Unpublished thoughts from the Beginning of Trip, thought appropriate as we are almost done with the journeyu

We woke to Sunshine this morning.  Billings. We have traveled less than a 1000 miles but then that is okay. We are on a road trip. A Sally and Mary-Elizabeth Road Trip.  So we don't get very far very fast sometimes.  Sometimes it is necessary to leave the room in Drummond Montana at 11:45 am. 

We then need to abandon the plan and head off to places unknown.  Only rule.  Must be headed South or East.  No back tracking.

How can you not go to Highway 1 and stop at Hall and Philipsberg and see the worlds best stocked candy store.  Cool, cool old town.  I want to move there.  Of course every town we go to “I want to move here” comes out of my mouth. Small is better.  While not practical it feels,  better.  It is so much better. 

Back on the road but not until we have taken a couple of good pictures and stopped at the Sapphire gallery.  Who knew they grew in Montana.  Then a moment on the really high scary pass with the cool canyons and cool rocks and then a drive through Anaconda…

Then time for some serious driving.  No She wouldn't let me stop at the Ghost Town or the head waters of the Missouri River.  No we could not visit Three Forks State park or go find out why they named Greycliffs , Grey Cliffs.  No we could not go ask to drive through the private property on Crazy Mountain and see how close we could come to the base. (Crazy Mountains, just sitting there on the plain.  Looks like they were plucked up from the Sawtooth range and plopped down.

We drove, we saw the runners for the Special Olympics,  (Event starting in Billings next week-end.)  We were almost smashed by very big, did I mention big pick-up trucks… Frozen lakes, hail, visible snowing in not so high mountains.  Hugh valley vistas, lots of bovines and sheeps…  lots of critters.  There is a great lack of Mooses… I want to see some Mooses.  Not lots of birds, deer crossing and one sheep warning signs.   No sign for the Clinton Montana Testicle Festival. 

Lots of really big trains going and coming and going.  Rail crossings are to be respected.  No messing with them.  There are trains here that could crush your car like an aluminum can.  

So today, we are headed to real sights.  A search for answers.  We will peer into the past and wonder.  Why did Clark carve his name?  Big Horn. Why was Custer so arrogant?  Why do the Praire dogs looks cute and can we have one?  Where did that hunk of rock come from (Devils Tower) and of course it is sacred! 

Odd and only funny at 1:30 am.

            Perkins, that is the Dennys for here.

            Oh, I think that is a USO.

            Clarkfork river…. We have crossed it only 16 times.

            How do those black bovines birth those white babies.

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