Worked in Billings a while back....nice country then. No idea what it's like now....
Sunday drive Montana style
- Thread starter steelslaver
- Start date
OP
While we don't have much of that type of urban sprawl we do have another. When someone's address is Cohagen, that means that is their post office, their home may well be 40 miles down a dirt road that is nearly impassible if it rains or when it snows.
My late wife's father and mother's address was Cohagen. To get there place you went north about 2 miles out of Cohagen (a post office, 1-8 school, rodeo arena, and a grange building) then turned east on the "2 furrow road" a 2 lane scoria road, drove 12 miles that you will not see any buildings from, then turn of the 2 furrow and drive 4 miles north on gumbo to their ranch house.
Scoria is actually bentonite clay that was baked to become like red brick material, by coal fire which have burned that part of the country forever. Gumbo is nearly pure bentonite clay and slicker than snot when wet. It will however stick to you tires, fill your wheel wells and wheels (making them out of balance when it does dry), clumps will end up on your hood, roof and trunk and windshield smearing nicely when you run your wipers until your out of fluid. It won't matter than you can't see as your rig has now gained a 1000# or so, it won't steer because the wheel wells are packed full, your "aggressive all terrain" tire's treads will be packed full, so they look like racing slicks as you become mired to the frame. One of my late wife's school mates died in child birth in such a 4x4 truck as her father and husband fought to get her to town when she went into labor after a serious rain storm. I am sure they tore up a lot of sage brush when the went off the actual road to try and stay on top. Even if you have a winch, your still screwed, I have ripped out a lot of sage brush a couple times. I used to carry 2 stakes made from car axles. Drive the first one in, then go a bit farther and drive the second, chain the top of the first to the second and hook your winch to below the chain on the first. But, I quit being an idiot. Now, I run my Polaris Ranger on it,. They are light enough and with the fat tires and big treads just go fast, don't stop, fling mud, steer like a mad man. Weeeee. Go to car wash and leave a big mess, but know that there are spots where you can't get to and it will harden and be their a long time.
Last edited:
My 2 cents: just traded a '21 F150 Powerboost hybrid for a '23 F150 Lightning. DC fast charging is being deployed in many new locations. Tesla Superchargers along the interstate I-90 and I-15. No problem getting across the state from Idaho to Billings. North and South Dakota are pretty barren as is Eastern Montana for EV charging. No problems going west or south down toward SLC along I-15.
Distances here can be vast. EV driving takes an entirely different mindset and planning. Can't just willy nilly drive and pull in for fuel/gas.
We've been inundated with "urban campers", Yellowstone TV series wannabes and lookie loos. The billionaires have pushed out all the millionaires and locals can't afford to exist. Everyone wants to be here. Except those of us who grew up and lived here for 40 years or more...
Distances here can be vast. EV driving takes an entirely different mindset and planning. Can't just willy nilly drive and pull in for fuel/gas.
We've been inundated with "urban campers", Yellowstone TV series wannabes and lookie loos. The billionaires have pushed out all the millionaires and locals can't afford to exist. Everyone wants to be here. Except those of us who grew up and lived here for 40 years or more...
I know a young man named Case. His mother went into labor during a storm and the ranch roads were socked in tight. It took a tractor ride through 6-8 foot drifts almost 25 feet long to get him to where a truck was stashed 3 miles from the house. It was then a hairy 45 mile drive to the hospital He was named after the brand of Tractor.
