Horace at the headwaters

Here's the thing about Montana.

It's really big.

The scenery is beautiful.  The people are friendly.  The rest areas are fragrant.

And the state is assuredly big.

No-end-in-sight big.

We had Braeden drive on an extremely curvy mountainous section of road in Northern Idaho which maybe wasn't our best idea.  His driving is a little heart pounding all the time.  Going 70 down a steep windy road doesn't help.  As he pointed out, all he needs is practice.  So we'll give him practice.

In small doses.

On straighter roads.

Montana has been a pleasant venture.

We stopped at the 50,000 Silver $ a.k.a. the biggest gift shop in Montana.

I contemplated buying a lacquered Elvis picture...

not really

Or a snazzy hat...

not really

But could not resist my baby in this hat so I did buy it.  (Adam told Braeden and Emma that if they looked cute in hats I would buy one for them too.  That's just how it goes.)

 One of the most impressive sites of the day was the headwaters of the Missouri. 

The Madison and Jefferson Rivers join and then about a half mile later the Gallatin River gets involved.  Why isn't one of these rivers just called the Missouri?  Lewis and Clark, that's why.  Who's going to argue with them?

It was a lot of water for someone who grew up in the desert and even for the rest of the water loving family with webbed feet.  (Speaking of feet, Emma couldn't resist and put her feet in the river--I think the Jefferson.)

Some family members can pose nicely for a picture at the headwaters of the Missouri River...

And some cannot.

Horace wouldn't look at the camera either.

He just couldn't get over all that water...

So today we hit South Dakota.  Assuming we get out of Montana.

It is a really big state.