2026 Road Trip - Day 11

Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026 - Just miles and time in Montana, and spend the night in Billings, Montana! After blogging, I Hit The Road - after 345 miles (and 17 Post Offices), I checked into the Super 8 in Billings, Montana at 5:45 PM (I needed an "early day"):

I thought it would be fun to show the Post Offices I got, against a more-familiar geography. Imagine just 17 Post Offices between Boston and Northeast Pennsylvania!

BIG SKY OUT HERE:

Nice view of a Montana Valley:

When I was going to get the Post Office in Kinsey, Montana, I didn't realize that I would have to use the Kinsey Bridge over the Yellowstone River (The Yellowstone River flows northeast out of Yellowstone National Park):

I stopped for lunch in Miles City, and saw some good wall-art:

I AM NOT TAKING THAT ROAD:

And don't worry - I'm NOT going swimming in "Shark Bay", or hiking on "Scorpion Trail"!

Crosstrek hit 70,000 miles today:

It hit 101 in late-afternoon:

Rolling down the highway to the next County Fair:

WHAT'S THAT UP AHEAD OF ME!

Oh wait - it's going off to the side:

Checked into the Super 8 in Billings, Montana at 5:45 PM

But that's not the end of the day - dinner at Cracker Barrel right around the corner. View of a rainbow right from my table:

And some GREAT sky-shots as I was driving back to the hotel:

WOW - Thank you God for another wonderful Montana Adventure Day!

Once again, Music for today are albums that I have not heard before (well, maybe I have heard some):

in this morning's hotel room - Dire Straits - Dire Straits, 1978 debut album, last heard 6/04/2026 - nice morning music:

On The Road: Eric Clapton - Time Pieces Vol.II Live in the Seventies (3 songs), last heard never - There was a review of Clapton in the early-70's that asked if he "was becoming the Sleepy John Estes" of our generation (with VERY LAID BACK music). I kept the 3 songs that are great - "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", "Presence of the Lord", and "Can't Find My Way Home":

Faith Hill - The Hits, 2007 greatest hits album, last heard never - Her music sounds great driving through this country of ours:

Field Report - Under Glass EP, 2019 EP, last heard never - To quote AI "Under Glass is a four-track EP by the indie folk project Field Report, released on November 22, 2019, by Fellesskap Records." I really like Field Report (and I purchase their music):

Gil Scott-Heron - We Almost Lost Detroit (Session), radio recording, last heard never - I discovered this while searching for "Gil Scott-Heron We Almost Lost Detroit". I like his work a lot - dispair, but tinged by the fact that by even talking about stuff means there is hope:

Grateful Dead - Postcard of the Hanging (Bob Dylan covers), recorded from 1973 to 1990, released 2002, last heard 10/24/2025 - Great covers - This is the Dead/Dylan album I want to keep:

James Taylor - October Road, 2002 album, last heard never. Very nice JT album. You don't hear much of his stuff these days unless you listen to WMVY:

Jimmy Buffett - Coconut Telegraph, 1981 album, last heard 8/09/2019. Another really good Buffett album:

Joe Cocker - With a Little Help from my Friends, 1969 debut album, last heard never. another good classic album:

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/

2026 Road Trip - Day 10

Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 - A little bit in North Dakota, then a big loop in Montana, and spend the night in Glendive, Montana! After blogging, I Hit The Road - after 488 miles (and 26 Post Offices, plus 1 closed one), I checked into the Baymont in Glendive, Montana at 7:30 PM:

I thought it would be fun to show the Post Offices I got, next to a more-familiar geography. SAME GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE!

Yea - It is like starting in Boston, going up to Concord, NH, over to Lake George, NY, down to Catskill, NY, and spending the night in New London CT.

That explains why it seems I covered a lot of miles - there are a lot of miles OUT HERE:

I found another way to carry hay-bales:

The speed-limit on this 2-lane blacktop is 70 miles-per-hour! I'm fine with that - I discovered yesterday that going 80 miles-per-hour REALLY KILLS YOUR GAS MILAGE! 70 is a much better idea:

There is a RAW BEAUTY out here, although I wouldn't want to live here:

Time to call "Montana Cabin Masters" (I don't think "Maine Cabin Masters" will travel this far):

Cutest Post Office today - 59222 - Flaxville, MT:

Sometimes the directions are: Just Follow the Telephone Poles:

Then again, sometimes there aren't even any telephone poles:

I was asked "How big is The State of Montana"? To complete the loop down to my hotel, I was on Route 2 heading east for a bit; the milage sign says how many miles are behind me, to The State of Idaho:

I checked into the Baymont in Glendive, Montana at 7:30 PM:

Unfortunately, they have "staffing issues", so no dinner. Reminds me of a dinner/restaurant Wendy and I were in: After our food was served, the cops came in and busted the chef. Today I went down the road and had a GREAT Meatloaf dinner!

I noticed the sun was going down over the Yellowstone River, so I ran outside for a photo:

The Yellowstone River is very beautiful:

After dinner = off to bed! WOW - Thank you God for a wonderful Montana Adventure Day!

Once again, Music for today are albums that I have not heard before (well, maybe I have heard some):

in this morning's hotel room - Robert Plant - Fate of Nations, 1993 album, last heard 6/28/2024 - I really like this album a lot:

On The Road: Huey Lewis & The News - Sports, 1983 album, last heard never - It reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on June 30, 1984, and ultimately charted for 160 weeks (over 3 years):

Jackson Browne - Downhill from Everywhere, 2021 album, last heard never - I have always like Jackson's albums, and this will go in the rotation:

James Taylor - Flag, 1979 album, last heard never - this goes in the rotation. "Up On The Roof" and "Millworker" are standouts - Springsteen did "Millworker" [Feb 6, 2006 Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA. The song was performed during the annual MusiCares benefit - James Taylor was MusiCares "Person Of The Year"]:

Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat, 1986 album, last heard never - excellent Leonard Cohen covers:

Jethro Tull - The Best of Jethro Tull (2 cds), 1977 compilation album, last heard never - I really love their first 3 albums, and Aqualung is still pretty good, but everything after that need STRONG THINNING. Keeping maybe 3 songs:

Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return), DCD album, last heard never. I put together 6 versions: 1 studio, 5 live (Berkeley 1970, Woodstock, Atlanta, Royal Albert Hall, and Winterland 1968). I remember being at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and hearing the Royal Albert Hall version on headphones - IT WAS FABULOUS!!!:

Jimmy Buffett - Volcano, 1979 album, last heard 8/09/2019. Wonderful album:

Joe Cocker - Joe Cocker!, 1969 2nd album, last heard never. good classic album:

Joe Jackson - Fast Forward, 12015 album, last heard never. I like Joe Jackson, and listened to this twice because I want to get to know this album:

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/