We have been checking the location of several wild-fires and forest fires in western Montana and going back and forth about what route to take. Smoke from Idaho fires is also pouring into Montana.
If Adina gets into too much smoke, her asthma makes her very sick. The last time it happened, she had to re-grow the lining of her lungs and it took her six months. We are taking this very seriously.
There is a fire near Bearmouth MT, north of Interstate 90, that is producing a lot of smoke. This fire has closed a side road but Interstate 90 remains open.
There doesn't seem to be any way across the Rocky Mountains from here that won't put us into a smokey environment.
There are beautiful back country mountain roads that we had hoped to enjoy. This is not the time. We are going to ride Interstate 90 as fast as we can and get through Montana and northern Idaho. "As fast as we can" is relative as our speed drops to 35-40 going up steep mountain passes. We will cross many passes before we reach Washington.
I won't be posting pictures of the fires. If we see one, I'm not stopping to take pix. I don't think we'll be in any real danger on this run, except from vehicles going over the 75 mph speed limit. They treat us like a standing object. I guess to them, we are.
Our main concern today is to get past Missoula and into the mountains beyond where we expect there to be less smoke. I think we can do it.
Still, if you don't mind, stop a moment today and say a prayer for us. I'll post again when I have electricity.
Sayin' a prayer. There's a good map of the fires in Washington and Oregon at: http://nwccweb.us/information/firemap.aspx but I don't see that Montana and Idaho offer the same sort of thing. Too bad you have to rush through; that is certainly beautiful country when there's no smoke. We enjoyed lunch in cute Wallace, Idaho last summer on our way through.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your trip.
~Doris Z's daughter Karen
Oh, O.K. I found the Idaho and Montana fire map (http://gacc.nifc.gov/nrcc/predictive/intelligence/ytd_historical/firemaps/current_large_wf.htm ). Wow! Certainly a lot of lightning strikes. Godspeed.
ReplyDeletepraying for you two. Hurricane hitting New Orleans, also.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are trying to be smart about smoke and all. Love Pat
Thanks, KarenZ, for the information about websites!! We'll be using them for the rest of the trip!
ReplyDelete