Day 9: Great Falls, Montana to Missoula, Montana

Up early at the Quality Inn, downtown Great Falls, and off in search of diesel. Take the highway for Helena, we stop for breakfast with the good ol' boys at Crystal, a hunting, shooting and fishing sort of place. A guy at the next table sounds just like John Wayne. Detouring off the road to see the pelicans on the upper Missouri in a canyon. We make Helena mid-morning. Thrift stores and yard sales - muffins and brownies 25 cents each. Annette finds a Bodum mug - an unexpected bonus. This jeep was parked at a yard sale in a parking lot. Shopping at Wal-Mart for shorts and a new washing bag. We find the grave of Archibald Spriggs in the suburbs after waiting at a crossing for two freight trains to pass.
We take the highway for Missoula, the road climbing for miles to the top of the MacDonald Pass, at over 6,000 feet, where we stop to take on water. There are plenty of recreational cyclists in Montana who must get the prize for masochism. We take the scenic route off the interstate to reach Missoula, stopping for diesel at Ovando off Highway 200 en route. Splurge on a suite at the Best Western after shopping in town - four mint Duralex glasses for $1. Pizza for supper while watching Kyle Busch winning the Nationwide race at ORP.