Day 20,



Since we were on the road fair early, we decided to take Hwy 89 through Yellowstone to the North Gate entrance. It travels through seven national parks and other landmarks from the Mexican to the Canadian borders. It was named the #1 Drivers' Drive by National Geographic. From the short portion of it we drove, we could tell why. It took us through the green pine forests in Yellowstone to the high, dry, rugged mountains to the plains, following the Yellowstone River all the way.

As we drove, we passed through Livingston, MT. Its historic downtown has been used in several movies, including A River Runs Through It. While cute, we weren't quite ready to stop. The next town down the road and the next place to get gas was about 25 miles away so we drove on.


Big Timber is a small town. It is primarily an agricultural area though it also relies on tourism. We found Big Timber Bakery which seems to primarily be a breakfast and lunch business. Despite the small size of the town, the restaurant was busy. We split a Montana Club Melt. It was a delicious choice and everyone was super nice.



The landscape changed as we drove east. Now, there are fewer mountains and more open spaces. It is still dry and we wondered if this is unusual for this time of year.


We are staying at our first KOA Campground tonight. It also happens to be the first  KOA. It is easy to see why some people like KOAs. This is a holiday destination for families with a pool, mini-golf, and playground. It has a small restaurant and has an ice cream counter that serves Wilcoxson’s local ice cream. Of course, I had huckleberry.


Later in the evening, the KOA entertained the adults with a country and rock n’ roll cover band. I have been saying for years that adult housing facilities are going to have to change the musical entertainment they provide for their residents. Looking at the audience, I had a feeling tonight was a harbinger.


While Billings is the largest city in Montana, I really didn’t see much to recommend it. The downtown is kinda sad with the tallest buildings being a hotel and a Wells Fargo. We needed to go shopping to prepare for the next five days when we will be in parks. We tried the local “closest thing to Whole Foods” and were sorely disappointed. We tried the WinCo and found it to be somewhere between an Aldi’s and a Costco. We ended up at Albertson’s. Not that there's anything wrong with a big grocery chain. I just prefer finding and supporting the locally owned stores. I have a feeling that is going to be a challenge across the next few states.
Location: Billings KOA Holiday, 547 Garden Ave, Billings, MT 59101, USA

Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 12, 2021 at 8:19 PM

    So impressed with your writing. I feel like I'm there. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary Fran LynchAugust 12, 2021 at 9:08 PM

      Thank you. I've always kept a handwritten journal of my travels and even made Colleen dictate something to me at the end of every day when we traveled while living in London. The blog gives me the opportunity to add photos and share it. I'm so happy you are enjoying reading it.

      Best of luck as the school year begins. We are looking forward to being home and joining you both at Savannah-Chanelle again.

      Delete

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