Montana really is the Big Sky State.

"Yay for day three. You both are doing great! Keep up all the energy you started with...you get to drive through Montana, the land of glaciers and the evidence of their paths. Enjoy each mile and all the new things around you." (from our personal note in the Trip Planner. In case you didn't know, our personal travel agent is a student of glaciers and geology, thus she lives in Interior Alaska. Makes sense, huh?)

Hillary needed a stretching break and this big sign marking the border between WY and MT seemed a great choice. But as I was focusing the camera, she called out, "Hurry! A trooper is pulling up behind you!"

I spun around to see not one, but TWO WY state trooper vehicles pulling to our side of the road. And two BIG troopers heading our way. (Consider this: we hadn't seen another car for many, many miles. We still have no idea where they came from!?)

Turns out they had both lived in Texas at some point (seems like most people have) and commented on our TX plates. We had a nice little chat before we hinted that we needed to get on our way. They got a kick out of us driving to Alaska by ourselves for some reason. Maybe these big fellows thought we were "helpless females" but clueless would be a better description!

These vivid wide blue skies are probably how Montana got the name "Big Sky State". The snowcapped Rockies were now always within view in the western distance. If you look real carefully you'll see more wind generators.

We stopped to view the Missouri River in Great Falls, MT. The falls have actually been "turned off" by a dam upriver. There are still large industrial buildings that had been run by the hydropower of the falls in years gone by. General Mills is one.

I am holding a little sprig of lilacs. Ahhh, the fragrance is one of my favorites. We don't have lilacs in Texas and I get lonely for the massive blooms in our New York yard. The lilacs and robins proved that spring had truly arrived in the North Country. This little Montana lilac scented the car for lots of miles as we drove toward Canada.