Finlen Hotel and Motor Inn Butte

Okay, montana is wonderful and all, but i'm sooo ready to go home and get ready for our trip. as of yesterday, both of us finally hold the ticket for our flights, at least the international part (JFK-IST). i'm stoked to see ny on the way. now to tackle the rest of my to-do list!

... not do enough for us and even gave us the minivan to use over the next few days ! Laurie was about my age and it felt like I had known her a long time. Sam was one of those salt of the earth, honest as they come and would give you the shirt off their back kind of person!) and the dealership itself was lovely and set up like a cowboy living room with another room for the big screen which we all enjoyed in between getting to know Butte like a second home ! I hope ...

... and Motel. Great food and the owner is a very nice older lady. She knew almost all the customers by name and was great to us.<br><br>We got into Butte in the early evening and this is where I-90 and I-15 cross. I asked Barb if she wanted to take I-15 south to Vegas and she emphatically said NO! I told her she was committed if we go east of I-15 and she said she was going without me if I headed home. I of course, was testing her and she passed with ...

Today we left the vast openness of Montana and climbed into the mountains, through Idaho and into Washington. We crossed the Columbia Plateau in Washington with its huge wheat fields and semi-arid range land for about 100 miles. Besides wheat we passed fields of alfalfa, corn soy beans, peas, as well as vineyards. After crossing the Columbia River at the Gorge we again climbed into the mountains. The day was very hot until we stopped at Cle Elum in the mountains, where it was very pleasant

... on every hand. <br><br>Our host told us of several places he'd recommend for dinner. Mom and I chose to go to the Pekin Noodle House, which is almost 100 years old and in walking distance. He told us to go up the stairs and to the left to find the place, and that not many people who aren't from Butte go there. It was a very unusual place! The food was all American Chinese unless you ask the very sweet Chinese server for advice. Here it ...

... toward culture, like a fat girl on a teeter totter (apologies to "In Bruges"...).<br><br>So off we went to find Joe's Pasty Shop for a traditional Butte meal, driving by more interesting old houses and buildings, including the M&amp;M Bar (over 100 years old) and the Twin Houses. There is a high rate of vacancy in the old downtown core, but the buildings are kept up remarkably well considering the cost of ...

... 8217;ll attempt some exploration.<br><br>June 21, 2009 (Sunday) &#8211; Pocatello, ID<br><br>Even with the lights of the restroom shining in our bedroom window, we managed to sleep until almost 7:30. After a few cups of coffee, I stripped the bed and Wendell and Nitchie took the linens to the laundry while I jumped in the shower. We ambled over to the eating area and ordered our breakfast. Upon closer scrutiny of the menu, I was relieved to see that &#8220 ...

... Berkeley Pit began. The situation gained even more attention after as many as 342 migrating geese picked the pit lake as a resting place, resulting in their deaths. Steps have since been taken to prevent a recurrence, including but not limited to loudspeakers broadcasting sounds to scare off waterfowl. However, in November 2003 the Horseshoe Bend treatment facility went online and began ...

... the SmokeJumpers headquarters for the upper Rockies in Missoula. We watched Matt while he sewed some of his specialized, protective clothing, saw a few other men painstakingly pack a parachute, and listened as our female tour guide and 8 year jump veteran took us all over the extensive complex. I think most of us wished we were younger! From there we went south to the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, a former 10 million (!) acre open ...

... in Florida having run out yesterday. We then found an excellent back road to Boulder (Route 69) which is 7 miles north of us - up the valley. A short run down the Interstate got us to the campsite where we've had a cheap and pleasant time. We drove back to Boulder to get a sub and chicken which did us for an evening meal. All this was followed by a camp fire created by dragging a few large stones into a circle and ...