From Glendive, MT to Billings, MT
From Glendive, MT to Billings, MT
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When I wake up this morning, I don't need to consult the Weather Channel to know that conditions have improved considerably. I peek outside my window to see large patches of blue sky and dry pavement. I'm really excited because the last three days have slowed me down and worm me out. I'm very excited to be able to make some serious mileage today across eastern Montana. Even my gloves, boots and leather jacket are nearly dry. I grab some complimentary continental breakfast and then head back to the room to pack up and head out.
I remember eastern Montana from my trip back in 1969 as an arid boring place. This morning I am pleasantly surprised by the region's beauty. The terrain is not nearly as monotonous as I remember. Some of the features of the badlands to the east carry over during the early part of this morning's ride. The badlands are spectacular in part because of their highly eroded nature. This characteristic is visible along the ridge to the south of the highway. The highway itself follows the course of the Yellowstone River. The highway generally sits above the river while a railroad line sits atop the river's banks. This portion of I-90 is part of the Lewis and Clark Trail.
My first stop for gas is about thirty miles east of Glendive at the small town of Terry. It seems that every town in the Dakotas and now Montana with a population over 2,500 has a museum. I haven't visited any of them due to time constraints but I have driven past a couple. From the road they tend be a small building usually an old house with a rusted collection of old farm implements in the field adjacent to the building. I take a few minutes to drive through the center of Terry. Terry is a very small town laid out on a grid system of about eight by ten blocks. There is a small city park and a line of old brick buildings. As with most western cities, the railroad tracks bisect the town's center.
I take a break at rest stop near the town of Rosebud. The rest stop is on a bluff overlooking the Yellowstone River. I get a good view of the broad river. The river's water carries an amazing amount of silt. The water is muddy looking. Another motorist stops to talk for a few minutes and asks if I think the river can be carrying any fish given the water quality. I don't have a clue but it seems like a reasonable conclusion. In this section of the their passage, Lewis and Clark's troop used the river to carry their equipment although the men usually walked on the river bank towing the flatboats with draft horses.
From rest stop at Red Bud looking east down the Yellowstone River. |
From rest stop at Red Bud looking across the Yellowstone River. |
This
rest stop includes another historical marker about cattle brands. If
you want to read it, you will need to click on the thumbnail view to
the full size image. I liked this one in particular because of the
footnote definition of the word dogie (not doggie - dudes please
note). A dogie is a little calf that has lost its mammy and whose
daddy has ran off with another cow.
My next stop for gas is in the town of Forsyth. Forsyth is larger than Terry. The old part of town lies on the north side of the railroad tracks with the Yellowstone River to the north of the town. A strip of travel related businesses have grown up between the railroad and the interstate. The town remains prosperous with a wide variety of businesses along Main and Cedar streets. I have lunch at a Dairy Queen and watch this small town in action. The owner of the store greets everyone as they enter -- generally by first name. Neighbors exchange information while waiting in line or eating -- what little league game has been canceled due to yesterday's rain for example.
Back
on the road again, the next stop is Pompey's Pillar. Off the highway,
this national monument is accessed by a long gravel road. I'm getting
very confident in riding on unpaved surfaces of different qualities.
Pompey's Pillar is a rock outcropping beside the Yellowstone River.
It is noteworthy in pre-European times as a meeting and trading place
for some of the Plains tribes. The name was applied by Lewis during
his passage. Pompey is the name of Sakakewea's son. The main
attraction here is Lewis' signature high up on the rocky outcropping.
This is the only artifact that still exists along the route of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Two
school buses filled with area children are in the process of walking
up the wooden stairs to view the signature. I decide that I'm not in
the mood to deal with this really loud group of kids. I walk over to
the banks of the Yellowstone River to get a close-up view of the
river. From the distance of the highway it looked like a dirty river.
Standing next to it, the river is still dirty brown but it is moving
fast and does not look like an easy way to move upstream.
From Pompey's Pillar it is a short ride into Billings. Billings is Montana's largest city. It is a much larger version of the two towns I have already described. A huge railroad switching yard sits just to the south of the large downtown district. This area is filled with a handsome collection of red brick buildings from the late 1800s. The original railroad depot has been restored and houses a good restaurant.
Back at the hotel, its time for laundry (again!). After the laundry is done, I head out for dinner. I end up at the railroad depot where the restaurant is a microbrewery with some very good food. I have a shrimp-stuffed sirloin and a nice local amber ale. The restaurant is getting ready to celebrate their first anniversary and a live band is getting ready to perform.
I head over to the eastern Montana's only gay bar for a drink and to listen to the music. There is a fairly large crowd although it is much more diverse than what you would see in a major city. The room is about 50/50 men and women. There is a broad age range. I'm surprised by the large number of Native Americans that are here. A few cowboys are in the bar. A couple straight couples show up later to spend some time on the dance floor. This is very different from the near segregation that you see in larger cities.
Tomorrow I take the advice of a local and make a loop through central Montana.
Depart Glendive on Interstate 94 heading west.
Arrive Billings
(c) 2001 Thomas N. Engler Revision Date: 06/21/2001
