Montana State Capitol in Helena
Great Falls, Montana:
Day three, third state. Kamiah, Idaho was too exciting for us, so we hit the
road - before 8:30 a.m. - we had Goldie heading east on Highway 12. This is
a fantastically beautiful drive along the Clearwater, and then, Lochsa
rivers. We were lucky enough to watch an Osprey snag a little sushi from the
river for breakfast! Steep green mountains, covered with fir trees, plunge
down into the rivers edge. We followed Highway 12 (The Lewis and Clark
Trail) over Lolo Pass, into Montana and over the Continental Divide. We
drove through Missoula, and stopped in Helena to tour the
Capitol Building.
Montana Capitol Building - and The Grand Staircase
The Capitol was built in 1899. It is a very colorful and
elegant building - rich with marble columns, stone walls and stained glass.
It is also very open to the public. Maybe because it was a Saturday, I don't
know, but we were able to march right into the Governor's office and could
have gone through her desk drawers if we were so inclined! In the House of
Representative room hangs a commissioned Charles M. Russell painting titled
Lewis and Clark Meeting Indians.
Charles M. Russell - Lewis and Clark Meeting the Indians
Amedee Joullin's "The Driving of the Golden Spike"
The Rotunda is decorated at its base with four paintings:
the cowboy, the Native American, the explorer and the prospector. At the top
of the Grand Staircase is the Golden Spike painting by Amedee Joullin,
documenting the completion of the transcontinental Northern Pacific Railroad
in 1883 at Gold Creek, Montana. After a quick stroll around the grounds, we
were back in Goldie and heading north on Highway 15.
To leave Helena on Highway 15, you must climb a huge pass - straight up -
and when we began our descent the wind started blowing. Every once in a
while, Goldie would swerve a bit into the wind. It was like being on an
amusement park ride, except we were not amused! We were now following the
Missouri River... from these humble beginnings, the
Missouri flows all the way to St. Louis and runs into the Mighty
Mississippi. The Missouri River was the main "road" for Lewis & Clark.
And now we were in the plains and it was really windy and
there were more tumbleweeds than cars on the highway. DT was battling to
keep Goldie on the road when a gust would suddenly carry us off...
Auntie Em... Auntie Em... We pulled into a card-lock diesel station on
the outskirts of Great Falls, Montana - coasting-in on "empty". When I
opened the door, the wind nearly took it off its hinges. A thick cloud of
dust was darkening the sky. Grit stung as it hit your legs and face. The
winds must have been around 60 miles per hour - I couldn't walk, I had to
pull myself along the motorhome! DT managed to get the nozzle into the
opening and I managed to punch-in the secret codes and diesel began flowing
- only to have the wind actually blow the nozzle OUT of the tank and spew
fuel everywhere! Nightmares! DEQ fines! In seconds, DT had the nozzle
re-attached, but he had to remain there with the dust blowing in his face,
holding the nozzle while it pumped 70 gallons into the tank. I climbed back
into the motorhome (leaving DT outside alone!), but it was as if I were in a
boat at sea - Goldie was rocking and pitching in the wind. Tank full, and
safe inside our land yacht, we then had to clean-up the diesel on DT's socks
and Nikes. What a stinky mess!
We headed into town, away from the fields and found a campsite for the
night. I made a lovely dinner (spinach manicotti, garlic bread, tossed salad
and Italian wine) and started washing all the filthy diesel-dirty throw-rugs
and socks. Our washer/dryer may never be the same!
Note from Lisa: Snickers snores and farts.
We are now on Central time - but I will keep this journal on PST, don't
worry! Today's entry may read quite tame, but we really saw mile after mile
of breath-taking scenery and fought Mother Nature's forces to refuel. Beauty
and The Beast. Daily life in the middle of nowhere.
RV Park:
Great Falls KOA