USA NORTHWEST 2014
~PART 2: IDAHO & MONTANA~

Photos © R.Leeuw

We arrived late in the afternoon in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I knew there was a vintage deHavilland DHC-2
at the floatplane base and was fortunate to capture it with this breathtaking sunset.

Someone was mining for riches here!

We were driving around for a restaurant and a place to park when I came across this library. I 'collect' libraries!
I love books and would hate to see them replaced by e-books, reduced them to downloadable files. So when I come across
a library, and if I can spare the time, I check them out and add them on an album on my Flickr account. Check it out!
I was amazed to find that this library was open during evening hours! Quite logical though, if you think about it.

The day started with a heavy fog, when we left early from Coeur d'Alene, on Highway 90.

The water was smoking! I thought it was a river, but this must be Lake Coeur d'Alene.

Driving on Hwy 90 we soon came across Old Mission State Park. I turned the wheel and took the exit although we
did not have much time to spare. But when you come across something historical so close to the road it is hard to resist.

Coeur d' Alene's Old Mission State Park contains the oldest building in Idaho. The Mission of the Sacred Heart
was constructed between 1850 and 1853. But we did not have time to visit the museum and there was no opportunity
to have a look inside the old church. So we had a nice stroll in the grounds and headed out on I-90 again.

Still driving on I-90 we entered Montana via Lookout Pass. It was our intention to visit the National Bison Range,
but we needed a spot of lunch first. I had my mind set on a small town named Dixon; it looked promising on the map, on
Road 200 as a sort of gateway to the Bison Range. But the above establishment was the closest to such a thing, and I
lost all appetite. It did make for a few nice pictures, though.

By this time we were starving for food, because there had been nothing to eat at the Bison Range visitor center either.
So by 16:00 we had a full lunch at the Bison Inn, which you will find on the crossing of US Roads 200 & 93.

The proprietor did the store, the kitchen and was the only person to take orders and serve food.
But we were the only customers, so no worries. The man did an excellent milkshake. Oh boy, did we need that lunch!

The road goes on forever...

Each year I take a photo of gas prices, even though I have no real understanding of gallons, etc.

We drove via Helena,MT and had a quick look at the legendary Missouri river. But I saw no opportunity to make a
worthy photo. While driving along US Route 287 I snapped this 'prairie skyscraper'. This was in Townsend,MT and
is a grain elevator. These elevators are used for storage and transfer into trains, trucks or barges (see Wikipedia).

This was also on US 287, about half way where one crosses the Missouri River and coming to I-90
at Three Forks. I love those scenic routes!

Silence remains, inescapably, a form of speech - Susan Sontag

 

It had been a long day and a long drive from Missoula, via Helena, to West Yellowstone,MT.
We found lodging at the Stagecoach Inn, which was probably the nicest place we stayed in during this trip.
This was going to be our base for two days in the Yellowstone National Park.

The Stagecoach Inn - what can I say. I wish we could have stayed (much) longer. Recommended stay for sure.

The restaurants in West Yellowstone are less thrilling, we dined at two across the street from the Stagecoach Inn.
This one wasn't bad, The Gusher. We devoured a 12" pizza.
The Kilian beer ('George Killian's Irish Red') I had here, an amber lager brewed by Coors, was nice too.

The Old Town Café, also across the street from the Stagecoach Inn, was a place I fear I cannot recommend.

Yellowstone National Park is mainly situated in Wyoming, so follow the link there or direct to my page on the park visit.

 

USA NORTHWEST 2014
THE START: OREGON & WASHINGTON
PORTLAND, OR
WHALEWATCHING FROM ANACORTES
PAGE TWO: IDAHO & MONTANA
NATIONAL BISON RANGE
PAGE THREE: WYOMING
YELLOWSTONE NAT'L PARK
JACKSON,WY
PAGE FOUR: IDAHO
CRATERS OF THE MOON
THE END: OREGON

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INDEX TO MY TRAVEL PAGES

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