Leg 2

I am writing from the Super 8 in Gardiner MT. Just had a local bison burger and a Montana brew called Blackfoot. Its sunny and 50 here and the forecast called for 40 and nasty rain/snow, so I'm pumped. Walked around town a bit to check it out, apparently it is early in the season because nothing is really open yet. 

Before I get going, I have to thank Mark & Lizzie again. They were the best hosts ever. I cant thank you guys enough. Mark took me around Boulder to get some gear I was missing, and he let me borrow some stuff he thought I would need. Lizzie made me feel like I was family during the entire stay. I owe you guys big time. I will see you guys up here shortly, and when I come back to Lafayette/Boulder in Oct. 

Today I drove from Boulder/Lafayette CO to Gardiner MT. Should have taken 10 hours, took 12. It started out great, was on the road at 5am, got within 10 miles of the Montana border with ease, a bald eagle buzzed Lola, it was nice. There was some snow in northern Wyoming, but nothing was accumulating on the roads at all. As I got really close to MT, thinking I am gonna get to Gardiner in 8 1/2 or 9 hrs, I notice a sign that says "Highway is closed when lights are flashing," and they were flashing. I said (out loud) "Bull shit yo!" I kept going for about a 1/2 mile and sure enough the WY hwy patrol had the gates down blocking interstate 90 and the interstate was closed. I exited and there was a hwy patrolman on the ramp. I stopped and asked him, "What gives?!" He explained to me that he had no info on when it would open again but that there was heavy snow ahead and the plows weren't out yet and the roads were a real mess a few miles up. I showed him the road atlas my parents let me borrow which is the size of a standard pillow, and I noticed 2 smaller hwys (hwy 314 north & hwy 212 west) that would bring me back to interstate 90. He asked me to turn around and go back to the town I had just passed. I asked him, "hypothetically, if I decided to ignore your request and take these smaller hwys into MT....." he replied, "If I were you, I would turn around." So naturally, I decided to take the smaller hwys into MT. I really had to. If you aren't in Yellowstone for check in, which for me was the following morning at 7am, you arent guaranteed the job you received. Apparently they overbook jobs like airlines do passengers on flights. My thought was, who knows how long this will take, keep pressing on. So I did. The detour started quite well. The weather was fine, the road were rather dry, light snow falling, but again none sticking to the roads. I was going to take hwy 314 north to hwy 212 west and that should get me back to interstate 90 and back on track if it wasnt closed there as well. As I was a few miles into hwy 314, I double checked my quick gas math. My gauge showed that I had about 80 or 90 miles til empty, I looked at the map, it was gonna take about 60 miles to get back to interstate 90, but I had no idea where a gas station was. Hmmmmm. I grab my phone to locate the nearest gas station... 'Iphones are so great, they can do anything, Im just gonna.... oh, no signal. This amazing technology is totally useless.' Oh well, Im gonna be on 3 different hwys, and meeting back up with the interstate, I will come across a gas station or a person who can tell me where the next one is. So I decided to stay the course. There were literally no FM stations on the radio at this point, and the only program on AM that could be understood was Rush Limbaugh. So at least I had my entertainment all figured out. As I kept going, the snow kept getting thicker and thicker and thicker. I started to ask myself questions I should have thought of before I started the detour: "What if one of these hwys is closed ahead? What if something happens to my car?If I do decide to turn around, how far is it to the nearest gas station in that direction? Does Robert Redford have a house out here?" By the time it was too late to turn around, visibility was about 200-300 yards. I couldn't tell if I was in the mountains or if it was flat. I didnt see another car/truck for about 10-15 minutes. 'Was I an idiot? The locals probably know something I dont and are avoiding this road.' I didnt panic, but it was a little uncomfortable. No phone. Little gas. No info on the roads I was on, advice from a local lawman to turn around. I pressed on. I figure Im this far in already, might as well see what happens. Keep the faith. At this point, the snow is so heavy and bright, I am wearing sunglasses because I was squinting so much. Out of the 60 mile detour, I was about 30 miles in when I noticed an 18 wheeler stuck on the side of the road, and for some reason I felt relieved when I saw it. Looking back I should have started crying for what that meant for me, but this evoked a positive response for one reason: people I could talk to. There was a pick up truck as well helping to block the road for the big rig and waving traffic on around him. I stopped to ask him about a gas station. A few miles back I had passed a sign that said I was on an Indian reservation. I rolled down my window and before I could say anything, this Native American man (North Cheyenne Tribesman to be exact) decked out in carhartt gear asks me "Wet enough for you?" I am aware that this could have gone down in history as the best "that's what she said," in history due to the specific situation, but I couldn't gauge his TV viewing habits, pop culture awareness, or just plain sense of humor in such a short amount of time, and I really needed his help, so I shook of the obvious comment instinct and asked him about the gas station and its proximity. He said it was 30 miles up the road, exactly where I thought is was gonna be. Perfect. The rest of the way up 314 and 212 were nerve racking bc the weather was so nasty, but at least I knew there was a gas station and I might be able to get back on the interstate as well. Just took it slow and safe the whole way. As I got within a couple of miles of interstate 90, the weather cleared up almost completely. As interstate 90 came into view, I noticed cars were cruising on it. BOOYAH!!!! SUCCESS!!!! What a relief. I located the gas station. I had 20 miles left til my tank was empty. Fill up, get right back to the road. Lost maybe an hour or so with said detour and asking the locals if it was 'wet enough for them?' I pulled into the gas station (the only one in sight), and the loud speaker comes on: "Pump 7 (thats me), our pumps arent working." I almost tipped Lola over and started walking back into the blizzard. Are you kidding me?! I had to whiz, so I went in to TCB and ask about the nearest gas station..... with working pumps. A guy doing a survey for the University of Montana approached me, I took the survey, and he helped with with finding a gas station. 12 miles away he says. I have 20 left til empty. What choice do I have? Rode into a gas station about 15 miles away on fumes I'm sure, filled up, and the rest of the way was a piece of cake. I still had about 5 hrs left, all Montana, but the weather was totally clear the rest of the way, and it was even sunny on the last 60 miles into Gardiner. I was excited before, now I got a taste of what is to come with the views. Ridiculously pumped now. The pic above is about 30 miles outside of the park. I cant wait to fall asleep, I am beat. Early, and probably another long day tomorrow. As of right now, my cell works. So I guess we fill find out tomorrow how it works in the park. At least I know I can come to the north end of the park and make calls.