This is a photo from a rest area shortly after our departure this morning.
Still in Washington.
A photo from I-90, looking toward the snowy mountain tops.
In Montana.
This is another photos from the east bound lane of I-90.
In Montana.
This is yet another photo in Montana, 40 or so miles west
of Missoula.
Day sixteen. All is well. Overnight in Missoula, Montana.
Our morning started in sunshine with a brisk, gusty wind. The temperature was 52 degrees.
Today we traveled on I-90 (the longest interstate in the US), and for the most part we made good time. There were a few construction slow downs, but no stopped traffic along the way. The first thirty miles of our ride were in sunshine, which was unexpected since we had become accustomed to riding with a cloud cover. We stopped at the first rest area and applied sunscreen. The top photo of this post was made at that rest area.
After leaving the rest area we rode until it was time for gas, and lunch, roughly 200 miles from our starting point for the day. After fueling and lunch we planned our evening stop, which ended up being Missoula, Montana. There are fewer options for fuel, food, and lodging when riding through the mountains, and Missoula was on the edge of our preferred stopping point. Having fewer options of places with basic service is common when travelling throughout the less populated portions of the western states.
After leaving the rest stop, after applying sunscreen, another thirty miles along it became apparent that rain was in our path, so we stopped and donned the rain gear. As expected within twenty miles we began to see rain on our windshields, and a little further along the rain intensity increased. And, as with any rain producing cold front the temperatures dropped to 46 degrees (Again. For the first time today, but, again, as again from yesterday.) We rode though the rain, which was light, for a hundred miles or so, but by the time we stopped for lunch the rain had stopped and it was a few degrees warmer (54).
At Coeur D Alene, Idaho I stopped to see someone I had not seen in a long time. I spent an hour or so there before continuing my ride to Missoula. Doug did not stop, but continued to ride to Missoula alone when I stopped.
Doug and I compared our riding experiences when I got to Missoula. Apparently we both rode though rain for some distance between Coeur D Alene and Missoula, and at times the rain was heavy.
I-90 between Coeur D Alene and Missoula has some of the prettiest scenery of any interstate route in the US, and ranks in my top five for interstate scenery. At the top of my list is I-70 between Richfield, Utah (the midpoint of interstate travel between Los Angeles and Denver) and Grand Junction, Colorado. It is truly breathtaking at times.
The Coeur D Alene to Missoula I-90 interstate corridor has gorgeous scenery along the way. Although it offers Interstate speeds of up to 75 miles per hour, the curves are occasionally too tight for comfortable navigation at the speed limit, and recommended speeds are posted. The road surface is generally good the entire distance.
Another good day.
No comments:
Post a Comment