Northern Montana to Fort Benton

The day started out with blue skies and wide open vistas.  We travelled through lots of wheat fields and fewer small farming communities.  We did manage to find an Albertsons for  groceries along the way.  We stopped for a late lunch at a rest area in Chinook.  

Beautiful Sunny Morning in Big Sky Country

When we got back on the road, we noticed black skies off to the southwest and could tell that someone was getting a terrific rainstorm.  We hadn't driven far when the radio weather band came on warning of a severe thunderstorm with sixty mile per hour winds and quarter size hail.  Ted wanted to turn back and wait it out but from the direction it was coming, I thought we could either get past it or only caught on the fringe.  We are glad we continued.  We were almost to Lohman when it started to rain and were able to keep going.  Then the skies opened and it started to hail.  The local truck ahead of us pulled over to the side of the road and we followed him as did the RV behind us that Ted had just been chatting with at the gas station.  It poured and hailed like nothing I had ever seen but it was over in about five minutes.  Thankfully, the hail was only pea sized or a little larger.  The cars that did pass us were throwing up huge sprays of water as they went by. Luckily we had been shielded by a hill on the south side of us and didn't get any effects from the wind.  

Ugly Clouds Heading Our Way 

Pea Sized Hail

Spray from Oncoming Vehicle

We continued on and just over the next hill was a sign saying road work next three miles.  I wish I had taken pictures sooner because the whole area was a mass of flooded ditches and huge water filled ruts.  I was really afraid we would get stuck in it and held my breath most of the time.  

This Section Wasn't Quite as Muddy

Ted did a great job but the newly washed motor home and car were a disgusting mess when we arrived at the campground in Fort Benton.  Ted paid extra for the chance to wash the vehicles and it took him close to two hours to scrub off all the mud.  By this time, the sun was back out and it turned into a beautiful evening.