Day 17 - June 17, 2014

 

The sunny skies gave way to cloudy skies, and then rain, with snow

above 6,500 feet.

Day seventeen. All is well.  Overnight in Missoula, Montana.

It rained heavily last night in Missoula, and the rain continued into late today.  The temperature dropped to thirty five degrees last night and it remained in the forty's most of the day.  So we stayed put in Missoula for another day.  We both took this stop as an opportunity to wash clothes and catch up on some other things, like rest.

There is more rain forecast for tonight and again in the morning, and we will be riding over elevations above 5,000 feet.  We expect it to be cool, but we hope to make it to Billings, 345 miles east on I-90 tomorrow.  Our preferred route would have taken us through Helena, but the revised route will be scenic, and will begin to get us to lower elevations quicker, and hence warmer temperatures.

When we planned this trip we had planned on spending a few days in Montana riding some of the countryside, though some of the valleys, etc.  The unseasonably cool and wet weather has necessitated a slight change in plans.  But, there is still much to see along our route.

Another good day.