This summer we were going to cruise the US interstates and highways and had many destinations on the way. From Chicago we went down along the Mississippi to San Antonio in southern Texas. From Texas, we headed north west to Kalispell way up in Montana and finally we headed east back to Chicago. If any of our trips deserved the title "On the Road", it would be this trip - nearly 12,000 km i three weeks. Wow! (7,200 miles)

Part 1 : Chicago to San Antonio.

Part 2 : San Antonio to Kalispell.

Part 3 : Kalispell to Chicago.

Between San Antonio and Kalispell we stayed in Roswell in New Mexico, Kayenta in Arizona, Moab in Utah, Idaho Falls in Idaho and Missoula in Montana.

Click each photo to enlarge

New Mexico State border, June 2016

We left San Antonio in Texas and headed north west on the endless Insterstate 10. In Fort Stockton we turned north along highway 285 and reached the New Mexico state line.

Roswell, June 2016

In the evening we arrived the Hampton Inn in Roswell. Wow! In 1947 a UFO supposedly crashed in the desert near Roswell. Ever since Roswell has been associated with aliens and flying saucers. Also, Roswell has a huge air base with obsolete air force aircraft. McBear just loves this town!

This was our third visit to Roswell, but each time there was something new. We went down town and passed the UFO museum.
We enjoyed walking around and looking for road signs like "Anti-alien headquarter" or advertisements for "the Pleiades playing here tonight". We had lots of fun.
"Are there many nutcases in Roswell?" Angus wanted to know.
"No, not a single nutcase - but lots of spacecases!"

Roswell, New Mexico, June 2016

The UFO museum is located in the main street.
"Everything is alien in Roswell - even the street lamps!" McBear told Angus with reference to the street lamp outside the museum entrance.

Next morning we enjoyed breakfast in the Hampton Inn. Tom noticed the sign next to the toaster.
"Our breakfast is out of this World!" he read. "Well, their coffee is heavenly but the jam is far out!"

Highway 285, New Mexico, June 2016

Then it was time to start the car. We left Roswell and headed north on the flat and endless highway 285.

The Four Corners, Arizona, June 2016

From Roswell, we hit the Insterstate 40 and headed west through Albuquerque to Gallup. Soon we entered the Navajo Nation - Indian territory! Then, as we got closer to Kayenta in Arizona, the landscape started showing weird rock formations sticking up through the ground.
"Are those thingies alien space craft launch sites or bomb craters?" Angus wanted to know.

We arrived the Hampton Inn in Kayenta in north eastern Arizona.
We had a lovely dinner. Tom asked for some wine.
"I am sorry..." the girl told him. "... but alcohol is not allowed in the Navajo Nation".
"Indians are sensible people!" Roger concluded.

Kayenta, Arizona, June 2016

Our room was decorated in Indian style. Roger noticed the image of one of the buttes in Monument Valley.

Monument Valley, Arizona, June 2016

This was our forth visit to Monument Valley, but this time we arrived through the "back door" - from south west.

The south part of the Monument Valley is in Arizona, while the north part is in Utah.

As we left Monument Valley, we did a stop on scenic highway 163 to get this classic selfie!

Colorado River, Utah, June 2016

We cruised the fantastic highway 95 and crossed the Colorado River.

We made a detour to visit the Goblin Valley state park.

We stayed for the night in Moab. Next morning we had the opportunity to visit the fabulous Arches National Park. If you've watched the film "Thelma and Louise", you may have noticed some of the rock formations late in the film - it was filmed in the Arches National Park.

We followed the highway 6 through mountainous areas until we stopped for coffee at Starbucks in Spanish Fork.
Our humans bought coffee. We got some bear sized cups and dipped them in our humans' coffee to fill our own cups.

Idaho Falls, Idaho, June 2016

Following the Interstate 15, we passed Salt Lake City at a very slow pace... they were repairing highways many places this summer.
"They really ought to keep the roads clear for prominent guests!" Roger believed.
Finally, we made it through Utah, entered Idaho and arrived our hotel in Idaho Falls.

The next day we entered Montana, left the Interstate 15 and headed north west on the Interstate 90. Regularly, we changed place, so somebody got window seats in front. Now it was Tom and Angus who enjoyed the front seats.

Montana, June 2016

Driving through Montana, we saw many beautiful landscapes and farms with barns like this very typical barn.

Then we arrived the Best Western Grant Creek Inn in Missoula. Great Place.

Missoula, Montana, June 2016

We wished to go down town to do some shopping. Here we are studying the map.

Having borrowed a credit card from our humans, we went down town and found the grocery store.

Flathead Lake, Montana, June 2016

Next day we headed further north and passed the huge Flathead Lake. The lake is almost 40 km long and is a remnant of Lake Missoula from the last interglacial era - that is according to wikipedia.

Then we reached our hotel in Somers just outside Kalispell.

Part 1 : Chicago to San Antonio.

Part 2 : San Antonio to Kalispell.

Part 3 : Kalispell to Chicago.