Snow Day in Deer Lodge

 

Bill just came in from looking outside the Travelodge Motel here in Deer Lodge.  

"It's snowing," he announced.  "I was hoping to do some geocaching, but maybe not just yet."

He's now at the breakfast nook for our overnight accommodations here at the home of the Montana State Prison, which we'll try to avoid.

Yesterday, we still did not know which way the pickup was gonna turn (at least I didn't) until Bill flipped the left turn signal on South Center Valley Road and headed east through Selle.  

Someone on Facebook suggested that we might see the Atlantic cuz it's kinda big.

Well, no oceans yet, anyway, but we have seen a lot of deer, some elk and a bunch of mountain sheep, apparently just let out of school near Plains, Mont.

We've also seen the sight familiar to road travelers----the convenience store scenes.  Who cannot relate to the trip from the bathroom, through all the beer aisle.  And, in Montana, there are the casinos.

And, we stopped briefly at the Kevin Brown Wildlife Museum--a 'must-see' in Missoula,  but only found his fish and a nice looking set of antlers.  

We did not try our luck at Lucky Lil's----maybe when we come home with just a little cash left.

I must not forget to mention the goodies we picked up at the Pantry in Clark Fork.  Even on my road trips I like to tell about the places with the good eats back home. 

Any locals who have not tried The Pantry should take the drive.  My slice of pizza was wonderful, as was Bill's ham and cheese (No. 3) on homemade bread.  He was regretting not buying the coffee cake to bring along for breakfast.

So, he's in that breakfast nook cooking up his waffle.

While on the subject of Travelodges, I must say we feel like we're at the Waldorf, compared to the Travelodge where Annie and I stayed a couple of years ago in Derry, Ireland. 

Definitely the apples and oranges of the Travelodge scene.  It was nice that Bill could take his room key, cuz we got two instead of the one in Ireland.  I could not take my room key with me that morning because Annie needed it to turn the lights on in the bathroom while she took a shower.

So, this Travelodge, though basic, gets a 4-star rating, as does the 4B's just down the parking lot.  Seems to me when my two brothers and I joined my mother in the 1958 Ford Ranch wagon on our Big Trip to Michigan (I was 10 at the time), we ate at a 4B's in Missoula.

So, I enjoyed a taste of nostalgia along with my delicious bacon burger and homemade 'mater soup last night.  Nice to have a bite at one of Montana's old reliables.

Every day that we stray even further away from our beloved farm, I want to thank my brother Jim for watching after the crew at the Lovestead AND Willie and Debbie for taking little Foster under their wing.

We feel so fortunate to be able to get away, and without their willingness to pitch in, this would not be possible.  So, thanks to each of you, and do give my little guy a big hug.  

I didn't even say good bye to him yesterday cuz I knew it would be too hard.

We'll proably keep going east today and the rest is a mystery.  So, stay tuned.