Monday, Nov 18, 2019

Another travel day on our journey to the sunny south.
  We had an early quit yesterday, so it made the day a bit longer.  We got off to a good start with a nice [full] breakfast at the Ramada.  Even the sausages were good, however the oatmeal would do well in tarmac repairs, so I passed on it, not needing any this morning.  We were on the road by 8 AM, so a good start.  The weather was actually very pleasant, right around the freezing point and the traffic light.  One of the disadvantages of our travel direction is driving into the rising sun, but we suffer it for the cause.
  The trip to the border was uneventful, with dry roads and the cruise set on 123 km's.  Traffic was light, so thinking we would be driving right up to the border agent, we stopped at Duty Free in Coutts.  It's a good last chance for a Canadian flush and we managed to convince a nice bottle of Tullamore Dew and one of Glenlivet to continue on the journey with us.  You can imagine our disappointment to find a very slow moving line with about 18 cars ahead of us.  At some point a border agent took pity on us and opened a second lane, which we fortunately selected.  About a half hour later plus 15 min in Duty free and we were out on the open highways in Montana with the cruise set on Mach Chicken or 83 MPH [somewhere around 135 KMPH].  The speed limit is 80 mph, so the miles roll by quickly at a cost of some extra fuel.
  We got to Great Falls in good time and filled up at $2.63 per U.S. gallon, so about 69 cents per litre.  The food selection was limited to the convenience store, but it wasn't too bad.  OK it was less than stellar, so I promised to make it up for supper by not going any place that has a drive thru window.
  We had lots of wind today, especially in northern Montana, but the roads were dry and bare, so again were able to use the cruise all day.  The drive through the big Belt mountains is always scenic along the Missouri river.  The drive through Butte was a bit slow this year with construction still in place from the same work they were doing last year, a pretty major change to the interstate.  Down through the valley where there was not sign of snow, except at the mountain tops.  Traffic was light pretty much the entire route except through the cities.
  By the time we reached Idaho Falls it was getting on toward evening and full dark by Pocatello.  We stopped in to fuel up at $2.87 per gallon [about 76 cents per litre].  I also got a deluxe car wash at a brush less drive thru for $6.  It was very badly needed and having used this wash in prior years, I knew it would be good.  It was only a few blocks to the Best Western where we had booked and paid for a room and we were not disappointed, a very nice room, at about half what we paid in High River for half the room.
  It was then time to make good on my commitment for a decent meal, so we went to Appleby's.  This has been something we have done in numerous previous trips and we were not disappointed.  Marg had a nice shrimp and dinner plate while I had a shrimp dish and then we share a decadent dessert.
  Oh yes for those of you keeping statistical track of us, that makes 1,890 km's since leaving home so 1,075 km's for today's effort.  I think we we pulled in about 6:15 PM, so a little over 10 hours on the travel day.