Left the hotel around 9 a.m. YAWN. Bad night, thanks to the whiny dog, who wanted to go out no less than three times, mostly just because he felt like walking around, and who was upset about being forced to sleep in the crate. Didn’t get much sleep until I decided to just hold his leash in my hand, at which point he settled down on the floor by my bed and was fine.

Immediately out of town, the interstate climbs Fourth of July Pass. Gorgeous views of Lake Coeur d’Alene, which I got to enjoy because I wasn’t driving.

I also saw a bald eagle, but alas, between our speed and its, there was no way I could get a photo.

I passed out for awhile and awoke to the feel of sliding. We were on an icy bridge, the truck ahead of us had slammed on the brakes, and my mom was trying to avoid careening forcefully into the back of the truck. She managed to steer into the other lane, avoiding what I thought was an inevitable accident. It turned out that the truck was braking because a 4runner had lost control, spun all the way around, banged into the guardrail (from the look of the bumper), and now was faced into oncoming traffic.

Fortunately no one was hurt, and the 4runner’s driver was standing on the shoulder, waving people into the other lane.

We stopped for lunch in Missoula. Weird town: It’s in this bleak, desolate, yellow valley, in the midst of mountains full of stunning scenery.

Next to the McDonald’s where we ate was this cool building that straddled a stream:

I took my seasoned traveler of a dog for a little walk by this stream, but it was so cold that my chest hurt.

Back on the road, I challenged myself by trying to take photos, through the mud- and snow-spattered window of a moving vehicle, of railroad bridges

and farmsteads

and little churches

and decrepit buildings

and skeletal railroad cars

and cool billboards.

We got gas and switched drivers in Butte. Got to the hotel in Belgrade, Montana–just outside of Bozeman–a little before 6 p.m. The temperature was 3 degrees, forecasted to plunge to 17 below (with a windchill of -25). All the money in the world could not induce me to live in Montana during the winter. But at least we’re warm in our hotel room, and now everyone–even the dog and cats–is asleep but me. So I’m going to don my PJs and read in bed for a little while, I think.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!