I pulled into the Town Pump/Pilot in Dillon (at least I think that was the town). The truckstop guide has it marked as "Small". No - that's tiny!!! I'm sitting at the J in Rocker now, but had no desire to do anything but eat a meal and go to sleep.

I-15 in the ID/MT border area was fun. Completely ice covered. But, had no problems because of the way they treat the ice by cutting grooves in it and tossing sand. Hoping the roads are decent shape the rest of the trip. Looks like some areas of snow/ice the rest of the way through MT.

 

See.......You got to drive over Monida Pass for the first time, when it was 4-lanes!!! I remember when it was still a "Cow Trail"!!!

Now.......Did you keep your eyes on the road as you climbed up the hill out of Butte....OR were you focused on that there big ole hole in the ground that was over there on your left??

 

Malaki Grapevine is Nothing to Sneeze going Southbound in a Truck. 7 Miles of 7% grade at 35 MPH and if you Speed the Lovely State of California will take over 700 Bucks from you for Both a Lane Violation and for Speeding. They do not Mess around with that one at all for Speed.

 

Okay......I know you is a "Flatlander" and all.........But....Grapevine is a piece of cake.......with ice cream on it!!

 

I know it is Monarch Cabbage Million Dollar road were the ones I enjoyed espeically in WINTER. The Best one however for me was always and I mean always Esienhower and Vail in Winter. Everyone hated to run 70 in winter yet I would always go that way if going to Southern Cal from Chicago made Better time and heck had lesss traffic than on 80

 

The northbound grade is the one with all the runaways. Speed limit and lane control apply even if you're empty. There's a permanent cloud of brake dust in the air. You can smell it from a mile away. Fun ride, though.

 

Sorry been 11 years since I have been over it. Sucker was nasty back when I did go over it either direction.

 

Nooo prob, bro. Do you remember the brake dust? You could smell it inside the (old and now gone) TA. The CHP was always busy; easy to make their ticket quotas on both sides of the hill. And then they closed the northbound brake-check area! Still, I preferred going down to going up -- what a slow grind. Seemed to take forever with a heavy load.

 

Heck yeah I remember the Smeel of the Brakes coming Down that SOB. Worst part was for me coming south the First Time Loaded up North Heading for San Antonio TX with Frozen Lima Benas. Halfway up the Southbound side so pulling the Steep grade I thought I blew a Turbo on the Cat engine in the Truck I was driving. Now at 80K you think I am stopping to see what it was. Hell no I kept on going Crested the top at 15 MPH but I made it. Stopped and checked nope she had blown the boot off teh Intercooler. One rachet and a few Zip Ties later down I went.

 

Yeah, what a devil of a hill! I remember reading that it was really unsafe and winding when they first built it. I think a lot of guys bought the farm up there. I saw trucks in the escape ramps, but I never saw anyone actually go into one. I was always waiting for someone to yell, "Look out below!" Safe trip to ya.