomorrow is all set.
So glad you guys are enjoying your ADVENTURE!!!😊😊😊
ReplyDeleteDeadwood! One of my favorite shows.... :)
ReplyDelete