Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Scooting Across Montana towards Kalispell…

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We ended up staying one day more than planned in Medora North Dakota so we could see all there was to see at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. After our stay,  we hit the road and made it to Big Sky Camp and RV Park in Miles City, MT around 1:00 pm. Upon check in we were greeting by very friendly staff  who even gifted us some freshly picked cucumbers.

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We set up our site, had lunch and headed into Miles City to check it out. We were there only the one afternoon so we just walked around the downtown area. Man we saw a lot of bars and casinos in this town! We walked into several of them and liked the inside of the historic Montana Bar. After our walkabout we stopped at the local Walmart to pick up a few needed items before stopping at the Yellowstone Tavern for happy hour. Back at the camp we made dinner and did some laundry at the park so we would be ready to hit the road the next day.

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The next morning it was back on the highway heading west. About 148 miles later we pulled into the Billings Montana Cabelas. That’s right, Cabelas the store because overnight parking is allowed in their lot with about a dozen pull through parking spots.Wow, we also noticed an island for taking on water! Yes this is our very first time to camp on the asphalt. We have never overnighted at any store until this stop, but we couldn’t beat the location or the price.

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We did walk inside the store to make sure it was ok to stay and the customer service rep, Jason was very welcoming. He chatted with us awhile and told us a funny story about almost being named Rudolf until his mother decided the best part of her pregnancy was July August September October November hence J.A.S.O.N.  He also told us that the store is dog friendly which must be nice for pet owners who happen to visit.

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We arrived around 1:00 pm and went out for some grocery shopping and gas at the nearby Costco. Afterward Sharon and I took the self guided walking tour of Billings Breweries in the downtown area. There are about 10 stops but with it being a Sunday several were closed and our livers were thankful for that. As it was we stopped in and sampled craft beers at four of the Breweries in town. Our favorite beers were at Uberbrew but our favorite ambiance was at the  Montana Brewing Company.

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We did manage to check out other buildings while in Billings but overall found the town appeared to us to be a bit tired and underwhelming. However it was a Sunday and pretty slow so that may have been a reason why we felt that way. Nevertheless one night was adequate for us this time around. Next we will be moving on over to Livingston Montana to check it out…

NOTE: We are in Livingston, Montana this morning but leaving today for Helena, Montana…

13 comments:

  1. We were really surprised so many casino's in Montana, its like your mom and pop store in every corner.

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  2. Did you get a chance to view the Ranchers Museum?

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    1. we were there for two days so we will have to do the museum next time through, read a lot of good things about it though!

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  3. Watch out for Moose, Bear and Elk ! I hear that state has a huge population.

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  4. Great pic of the jackalope! Safe travels to Kalispell.

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  5. You should have headed north after Theodore Roosevelt National Park and then you could have stopped and visited with us. We are only two short driving days away from there! :-)

    Glad you enjoyed the park, we loved that area but didn't have nearly enough time to explore it on our way down south last October.

    Enjoy Montana.

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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    1. we thought about traveling north but while waiting in Rochester MN we booked a month in Kalispell MT and we simply ran out of time to travel further north... next time!

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  6. Cabella's are great places to stay. Many actually have separate RV lots and truck lots. Our last Cabella's had dog kennels, horse corals, dump station, and water. Quite a nice free stop:)

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    1. Yes this one had an RV lot for about 15 RV's and a water and dump station along with kennels... as an added bonus it was right next to a Sam's Warehouse...

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  7. Montana is definitely not lacking for casinos and bars. Used to be churches and bars but "progress" happens. Sure good to see you guys tonight.

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    1. It was great to catch up on everything with you two once again.

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  8. Wow, I did not realize you don't do overnighting on asphalt. A new adventure for you. We will keep Cabellas in Billings in mind for future travel. Water eh?

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  9. We have stayed overnight at a few Cabelas and Camping world stores and whatever works along our way, looks like a nice place to visit.

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