I’ve been home from my annual road trip (except for a pandemic year) to Montana almost a month now. One lesson I learned the hard way this time: post pictures every day; otherwise, sorting them out when I get back home is a nightmare.

Just trying to sort them into categories has forced me to go outside to watch the strawberries turning red for weeks now just to avoid the issue

I finally decided that I can call it “Food Porn Bracketed by Mountains.” Of course, the best part was Elizabeth and her furries. After that, it was mostly food and mountains.

I left Salem on the earliest possible spring date to be able to get over the Mullan pass from Idaho and into Montana.

First, up through the breath-taking Columbia River Gorge. Then north into WA at Kennewick. For some reason, I find the route from there to Spokane to be the only uninteresting stretch. I always of wish I had “Nick on the Rocks” in the car with me to narrate. Then from Spokane on, it’s all drop-dead gorgeous.

Got over the summit at Mullan with no problems with temps just above freezing.

Arrived in Pray in time for delicious soup. Not sure what was in it except for green chilis. I had three bowlfuls. Sour cream on top.

That was the only chilly (chili?) evening we had. Perfect for a fire in the wood stove

And the first evening of binge-watching Academy Award-winning films. I provided junk food from Trader Joe’s. Montana doesn’t have everything.

Later, from my bed, I watched the amazing full moon rise over the mountains.

As is my habit, I traveled with a collection of my favorite DVD’s to keep me company during my sleepless nights. That night, I thought it appropriate to watch Moonstruck for the hundredth time. I can watch it on mute because I know all the dialogue. Ironically, I later learned Olympia Dukakis had died at that time.

Spent lots of time looking out the windows. Always amazing.

The sun rise hits the mountain from the window in my bedroom:

Coyote and crystals:

Pye silhouette:

Silly Juno:

I earlier (May 14) posted a clip of Elizabeth and Gypsy on their first spring paddle on the Yellowstone. Check it out. I rendezvoused with them at Chicory. Lots of regs.

Spotted some work done by beavers:

My last off-road trip in the Tahoe revealed something of the politics out in the wilds of Paradise Valley:

The lovely old Methodist Church in Pray was shut because of the pandemic.

Prayer request in Pray:

One day trip took us to the town of Big Timber. Actually, to a nursery several miles above the town where we bought some trees from the Marlboro Man.

On the way back through town we bought some baked items at a Mennonite bakery and stopped of at the whirly-gig store.

We decided on this owl one.

I always have cheeseburgers wherever I go. Best test, I think, of an establishment’s culinary rating. Mark’s Beefburgers (“Since 1958”) had just opened up in Livingston.after the winter hiatus. The line went around the block. Definitely worth the wait. It’s very old-fashioned — except for the beeper devices they give you to notify you when your order is ready.

A number of favorite stores in Livingston. I couldn’t resist snapping a picture of this tote bag in one:

My favorite side is onion rings. But here at this place in Pray, I decided to own up to the fact that potatoes are my favorite vegetable. A new, for me, presentation here: Montana Twisters. Boo enjoyed a beverage while we waited in beautiful sunshine.

We had bought some buns at the bakery in Big Timber. Paradise Valley is the heart of Black Angus beef, so we got some ground at the market in Livingston for our home made version the next day. The vegetables we had on hand were onions and mushrooms, so we fried those up to go with.

Back home to do some planting.

Elizabeth names her trees for family members. A mountain ash is called Bad Ash Jean., including honoring late furries.

Just in the nick of time before I had to leave Paradise Valley, Follow Your Nose BBQ opened after its winter hiatus. Here you are wise to opt for the pulled pork sandwich. Sides and sauces are hard to choose. Excellent buns from the bakery next door Boo’s favorite sides are the smoked pasta salad and coleslaw. You can see the tiny Episcopal Church back there.

I am usually glad to head out for home, but I was really sad this time. I would have been happy to spend the entire summer.

Couldn’t leave without one last picture of sweet Pye:

And I had a really hard time getting out of town without stopping to snap a few more. It was an early Sunday morning, and the little Episcopal Church in Emigrant seemed to have a goodly number in attendance.

Had to pull over again at the first rest stop two miles down the road for one last shot of the Yellowstone — the longest wild river in the US — and a little info about the Absarokas and the Beartooths.

And again in Mammoth for a shot of the bisons at home not on the range:

My original plan was to drive straight through the park and take the south entrance out through Wyoming. However, that rout remained closed until mid May, so we turned west and Madison and headed out to Idaho where we had to view the Tetons from afar

Then we pretty much kept the pedal to the metal (Is that the right expression?) all the way to Jerome, Idaho, on one tank of gas, barely, to our resting place for the night. Dolly does know how to settle in no matter where she finds herself.

Interesting amenities. Biggest TV set I ever saw! That’s the closet over there on the wall. I didn’t need to do any ironing or stash anything in the safe.

It’s a zip-zip across southern Idaho where you can drive as fast as you want. I have paid the price for not reducing my speed to the posted snail’s pace in east Oregon. For some reason, after about 1500 miles of driving, I always need to add a quart of oil at about Burns. I have learned to carry some. And a funnel.

Next stop: I think this rest stop in Eastern Oregon may be my all-time favorite. And I do know rest stops. Idaho has the best ones.

And I know cheap, dog-friendly motels too. Mostly, I’ve have no complaints. This last one, however, in Redmond, really missed the mark. In spite of the fact that it was privately owned, the owner charged me $10 extra for Dolly after someone on the phone had assured me there would be no charge. A bold sign on the wall of our room read “Absolutely no dogs or smoking allowed. You will be fined.” Naw.

Other amenities included this neatly mended blanket:

These sad curtains:

And this, the only outlet in the entire room:

Right now, I cannot remember why I decided to book a room unseen in Redmond instead of driving on a few miles to Sisters where I have a favorite motel. Bathroom was clean but I chose not to take a shower.

Ah, well. We did enjoy witching the gigantic ground squirrels along the canal outside our window. They were so big I thought they were marmots, but Elizabeth assured me that marmots do not live below 6000 feet elevation and Redmond sits at 3000.

Heading out on our last stretch home early the next morning, we were our own beautiful Cascades. Closing mountain bracket.

Home again, home again jiggly jig.