Day 2 on the road

  Our second day on the road we thought we were on the road early, but found out we had not changed our watches, so were an hour behind the time.  Good thing we got up early - 6 AM, so it worked out OK.
  We got a light breakfast at the hotel and were on the road in good time.  Unfortunately the forces of nature conspired against us, it snow/rained most of the night and in the morning all through Salt Lake City.  There was  wreck on the freeway, so it was stop and go in 6 lanes of traffic. It took us about 2 hours to get through the city and we got gas up in Ogden before leaving the area.  It was chilly, we definitely needed a coat as the temp was in the -1C to +1C range with lots of precipitation and a good stiff wind.  The roads were good and wet with lots of slush on them, making for a tough travel day.
  The roads and weather got better as we went north out of the city and by the time we got to Idaho, there was no precipitation, just the strong head winds and temps of about zero, or just at the freezing mark.  Got out the heavier coats for the day, they were needed.  Stopped in Idaho Falls for some lunch and kept on.  By then we had gone through a gallon of windshield washer fluid.
  We made it through the Monida pass without too much except the wind.  It blew so strong, that I had to slow down to 50 mph & at that was passing guys pulling travel trailers.  At the start of the pass the trailer wanted to go it's own direction, the wind must have moved it sideways at least 3 or 4 feet. and it was over on the shoulder of the road while I was in the driving lane.  The only good news was that the wind direction became head on in the pass, so it was not as dangerous, just slowed us down.
  About halfway through the Elk Park pass we lost the wind and the temps warmed up to about 3 or 4C and we were able to get our speed back up to 70mph.  Made pretty good time through there and stopped in Helena for fuel.  Pretty funny story at the Conoco station.  Marg went in while I fueled the truck and when I went in the guy at the counter said -- Oh good, just in time to help me carry out this horse to load in your trailer.  You're wife just bought it here.  It was about 5 feet high and made of welded stainless steel and all I could think of was really she bought this to take home.  Anyway it was a joke, he asked Marg if it would be OK to pull it when I came in.  Anyway it was a good laugh and the young seemed a very pleasant character.
 We continued on all the way to Great Falls, the travel conditions were ideal from Butte, so made pretty good time.  It made for 11 hrs on the road and we made another 900 or so kms, the map said 620 miles, so one of the two is right.  Saw lots of wildlife today: antelope & elk also lots of road kill.  Hit one of the 6or 8 skunks laying on the road, but fortunately it was early in the day and the wet roads cleaned it up pretty good.
  Dinner was at a Mexican rest. [on the border] in Great Falls.  Food was OK, but not as good as Los Gringos in AJ.  Will be spending the night in the Hampton hotel and fuel up at Smith's in the morning.