2 Rv's to Junction City OR

... spending the night at Butte MT ...

BUMMER ... I just completed this update, hit save and it said no internet. Lost everything I had typed. So here I go again.

From yesterday ...

Just east of Moorcroft WY there are 100's of train engines sitting.

Saw my first self propelled hay baler at a Vermeer dealer in Rapid City

And when we were just about to Rapid City, I realized that I still had the hotel keys from last night. We had never checked out. They had checked us out and sent us an email copy of the bill, even that didn't remind us what we had forgot.

Breakfast, yogurt and juice.

1st stop M G Oil in Gillette - After doing the math last night, I realized I needed to get fuel and here was cheaper than later. And it's a good thing we looked both at my fuel discount and GasBuddy because this was one of those times when GasBuddy was cheaper. Right where BB had fueled last night. So back five miles. I take the freeway, BB takes city streets. BB beats me. Quick fuel, travel, inspection all in a little over 15 minutes.

When we get near Sheridan I am looking for signs of the new 4B's. We had eaten at the location a few times when it was a Country Kitchen but then it was going to change. I couldn't see a thing from the freeway. Did notice that the freeway intersection was gone. Restaurant, truckstop, McD's are all on a dead end street now across from a now closed KMart. Looked online tonight and it had opened as a 4B's but is now closed.

2nd stop is the Port of Entry in Sheridan. We get called in, I'm guessing we always will as they typed our permit numbers from both WY and MT into their computer.

3rd stop was the Pilot / Town Pump in Billings for BB fuel and food. BB fuels but doesn't get her fuel discount (because it is a Town Pump?) and I wash my windows. We had picked this place because of the large 'deli' type food selection they have, but once there BB decides it is McD's today. We eat again on the steps of the RV.

Just heading west out of town there is another scale. Today the guy at the desk is more interested in the gal walking from the inspection shed to his office than looking at us. We are clear to go.

Today we see turkeys and pronghorns. Interesting that some of the deer were eating in the nice green irrigated field and others were eating a few feet away in the very dry grass.

My fuel mileage had been going between 8.9 and 9, ending the day at 9 mpg. At 8 mpg I can make it to my drop from Missoula MT, that extra 1 mpg means I will have 70-80 miles to spare. I can live with that. I won't make much money on fuel, but I won't be loosing any either.

4th and final stop is the Comfort Inn in Butte. We park a couple of places before our final park. Lot had just been re-surfaced and there were not any parking lines. So was it a drive area or a parking area?

As we were driving around the motel lot, we had seen a stray dog a couple of times. The dog ends up walking with us to the front door, but I manged to get him to stay outside and the automatic door closes. But the dog is walking around and the door opens again and it walks in. We insist it is not our dog as it starts to roam the building.

As we are walking to our room the dog is near one of the cleaning crew who asks if it is our dog. Then they decide it is thirsty and they grab it by the collar and that is the last we see of it.

Once in the room we start looking at food. The Asian Buffet is right across the parking lot, but it is a Buffet and BB doesn't want Asian. We finally give up looking online and start walking. The Asian place is open for dine in. Found out the Mexican place was across the busier street and was inside a casino. The Taco Bell, A&W / KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut are all drive thru only. BB was ready to go back to the gas station for shelf food, but I convinced her to keep walking to Arbey's. The doors were open, we could order inside. So Arbey's it was.

I did finally get paid today for last weeks fuel after three phone calls. I did not hear back about the Portland trucks after two messages, I may call again on Monday ... or may not.

Less than 800 miles for the next two days. Not sure yet how we will spit it. If we spit it 50-50 the motel will be Best Western and well over $100. Quite a bit less if we go an hour less or an hour more.

Load board (these are from memory as the website is now off line)

US - 216

IA - 83

MN - 7

WI - 7