We used to drive from Missoula to Rapid City every Christmas with screaming kids in the car. The interstate was just in pieces, and it was better to drive highway 12 than highway 10, which is now I90. Roads were always icy, and the trip was always tense. Tires were not radial, and the options in nicer cars was an automatic transmission and/or a radio, and heater. Geez, do you remember when used car ads used to read the car came with a radio and heater?

The trip from Moscow to Batesland is a piece of cake nowaday. The roads have shoulders; cars have cruise, and one can listen to story tapes, or satellite radio.

Gawd, it is a long ways across Montana. Shorten your trip a bit by driving 212, instead of I90, between Custer Battlefield, and Belle Fourche.