Bozeman or Bust

Day 7 -- Goodbye, Sturgis

For bikers, Sturgis is like Oshkosh, WI is for pilots.  Addicting.  They draw you back for annual pilgrimages.  Said goodbye to Rocky and Liz, and I'm headed for Bozeman, MT.  Monophobia is an acute fear of being alone.  As I dissect the northeast corner of Wyoming and head into Montana on desolate highway 212, it hits me that this would be a bummer of a place to be driving alone in a motorhome if you suffered from monophobia. The vast expanses of prairie which are punctuated by unnatural rock outcroppings and plateaus show no signs of life for as far as you can see--normally 50 miles or so in all directions. You don't want to get low on gas, as towns are 100 miles apart. Most interesting road sign of the day: "Chief Dull Knife College -- 12 miles". Runnerup: two yellow caution signs saying "Gusty Winds" with large airport windsocks attached to the top of them showing the direction and strength of the wind. The topography becomes more mountainous and forested as you approach Billings. However, most of the forests along the route have been reduced to black spindles due to recent forest fires. It was quite awe inspiring to see a rainstorm 50 miles off into the distance and drive in total sunshine for nearly an hour before being underneath it, and then be rewarded by the most intense double rainbow mankind has ever viewed.

Picture doesn't do it justice.

Bozeman is a clean, impressive town of 40,000. And it has a fantastic, FREE overnight parking area that at least 20 of us are enjoying. How convenient is it that at the other end of this motorhome/camper parking area is a Walmart store?  And also a Comfort Inn with free wifi if  you drive close enought to it.  Ain't life grand?  Time to turn the DVD on and watch two episodes of Northern Exposure before turning in for the night.

PS.  I added pictures to yesterday's blog post.  You might want to view it again and take a look.