[snowbimmer]

Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park


5 States in 8 Days. Lots of Great Terrain

A few shots before we get started

Weather over Yellowstone Lake


Beartooth Highway


Long Lake - Beartooth Highway


Grand Loop Road - Yellowstone


Highway 191 - NW Yellowstone


One last road trip before the snow tires get put on. We've been doing mostly 2 week road trips the last few years - one in the spring and one in September. The time periods are selected to miss the summer crowds, family vacations and the hot weather. The downside is sometimes encountering snow. September is usually the best month, but all bets are off as you get closer to October when you have 10,000' passes to traverse. I elected to swap out my Michelin PS4 summers for a set of Michelin Pilot Sport All Seasons. I had to deal with snow last fall in Colorado on my summer tires and again this spring going to New Mexico. The A/S performance fall-off was negligible - I felt confident wherever I went.

The spring New Mexico trip was a bit of a grind at 4,800 miles over 16 days. The July Canadian trip was 2,250 miles over 9 days, but during the dreaded high season. The crowds were insane - never again. So we decided to tear off a "short" 2,500 miler over only 8 days in mid September. Still a bit of a hustle, as it were.

I had two roads I needed to bag. The first was The Beartooth Highway. It is Hwy 212 Northeast of Yellowstone on the Montana/Wyoming border. Charles Kuralt of CBS News once called it "The most beautiful drive in America." I can't fault him for that platitude, but apparently he didn't drive my 2nd target highway: The Going-To-The-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. More on both later.

Now, on to the trip. The route was 2 counterclockwise loops, with overnights in Ontario, Rexburg, Cody, West Yellowstone, Great Falls, Kalispell, Lewiston and back home. We've been to most of these places but we're using lots of new roads to get there.


Day 1: Portland to Ontario, OR - 382 Miles


Once again, the first day is the longest day. We've been through Ontario a dozen times, but it's been decades since we've taken the shortest and fastest route to get there: I-84 East, out of Portland. I've been wanting to stop in The Dalles, OR to see the National Neon Sign Museum, so this is the day. The owner only has about 5% of his collection displayed and they are working hard to build the museum and perk up downtown at the same time. I highly recommend it. Just not when the cruise ships on the Columbia River have docked. Call ahead. Even if they are closed, they say they will probably open up for you - he's that enthusiastic.










Grabbed a quick lunch and headed up the freeway as it hugs the south side of the Columbia. After 80 miles, we turn SE from the river at Boardman, OR and reach Pendleton in another 45 minutes. The freeway begins to steeply climb into the Blue Mountains and pass through Meacham Summit at just under 4,000 feet. Meacham was covered in snow and 26 degrees when we were heading to Ontario in the spring, ultimately forcing us to take another route through Burns, since we were on summer tires then. It's 80 degrees today. No snow.

A quick run through La Grande's quaint downtown and we're back on the freeway. My father-in-law was born here in the family home back in 1925.


It's still 120 miles to Ontario, but this section of I-84 is particularly scenic with mountains, forests, interesting rock formations and lots of curves. We grab dinner at Wingers, gas up and run the M850 through a brushless car wash. Not a bad start.

Day 2: Ontario to Rexburg, ID - 362 Miles


All of this was put in since we were here in April. We don't need no stinkin' 'tricity!!


We jump back onto I-84 for a mind numbing 100 miles. Once past Boise, the speed limits perks up to 80 MPH. Its a good thing - this is some of the most boring countryside in the country. Dull brown.
Everywhere. We take US 26 east at Bliss and drive in to the farming community of Shoshone in time for lunch.




We stay on Hwy 26 and reach Craters of the Moon National Monument in about an hour. We were last here 6 years ago and I hadn't planned to stop, but we turn in anyway and run the loop. Always interesting.






Blue, white, green, black and red look pretty good here.


Twenty minutes later has us in Arco, ID. The first city in America to be powered by atomic energy. Interesting 2 block downtown.




We take Hwy 33 north, a little ways out of Arco. The scenery becomes farmy and ups it's game with the Sawtooth Mountains off in the distance.


We turn east at Howe, ID and then it's a 60 mile straight shot to Rexburg. We notice that the closer we get to Rexburg, the nicer the farms become. The farmhouses are surrounded by lush, green, freshly clipped grass. There are no dead cars out rusting. No trash, no junk, no dead farm implements. We hit Rexburg, a town of 40,000, and there is no crap. No homeless. No junk, no graffiti. Just well kept homes, apartments and businesses. The place is hopping. It's also 97% Mormon. They really take care of their stuff. I felt like I could get out of the car downtown, leave it unlocked with the windows down and just go into a restaurant. This city has a "slightly" different vibe than my hometown.

The Rexburg Temple is way up on the highest hill. I imagine it gets a lot of use.


Mainstreet


Our initial 2-Day 750 mile preliminary transit is over. Time to see some stuff tomorrow.

Day 3: Rexburg to Cody, WY - 267 Miles


A lot to do today. Plus 267 miles. Mustn't tarry.

First up is the site of the former Teton Dam, near Rexburg. As a young engineer out of college I had the opportunity to be involved in a few dam projects. They've always fascinated me because they are, well, so damn big. I've been fortunate in the last several years to see some of the grand daddies of dams: Hoover, Dworshak, Shasta, Oroville, Glen Canyon and Grand Coulee, among others. This one is different because it was a spectacular failure. Designed in the 1970s, it was a 305 foot high earthen structure for flood control and irrigation. The dam was completed in November 1975 and began to fill that winter. Unseasonal torrential rains filled it faster than they wanted, however. On June 3, 1976 a couple springs breached the downstream face. Two days later the crest of the dam sagged and collapsed into the reservoir. A few minutes later, a third of the main right bank wall disintegrated. 2.000,000 cubic feet/sec of the Teton River tore downstream, flooding several towns, killing 11 people and 16,000 livestock. The reservoir was empty by 8 PM that night. The flood caused several hundred millions of dollars in damages. It was never repaired. I remember reading about it in 1976 and had always been curious. Today I scratch that itch.

Initial Dam Breach


The Aftermath


Today


There is virtually nothing at the overlook to commemorate what happened here.


On the way back to the highway - a view of the Grand Tetons Range, 50 miles to the east.


We head north on Hwy 20 and then take Hwy 47, the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway. We start to climb and are soon surrounded by lush forests. After a quick stop at the Lower Mesa Falls viewpoint, we move on to the main event at the Upper Mesa Falls viewing area, a few miles down the road. This was a freebie I knew nothing about until a few days prior.

We tour the very cozy Visitor's Center.


A nice wooden deck system allows you to traverse to the falls


All the way to the brink


The falls are on the Henry Fork of the Snake River - from across the canyon (not my picture)


We quickly rejoin Hwy 20 and head for West Yellowstone, only an hour away. West Yellowstone is a very touristy (think T-shirt and souvenir shops) and busy place. Lots of restaurants and motels, as it is the jumping off point for Yellowstone National Park. We don't stop, since we will be back through here to stay tomorrow night. The West Entrance is only 0.4 mile from the edge of town and can get pretty busy. We get in one of the four lines with only one car in front of us. Hmmmmmm. Where is everybody? (Already inside the park, dumbass).


I suppose this is my 7th time to Yellowstone. A couple times with the family as a youth. Once with five fraternity brothers in a camper on the way to a conference in Vail. Several times with the wife. The most memorable was when this bad boy cracked a fuel injector coming down from Big Sky to West Yellowstone. It was spewing gas all over the inside of the engine compartment.


Got it to a repair shop, but a part was at least 3 days away. So we rented a car from him and went into the park from noon Saturday to 5:30PM Tuesday. We saw every nook and cranny of the park. At 5:30 the FedEx truck arrived. By 6 we were on our way and drove 820 miles straight through the night (with no lack of trepidation having a freshly repaired part under the hood). We arrived without incident. To this day, that '86 Starion is one of my favorite cars. Took it to over 140,000 miles.

Anyway, today we hightail it to the Grand Prismatic Spring on the lower loop. We tried to see it six years ago, but the crowds and parking were insane. This time, we had to park on the road about 3/4 mi from the parking lot and hoof it down to the site. It's one of the more noteworthy stops in the park.

You have to cross the Firehole River to get up to the spring


Excelsior Geyser Crater


A boardwalk takes you around the eastern edge - it's a big spring


A rainbow of colors


A view from the Grand Prismatic Spring Viewpoint (Requires a long hike) - not my picture


It's now after 1 PM and I was hoping to have lunch down the road at the Old Faithful Inn (who isn't planning to have lunch at the Old Faithful Inn?). There's a lot of traffic and construction. We arrive at 1:30 and have about 30 minutes before Old Faithful blows. The dining room is crammed. Luckily the line at the deli is manageable and we snag a couple sammiches and head for the 2nd floor deck. Two seats are available in the section over the porte cochere of the main entrance.


We can see the crowds forming for the next show from the deck. We finish up and head for the masses, passing an old park bus along the way.


Several thousand people que up about every 90 minutes for the big show


Thar she blows - set your watch to it


Back inside the lodge, looking up 5 stories around the central fireplace They say the Lodge is one of the largest wooden structures in the world.


Its all of a sudden dark, it gets very windy and it starts to rain. We scoot back to the car and head south, then east, following the north shore of Lake Yellowstone. We skip a couple small geyser basins and reach a nice viewpoint of the lake. It's big.


A few miles further brings us to Lake Yellowstone Hotel, a grand lodge built originally in 1891 and is the oldest hotel in the Park. It is definitely worth a visit. Or even a stay if you are not short of money.



We were fortunate enough to have lunch in the dining room six years ago. Very nice.


Lake Yellowstone from the hotel


Back in the car, we continue for a few more miles to the junction at Fishing Bridge, where you can continue along the Lower Loop Road north toward Canyon Village, which is another 25 miles. The spectacular Yellowstone Falls awaits up there.

Yellowstone Falls, from 2017


Already been there, done that. This time we choose to turn east (for the first time in my life) and head out the East Entrance Road. But first, a stop at Fishing Bridge to capture the Yellowstone River.



It's still 75 miles to Cody. We follow the northeastern shore of Lake Yellowstone a few miles and then turn to start climbing into the mountains. There is a lot of fire damage to the forest. A stop at a viewpoint opens up a grand panorama of the lake and the approaching storm we are fleeing.










We crest Sylvan Pass at over 8,500 feet and head for better weather




Hwy 14 is a fabulous road as it winds toward Cody, Wyoming


We eventually reach the East Entrance to Yellowstone


The highway is now following the Shoshone River through a very scenic geologic region. The light is fabulous.


It's a shame the car is so dirty


After dropping 3,000 feet, we approach Buffalo Bill Reservoir, which, oddly enough, backs up behind Buffalo Bill Dam. Go Figure. The visitor center is closed. Dammit.


Cedar Mountain


It's nearly 7 o'clock by the time we get to the hotel. We settle in, then head downtown to forage for food. The Irma looks interesting. It's in the Buffalo Bill Hotel. Irma was his daughter.




The entire town is all about Buffalo Bill. I guess it makes sense, since the town was named for him, William F. Cody. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West contains five museums. Something that will have to wait for the next time through, because tomorrow will be a long and epic day, with no time for Mr. Bill.


** Two more posts follow with the rest of the trip **

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Day 4: Cody to West Yellowstone, MT - 240 Miles


The day dawns with glorious sunshine. There are only 2 days on this trip where I have to have great weather: Today and Day 6. That's me, lower left, randomly sitting there.


After nervously watching the radar and weather apps for a week, it appears we are in for a marvelous day. We are still 100 miles and 3 hours away from our high point, but it looks good.

One last cruise through downtown Cody


Today is the shortest mileage day, but it will be jam packed. We start in Wyoming, hit Montana, back to Wyoming, up to Montana again, back into Wyoming, traverse the northern loop of Yellowstone and end up back in West Yellowstone for the night. In Montana. Get it on.

We hop on Hwy 120 and head north to Red Lodge, MT. Wow. What a delightful town this turned out to be. A several blocks long main street with lots of shops and restaurants.




The Montana Candy Emporium is chock full of candy and memorabilia






Then we are off to the SE on Hwy 212, the Beartooth Highway. The scenic byway starts just west of Red Lodge and traverses roughly 68 miles to Cook City, just outside of the NE entrance gate to Yellowstone. The road rises 5,200 feet in the first 12 miles and traces a series of steep zigzags and switchbacks on its way to the summit plateau. The views are outstanding. The road is only open for about 5 months of the year. Let's get to it.

1st viewpoint. We will eventually crest the mountain in the far background.


Switchbacks






The weather won't be a problem today


We reach the Rock Creek Vista where the view expands to 270 degrees. The elevation is 9,190 feet. Outstanding.












A couple more switchbacks takes us to a view of the Rock Creek Vista


The road continues rising until we hit the summit plateau at over 10,000 feet. The trees disappear.




One last set of switchbacks




Made it


The decent is not quite so death defying. We pass through a nice granite landscape with trees and pass several lakes.




Yellowstone Overlook provides a nice view of Index Peak (the pointy one)




We cross back into Montana again and reach Cooke City, the official end of the Beartooth Scenic Byway. The agenda is lunch. Cooke City is fairly touristy, not to mention quite busy. Its a hardscrabble town that seems like it should be doing better. The first restaurant seats us. Its busy and they ignore us. We leave. The second restaurant is not busy. They seat us in a crummy room with junk piled everywhere. We leave. The 3rd restaurant is very busy. The wait will be 30 minutes. We leave after 10 minutes and head to the crappy Exxon to look for a snack. We get back on the road. We pass through the NE entrance to Yellowstone at about 2:00.


This part of the park is less busy, with rolling plains and lots of buffalo. It's also not very geysery.




Then we are stopped for a half hour to wait for construction traffic. There was substantial flooding in June 2022 that washed away several big chunks of road. We pass hundreds of dump trucks bringing in thousands of cubic yards of rock to shore up the damage. They have a long way to go.




We finally reach Tower Junction and hook into the Loop Roads. There are no services here. Lunch will have to wait. We turn south and run the 2.5 miles to Tower Falls.


Then we reverse course and head for Mammoth Hot Springs on the Upper Loop Road. It's very busy at Mammoth. We tour the Albright Visitor Center and Museum that used to be part of Fort Yellowstone. We then make our way over to the main event: The Mammoth Hot Springs.

Parking is at a premium. Sadly, while still capable of drawing large crowds, the springs have virtually dried up. What was once a marvelous, steamy, shiny and burbling cascade of fun is now mostly just a dry relic. I remember how glorious it seemed as a kid.


We hike around the boardwalks, drive the upper loop and hike some more, but it leaves you wanting.

It's 5:00 and we backtrack to Mammoth in search of lunch/dinner. We spy the Mammoth Dining Room.. There's lots of parking - because it's closed! WTH? The General Store next door yields a dry turkey sandwich for me and a bag of popcorn for the missus. Not ideal. We depart unfulfilled. Again.

Back on the Loop Road, we traverse through a small granite strewn boulder field. The late afternoon light is really good.






A little further on, Golden Gate Canyon catches our eye



The sun is disappearing, but we want two more stops. First up is the Norris Geyser Basin, another insanely popular spot. Luckily, it's so late in the day that we make it to the main parking lot and hoof it around one of the geyser loops. Good enough.








Last stop is Gibbon Falls. It's really quite dark now, but the camera can still pick it up.


Finally, late enough in the day - no freaking crowds


We don't get to the hotel in West Yellowstone until 8 PM. But, man, what a day. Except for the lack of food, and stuff like that. The Beartooth Pass exceeded all expectations. I highly recommend it.

Day 5: West Yellowstone to Great Falls. MT - 289 Miles


The day dawns cold - below 30 degrees. The Michelin All Seasons are looking pretty smart right now. I gas up at the same gas station where I discovered my cracked injector all those years ago. I then go look for the repair shop that fixed the Starion - still have the key tag. It had been sitting on my monitor stand at home for years and years. Not sure why. The building is still there, but Randy and the business are gone.


Highway 191 heads north through a thick lush forest. We are technically outside of Yellowstone, but we soon pass the park boundary and drop into Wyoming again. The road follows the state line north. We leave Wyoming for the last time and cross back into Montana and pick up the Gallatin River. The park boundary provides a scenic and atmospheric stop.








The sun starts to peak through a little further up the road



Then we reach the turn off to Big Sky Resort. We drive up to the mountain and find the lodge we stayed in for a conference back in the '90's. Nothing looks familiar. But the area has grown tremendously. New condos everywhere. A new Montage Hotel. The billionaire conclave of the Yellowstone Club - a private community of multi-million dollar ski chalets - is nearby.

Lone Mountain - 11,167 Feet




We stayed in Huntley Lodge back then, the 5 story building to the left, above the car. Named after Chet Huntley, yes, the NBC guy, who founded Big Sky in the early '70s. Who knew?


Bozeman, MT is the next stop. It's a pleasing little college town (Montana State) and well maintained. We stop at the Gallatin History Museum and learn a lot about the area. Another great museum that we hit up on our trip to Mt Rushmore in 2021 is the Museum of the Rockies, known for it's extensive dinosaur exhibits. Both museums are worth the time.


Mainstreet in Bozeman is quite happening and quite extensive, covering many, many blocks. A quick walk around and a bite to eat and we off again.


Hwy 86 takes us north out of Bozeman. Not a great road, but the countryside is nice. Coming down out of the mountains we pass the Old Sedan Church, established in 1808. That's all I can tell you about it.




We hook up with Hwy 89 at Wilsall and stop for a snack. Interesting bar across the street.


The countryside turns very ranchy with farmhouses few and far between. Just cattle and grass.


The road is marvelous. Two lanes, great condition, high speed limit. Nice scenery. Mountains in the background. Farming communities very spread out. Eventually we come up on a nice overlook of Sluice Boxes State Park. The sun is cooperating.






Hwy 89 opens up to a 4-lane road on the way in to Great Falls and giant wheat farms come in to view. Hit up google maps around Great Falls. It's absolutely astonishing how much food is grown around here. We cruise around downtown Great Falls for awhile, then find the hotel and walk across the parking lot for dinner. It's 8 o'clock again. Another long day.

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Day 6: Great Falls to Kalispell, MT - 293 Miles


My worst fears today are realized when we wake up to rain. For some charmed reason we have had enormous luck with the weather in the last four years on our major trips. Rain and clouds have never interfered with our sightseeing. That streak might end today. And this was the only other day on this trip I cared about because today is Glacier National Park and one of the most spectacular roads in the USA. It's the main reason I drove all the way out here.

First up, we go down to look at the Missouri River. It starts in Three Forks, about 200 miles south, where the Gallatin, Madison and Jefferson Rivers become the Missouri. Then it flows another 2,150 miles, or so, to merge with the Mississippi at St. Louis. It is the longest river in the USA.


We hop on I-15 and head NW a few miles to Vaughn and then get back on the 2 lane Hwy 89. The weather is dreary as we drive through endless wheat fields. Apparently Fairfield is where the farmers bring their bounty.


Further up the road is Choteau. A nice sounding name, but not much going on.




All there is is wheat and clouds


We get off Hwy 89 at Browning and turn west on Hwy 2 towards East Glacier, which lies at the lower SE corner of Glacier Park.

The marvelous Glacier Park Hotel comes into view. A grand timber lodge completed in 1913 after only 15 months of construction. It was sited directly across from the train depot. The lodge proved so popular after it initially opened that construction immediately began to double it's size. It was finished in 1914.




Several limousines were available to take visitors into the park back in the day


The Lodge was built by the Glacier Park Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway. Many of the great lodges in our national parks were built by the railways. What a business model: Build a spectacular building in a spectacular location and then furnish the only means to get people there.

Louis W. Hill was president of the Great Northern Railway. He lobbied Congress to declare Glacier Park as a national park and Congress approved it in 1910. He and his son built the lodge to compete more effectively with with the railroads that were already taking people to the Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon Lodges. The design was based on the Forestry Building at the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon. Hill and his son admired the building and duplicated the Grand Hall with a 48 foot tall log colonnade, each log with it's bark still attached. The lobby measures 200 feet in length. The Douglas Fir columns are 40 feet tall and are between 36 and 42 inches in diameter. They were all brought in by rail, along with the rest of the timber, from Oregon, because Montana doesn't grow trees big enough. The lodge was loosely styled as a Swiss chalet, as are most of the other structures in the park.

Inside the 1905 Lewis & Clark Exposition Forestry Building, said to be the world's largest log cabin. As Portland is my hometown, I was able to go inside before it burned down due to faulty wiring in 1964. A great loss for the city.


The Great Hall replication in the Glacier Park Lodge. They got pretty close.


Today


After a tasty lunch in the Lodge, we're off to the park. The clouds are really sitting on the mountains - and it even snowed last night. Those Michelin All Seasons are looking pretty smart. We still have to get over a 6,647 foot pass today.

We follow Hwy 49, a windy 2 lane road that rises through the mountains to gain Hwy 89 again.

Lower Two Medicine Lake


Snow in the distance


After 30 miles we reach St. Mary, the eastern entrance to Glacier Park. Another visitor center. This one is real swoopy.


We are now on Going-To-The-Sun Road. It is approximately 52 miles long and it is the only road to traverse the park. It was completed in 1932 after 11 years of construction. Blasted out of solid rock on the side of the canyon walls, it is an engineering marvel. I traversed part of it 30 years ago from the west. Tried and failed again due to weather (snow) 11 years ago. This time it's happening. I just hope to see some of the mountains.


The road follows the north shore of St . Mary Lake for 11 miles. There are some nice viewpoints along the way.






We leave the lake behind and and begin to climb thru a former forest, struggling to reassert itself. The mountain tops disappear into the clouds. They are mighty impressive.


It's only another 2,000 vertical feet to the summit of Logan pass at 6,650 feet. The ceiling looks to be at least 8,000 feet. The clouds are ominous, but it's not raining. I'll take it.






We round a corner and Logan Pass looms in the distance. We're gonna make it this time.


The tops of the mountains are still hidden, but I don't really care. What's visible is still pretty good.


One last stop on the final slope up to the pass


As a side note, some folks, especially on the passenger side of the car, may get the willies when driving along the edge of a 2,000 foot drop-off. The driver, however, will always be near the centerline. Passenger comfort will be somewhat mitigated on Going-To-The-Sun Road if the transit is made from east to west. The passenger will spend virtually the entire time on the uphill mountain side of the road. This wasn't my first rodeo on this subject. YouTube videos are your friend.




The road disappears into a tunnel up ahead.




A picture from the interwebs. Date unknown. Nice day.


We summit at Logan Pass - with a view. There is a large parking lot and a small visitor center here. The lot is always crammed in the summer and very hard to find parking. We're in luck and snag a spot. It's cold and windy, so a hike is out of the question. But we peruse the Visitor Center and get a few pictures.






We begin our decent and just beyond the pass is a wonderful viewpoint that enables you to see the entire route as the road drops down the valley. An absolute straight shot of the long gash that divides the mountain wall in half. What an amazing perspective.






Making the decent on the other side


One of the best turn-outs is at Paradise Meadow, where the mountains and the valley unfold in spectacular fashion. I could have sat here for hours. The cover shot was taken here.










The wife grabs a shot through the windshield again


I wish this picture was better


Don't miss the turn


Looking back up. Logan Pass is the bigger notch in the distance.


We eventually bottom out on the valley floor and follow McDonald Creek for several miles. Then we're hit with construction (now they tell us). 9 Miles of dirt and gravel, formed up into a nice washboard that shakes the shit out of the car. It takes 30 minutes at 20 MPH. Sheesh. A quick stop at the Apgar Visitor Center to buy a metal Going-To-The-Sun Road sign for the garage and we're gone.

Going-To-The-Sun Road. Done. And, highly successful, in spite of the threatening weather.


It's almost 5 o'clock and there is still an hour to the hotel. I had wanted to run up to Hungry Horse Dam on the way, a massive 564 foot high concrete arch structure. It would add an hour. Next time.

We reach the hotel south of Kalispell, near the top of Flathead Lake. There are zero restaurants in the area. After an hour of foraging up and down both sides of the lake, all we can come up with is a crappy diner attached to a casino. But the food and service was good. Finally get into the room at 8:30.

Still, today was a good day. One of the best 52 miles ever spent in a car. Well, 43 miles. The last nine in Glacier Park sucked.

Day 7: Kalispell to Lewiston, ID - 313 Miles


Today will be some new territory. We wander down the western shore of Flathead Lake for 26 miles (big lake). We pass through dry, farms, mountains and forests, eventually ending up on I-90 at St. Regis. I-90 is very nice through here - mountainous and forested. We start seeing several signs for 50,000 Silver $, and why we should not miss it. After many miles and many more signs, mission accomplished. Interest piqued. We turn off at the TURN OFF HERE!!! exit at Haugan, MT.


Gerry and Marie Lincoln started Lincoln's 50,000 Silver $ Bar in 1951. After opening a bar called Cherry Springs in Alberton, MT, the locals (loggers & miners) would come in. They were paid in silver dollars back then. On October 1, 1952 Gerry cut a hole in the bar and hammered in a silver dollar, then inscribed his and Marie's name beneath it. It caught on. By Dec. 1953, more than 2,000 customers and hammered in their own silver dollars with their names. The bar name was changed to Lincoln's 2,000 Silver $ Bar. The original bar has 2,115 pieces and is still in use. Each coin is still the possession of the owner - many come back to visit "their" coin. By 1956, and the construction of I-90, they moved the bar (and the now 6,000 coins) 50 miles to Haugan, MT. The name kept changing to reflect the size of the collection. By 1976, the second generation moved 12,000 coins about a mile to their present location. They have added a gift shop, restaurant, casino, RV park and gas station. There are now over 87,000 silver dollars, the majority embedded in plywood sheets hanging from the walls and rafters. It is, to say the least, unique. The 4th generation has started working there now.




Freeways are generally to be used when the landscape is boring and the distances are vast. I prefer to stay off them as much as possible, because you miss so many great little towns. I-90 follows the Coeur d' Alene river through the mountains here. There are a string of small towns sitting on the edges of I-90. Some due to timber, but mostly mining. One is even called Smelterville.

Wallace, ID is an example (probably the best in these parts) whereby a city will embrace the past with the present and create a new purpose for existing. Very cool. Lots of restaurants, shops and hotels in the original buildings.










Kellogg, ID




Eventually we turn south on Hwy 3 and head south 30 miles to St. Maries.



We pass through mostly farms and several small towns whose best days are clearly behind them.

Kendrick is a nice little berg with large silos and grain elevators. However, the rail line behind them has been paved over and now functions as a paved recreation trail. Seems like that many silos need a railroad.




Hwy 3 eventually ties in to Hwy 12 on the Clearwater River and we cruise in to Lewiston. The hotel is packed with my Oregon State Beavers, the fans in town for the Washington State Cougar football game up in Pullman, WA tomorrow. It's been unofficially dubbed the PAC-2 Championship. Sadly, we lose the next day. But at least we got to play in the conference championship. Can't wait for basketball season next year. 10 preseason games in Nov and Dec, then 18 games against WSU. Looking forward to that!

Nothing earth-shattering, but still, a pretty good day


Day 8: Lewiston to Portland, OR - 353 Miles.


Hwy 12 crosses the Snake River at Lewiston, ID and takes us into Clarkston, WA. Get it? Those boy's fingerprints are all over this part of the country. We follow the Snake awhile and then climb up to a plateau where it's just wheat fields, as far as the eye can see. The morning light is very nice.




We stop in Pomeroy, WA at one of our favorite roadside attractions




Then Dayton, WA


Then the quaint little, well kept town of Waitsburg, WA


We follow Hwy 12 past Walla Walla and meet up with the Columbia River and follow the south bank into Oregon, finding lunch in Hermiston. Then it's off to McNary Dam for a quick look see (of course).


We cross over the Columbia to get back into Washington and follow Hwy 14 down the north bank. It is dry, rocky and grassy, but inspite of everything, there are new grape fields and wineries galore up here. And windmills.


Hwy 14 goes all the way to Vancouver, but we cross over back to Oregon at Biggs Junction and blast down I-84. One last picture looking over to Washington at a viewpoint.


We're home in just two more hours. Dirty (no wash since Cody, WY), but ready to go again.


Summary

Another great trip and a few more items off the driving bucket list. The wife really wants to get on an airplane next time. She's a good sport.

Well, so far the M850 has now been on 5 trips with an average length of 3,600 miles (18,000 total trip miles) spread over an average of 12 days/trip. It's seen 21 degrees F, wind, sleet, hail and snow. It's seen the desert and 106 degrees F. It's been to 282 feet below sea level (Death Valley). It's been to 14,115 feet (Pike's Peak). It's been on Pirellis. It's been on Michelins. It's tried summers, winters and all seasons. It's done everything I've asked it to and never once asked for water, air, oil or antifreeze while away from home. Just gas.

I like the looks of it. The engine and transmission hum in unison, even after 34,000 total miles. The exhaust is perfect. The performance has been flawless and exhilarating. I don't miss the 617hp F90 power or stiffer ride. The A/C always gets the job done, except sometimes it spews cold for a bit when heat is required. The interior is roomy and the trunk is decent. Aside from a few paint dings on the front of the hood, you'd never know it has all those miles. The new car hood gets PPF'd next time.


I still don't fully understand why people spend this much money, or more, on a car and then turn it in at the end of the 3 year lease with only 9,000 miles on it. Man, I call that summer. I get it with exotics, but this is still just a mass produced car. I never get tired of driving it - anywhere. It's sad I'm barreling toward the 50,000 mile warranty mark so fast. If I had to replace it, I'd probably order another one just before the 8 Series ICE EOP in 2025, get a long extended warranty and keep it as long as I could, or until they outlaw gas and we're all forced to go full EV. My only concern is the high price and steep depreciation curve which, as a numbers guy, would make me hesitate to do it again. This particular car is so good that I would keep it along time, but it would make sense to wipe away the 60,000 miles I'll have by 2025 and set the odometer back to zero for one last ICE hurrah. I know, 1st World problem. I hope Greta doesn't read this.

As always thanks for tagging along and I hope you enjoyed the photos.

[BMWGUYinCO]

Standing ovation with raucous applause for these posts and trip report! Photos are outstanding as well.

I think you are a lot like me - whenever we take the M850 Convertible on a road trip, I am outraged that Mother Nature would have the audacity to rain on me. So I am not sure if you have thought of this, but I pack a bag with some essentials:

1. Lint free disposable towels (a lot)
2. Bottle of spray on waterless wash (I use one from Adam's and this is seriously a miracle product)
3. Bottle of windshield cleaner (I actually use the ridiculously overpriced one from BMW - it works better than any generic cleaner and smells like ginger)
4. Roll of paper towels
5. Bottle of bug/tar remover
6. Bug/tar removal sponge
7. Bottle of leather/interior cleaner in case of spills (never had to use, fortunately)

So while my wife takes a shower in the morning, I am outside sprucing up the car. It's bright and clean each day. Your car looks clean in most of the pictures so perhaps you do this as well.

*On our last trip, I spent 4 days ahead of time detailing the car, inside and out. Double waxed, toothbrush to clean the rims, the whole nine yards and then some. Car looked better than new...one hour into day 1 of the trip heading up I70 we encountered a rain storm that was not forecasted. It was actually putting me in a bad mood, so yes - I have a problem!

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by BMWGUYinCO

Standing ovation with raucous applause for these posts and trip report! Photos are outstanding as well.

Thank you, sir.

Originally Posted by BMWGUYinCO

I think you are a lot like me - whenever we take the M850 Convertible on a road trip, I am outraged that Mother Nature would have the audacity to rain on me. So I am not sure if you have thought of this, but I pack a bag with some essentials:

1. Lint free disposable towels (a lot)
2. Bottle of spray on waterless wash (I use one from Adam's and this is seriously a miracle product)
3. Bottle of windshield cleaner (I actually use the ridiculously overpriced one from BMW - it works better than any generic cleaner and smells like ginger)
4. Roll of paper towels
5. Bottle of bug/tar remover
6. Bug/tar removal sponge
7. Bottle of leather/interior cleaner in case of spills (never had to use, fortunately)

So while my wife takes a shower in the morning, I am outside sprucing up the car. It's bright and clean each day. Your car looks clean in most of the pictures so perhaps you do this as well.

*On our last trip, I spent 4 days ahead of time detailing the car, inside and out. Double waxed, toothbrush to clean the rims, the whole nine yards and then some. Car looked better than new...one hour into day 1 of the trip heading up I70 we encountered a rain storm that was not forecasted. It was actually putting me in a bad mood, so yes - I have a problem!

I hear ya. Gotta start out with a detailed car. I would usually wash it at least every other day - sometimes daily on the Utah trips because of all the bugs.

I carry most of your list with me. A Meguiar's Detailer instead of the waterless wash. No toothbrush, tho

On this trip I washed it 3 times in the first 1,000 miles. None over the last 1,500. That was really grinding on me, but I got through it.

I posted the full picture of this last year. Then realized how hideous the B pillar looked with all those fingerprints. Keeping the detailer handy now.


Yes, like you, I have a problem

[IronFather]

Wow! Thank you for sharing your journey. I'm trying to convince my wife in taking a roadtrip next year in our M850. I've promised myself I won't be trading it in with less than 6k miles like I've done with previous sport cars I've owned. Loved the scenic photos and the small town rural areas. So much beauty in this country that sadly a lot of folks dont get to see ir experience.

[tsbrown]

Really enjoyed reading this. Thank you for the story and pictures. What is it that makes the 8GC so good at touring like this? Power, comfort, handling, etc? My wife and I have time for these kinds of adventures and I think my 540i would excel at it but she doesn’t have as much patience for the backroad wandering as I do. With the car now 5 years old I’ve been considering the 8GC or a G60 540ix to eventually replace it. Both are about the same size now.

[Nighttime22]

What an amazing trip report! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. You have inspired me to start planning a trip to Yellowstone...by car!!

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by IronFather

Wow! Thank you for sharing your journey. I'm trying to convince my wife in taking a roadtrip next year in our M850. I've promised myself I won't be trading it in with less than 6k miles like I've done with previous sport cars I've owned. Loved the scenic photos and the small town rural areas. So much beauty in this country that sadly a lot of folks dont get to see ir experience.

Thanks. Yup, been doing road trips my whole life. They're just better now with a better car. The M850 really gets it done. Never get tired of the small towns.

Originally Posted by tsbrown

Really enjoyed reading this. Thank you for the story and pictures. What is it that makes the 8GC so good at touring like this? Power, comfort, handling, etc? My wife and I have time for these kinds of adventures and I think my 540i would excel at it but she doesn’t have as much patience for the backroad wandering as I do. With the car now 5 years old I’ve been considering the 8GC or a G60 540ix to eventually replace it. Both are about the same size now.

Thanks, man. When I finally went from the F10 535 to a 550 V8, well, road tripping just got better. Then the G30 M550 made it even more fun. I had 530 and 540 loaners during my 550 days. I thought the 540 was particularly nice. Great around town. But, it just wasn't the same on the road. Then I went F90 for awhile. Wow. Did a 3,500 miler thru Utah. Lots of lonely roads where you could really open it up. Fabulous cars, but it still wasn't quite doing it for me. Enter the M850. Still brutally fast. Handles well (better with the wider tires that I put on, however) and extremely comfortable for 12 hour days. It just chews up the miles. I suppose the number one reason has to be the power, though. If you are spending a lot of time on 2-lane highways, it's always nice to be able to make mince-meat of the slower cars, trucks and motor homes - and not require a large section of road to do it.



For both of you, if you enjoyed this thread, you might like two others.........

From summer 2023, you can't beat the beauty of the Canadian Rockies:
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2034508




Or, from fall 2022, the magnificence of Colorado and Utah
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1966646




Safe travels

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by Nighttime22

What an amazing trip report! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. You have inspired me to start planning a trip to Yellowstone...by car!!

Fantastic. Also, see above post.

Plan ahead. Summer crowds are nuts.

Thanks.

[Chaos236]

PCA, Rennlist, Open Road, best thread ever!Thank you.

[r33_RGSport]

snowbimmer great journal.
I need to visit Yellowstone and Glacier Park again.
Visited them during COVID, but missed a few spots.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by Chaos236

PCA, Rennlist, Open Road, best thread ever!Thank you.

Wow. Thanks. High praise indeed.

However, I humbly think the two threads mentioned 2 posts above are actually better. The Canadian Rockies are, well, the Canadian Rockies. The Colorado one is a little long, but that's only because Colorado can't help itself. Neither can Utah.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

snowbimmer great journal.
I need to visit Yellowstone and Glacier Park again.
Visited them during COVID, but missed a few spots.

Thanks, man. And, you probably couldn't go in to a lot of interior places, either.

[nbcbubba]

Snowbimmer, I absolutely love these posts and hope you continue tripping and posting them. Your pictures are very well composed and always a delight - what camera are you using for all those great landscapes?

The wife and I broke the new M850 in traveling from Washington, D.C. up and around the eastern seaboard and then to Niagara Canada. We found the car well suited to the two week, 3500 mile road trip too.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by nbcbubba

Snowbimmer, I absolutely love these posts and hope you continue tripping and posting them. Your pictures are very well composed and always a delight - what camera are you using for all those great landscapes?

The wife and I broke the new M850 in traveling from Washington, D.C. up and around the eastern seaboard and then to Niagara Canada. We found the car well suited to the two week, 3500 mile road trip too.

Thanks for the nice words. I just use my Samsung Galaxy S10 phone. It runs circles around my digital Nikon - and fits in my pocket.

I did your trip in two sections years apart, several years ago. Boston, Maine and Vermont. Then Cleveland, Pittsburg, Niagara, Toronto and Detroit. Dopey rental cars each time. Would love to get back there again.

3,500 miles over 2 weeks is just about perfect out west with our vast empty stretches of road. You must've been really humming through the dense urbanity of the NE. Any car pics to share?

[nbcbubba]

Sadly, no car pictures. I'll definitely do that next time!

I CAN report that our cars do great in the rain - the last two hours of the initial eight hour trip were in some of the worst rain I've ever driven in and the 850 handled it like a champ. The driver assist systems really helped keep us safe and reduce fatigue.

[Accentu8]

Another awesome travel log snowbimmer! Thanks again!!

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by Accentu8

Another awesome travel log snowbimmer! Thanks again!!

Thanks, Accentu8

BTW........How are we supposed to "Sayyourname".......if you keep changing it?

[Opie55]

This kind of post reminds me of why I currently have over 600,000 unused airlines miles. Whenever an opportunity for a trip comes up, I'd rather drive.