Glacier National Park Day 2
Glacier National Park
Day 2 - September 8, 2005 - Billings, MT to Whitefish, MT
We woke up early and got packed and ready for the road. We were able to have our complementary breakfast in the hotel dining room along with several coaches and football players from the Chadron State football team from Nebraska who had also stopped for the night on their way to Bozeman to play Montana State on Saturday afternoon. We wished them good luck and complemented their players on their good manners at the hotel.
We were on our way west at 9:15 continuing on Interstate 90. After about 10 miles we started to smell the smoke from the big fire at Big Timber. We heard on the radio that although it is about 40% contained, it is still burning out of control in many areas. It was cooler today, about 70° and very hazy during the first leg of our drive. We stopped at the Bozeman Trail rest area and took a few photos.
We traveled through the foothills and pine forests; many of these areas had been previously burned by forest fires. The irrigated valleys are green and the ranchers are in the process of cutting and bailing the huge hay rolls. The interstate follows the Yellowstone River and the Lewis and Clark Trail. We passed the staging area of the Derby Mountain Fire and saw the tent city, the huge fire fighting equipment, and five helicopters, as well as the support staff needed to attack this 300 mile blaze.
The locals we talked to yesterday said the summer fires had all started with dry lightning strikes. The creeks and watering holes along the roadway are parched as it was one of the hottest and driest summers in recent history. Everyone is hoping for an early heavy snowstorm; they say that is the only thing that will cool the earth and save the forests.
We got off of the interstate at the town of Three Forks and got gas. This was the most expensive we have seen at $3.14 per gallon for premium plus. We went north on US Highway 287. We immediately hit a dusty patch of road construction. The road extended for 6 miles of gravel so our tires were throwing up gravel and we were trying to dodge rocks from the cars in front of us. Ouch! After clearing the gravel, the 2 lane road was generally smooth and well marked. We traveled through endless miles and miles of golden ripe wheat fields and prairie grasses through the river valley that follows the headwaters of the Missouri River.
We went through Helena, Montana's capital, and found it to be a progressive small city. After leaving town, our Highway 12\287 climbed up into the foothills. We stayed on Highway 12 over McDonald's Pass with an elevation of 6320 feet. After 20 miles we chose state highway 141 that leads north to our scenic state highway 83. Although there were a few campers and RVs meeting us going south, we had the road to ourselves. We had our little picnic lunch at the side of the road by Nevada Lake at 1:45. There was a nice cool breeze so it was a pleasant break in the day's long drive.
At 2:45 we turned onto Scenic Highway 83 that follows the Swan River north to Flathead Lakes. There were many very impressive huge, log, vacation homes built along the lake shores. With such a peaceful setting one wonders how congested this area might be during the height of tourist season!
We stopped along the roadway to take pictures of a new forest fire that just started burning in the Swan Mountain Range. The tinderbox conditions in this whole region are just one lightning strike or careless camper away from another disaster. It was only a few minutes until we saw several helicopters overhead, police, and emergency vehicles racing to the fire scene.
We wound our way through the town of Kalispell where we seemed to get caught in the Friday afternoon traffic as well as a six car collision on the main road to Whitefish. Our hotel room at the Best Western in Whitefish was waiting for us. We tried to book the same room for tomorrow night and to book a tour of Glacier National Park on the Red Tour Buses but we were not able to do either. Hopefully tomorrow we will have good results.
While Vic went to wash the car, I started to type the journal for tonight.
We went to the city center of Whitefish and ate at an Italian restaurant, sharing a Caesar salad and a Greek Pizza. We drove back, got gas,returned to our motel, and finished the journal.
| Miles Traveled | Gallons | Avg. Price | MPG |
| 178.4 | 6.29 | $3.149 Prem | 28.36 |
| 282 | 9.25 | $3.049 Prem | 30.49 |
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