Snow!
Custers Last Stand.
Today's scripture: Psalm
Plan today was to zoom through the Big Horn Mountains on US14A to near Sheridan and then visit Custer's Last Stand and finish the day in Glendive Montana.
The motel in Lovell, WY is not far from the Bighorns and we could see them from the parking lot. There was some clouds around and the forecast has a slight chance of rain. But, feeling optimistic,we did not put on the rain gear. As we travelled closer to the base of the mountains we could see that it was raining up there and we were getting some drops on our windshield so we stopped and remedied that oversight at the base of the mountain.
As the highway began to get twisty and work it's way up the mountain we noticed that the pavement was wet which required attention for any slipperiness. But it was not too bad and we still enjoyed the beginning of the drive up. We stopped at a pull out which presented a beautiful view of the valley below and also rainbows would appear occasionally in the clouds. Very nice!
Then a truck would pull into the parking area that caused all of us to drop our jaws... it was covered with a deep layer of snow! We rushed over to the driver and asked where he'd been to pick up this snow. He said, "up the mountain where you are going". Wow, this day was turning into an adventure we had not expected. The truck driver did give us some encouragement by saying that he had been up to his cabin high in the mountain range and he figured that the main highway which is lower in elevation would not have any snow. Boy was he wrong! We drove on with this hope in mind but after not too many curves and switchbacks we were in an actual accumulating snow fall. We stopped for pictures of this unusual sight and Greg even did a snow angel!
We had little choice but to carefully proceed. The road was snow covered except where the 4 wheeled vehicles had left 2 paths on each side of the road. As long as we stayed in one of these paths we were fine, but then we got behind a pickup who felt he couldn't go more than 15 MPH and we had to try and pass him. This didn't work to well so he pulled over and let us by. But then the adventure intensifies as the we see a snow plow barrelling down the road from the other direction. His plow blade was very wide and reached across the yellow line onto our side. We had to quickly pass through the snow in the middle of our lane to get out of the way or turn into a snow bank!
Shortly there after we drove out of the snow and into just rain. We worked our way down the mountain to Burgess Junction and found a nice restaurant to dry out and have a breakfast buffet. Right in the right place and at the right time.
After breakfast we mounted up again and continued out of the mountain range. The roads were wet but the rain was ending. We got down to town for gas and laughed over the strange conditions we had just encountered. In 30 years of riding motorcycle I had never rode in snow in August!
Next we jumped on the super slab and headed up to Montana. Destination: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. By then the sun was out and drying everything out. We took off the rain gear and headed to the park information center just in time to hear the ranger give a historic presentation of the events that led to the battle and of the battle itself. It was very informative to hear and to stand in the very place where this fight occured. We then toured the monument and viewed the gravesites.
After all this it was time to start heading east in preparation for our drive home. Glendive is in eastern Montana on Interstate 94 and we arrived after a long drive at or around 7:00PM. It had been an interesting day full of suprises and adventure.
