13 September 2015, Sunday

We are up at about 6:45 to break camp. The temperature is 38 degrees F.
It feels balmy. We bid farewell to Wayne, our neighbor, drive through
the upper loop of Mammoth Hot Springs and proceed to Gardiner for
breakfast. Although there are still many tourists around, there are
not many places open for breakfast. Many restaurants lose their staff once the
school year begins.

After breakfast we head north along the Gardiner River passing many parties
out in boats paddling or fishing and enjoying the sunny weather. As
we drive I check the DeLorme Atlas of Montana to try to find the
route Wayne was describing. It looks like it must be Route 212 through
Custer National Forest and the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness. It
passes peaks that are over 12,000 feet elevation and winds past many
national forest campsites.  Next year!!

The remainder of our trip to Missoula is uneventful. We have less than
500 miles to go to E and K’s house.