Day 15: Billings MT -> Pocatello ID

Travellers in USAnia!  Amuse yourselves on long journeys by pronouncing local placenames containing "ll" inna-Welsh-stylee^[1]!  Billings, Pocatello, Dallas, ect and, moreover, etc.

Mr Google suggests two basic ways of getting from Billings to Pocatello, viz.

• I-90 west then I-15 south, or
• I-90 west then US-191 and US-20 south until I-15 becomes unavoidable

Since the US-191 is seventy miles shorter and heads into the mountains I took that option.  There's still a hundred and twenty miles of Interstate to Bozeman - albeit with the lofty and SNO-capped Rockies off to the left - but then the route climbs the valley of the Gallatin River up to Yellowstone National Park, and jolly scenic it is too.

It is, however, not a good road for a semi-truck to try overtaking three vehicles^[2] while going uphill and approaching a blind corner, and only by dint of the oncoming traffic taking to the verge with smoking brakes was a head-on averted.  Anyway, Mr Garrison Transportation Services of Salt Lake City, it was likely one of your lot^[3] and he probably wants drug testing, or to be smeared with lard, tied to a tree and left at the Deer Creek Trailhead:

US-191 does actually cross into Yellowstone NP but you don't have to pay to access this bit.  Turn right onto US-20 in West Yellowstone village and keep going through the tree-ridden mountains until there's a long 6% downhill and there you are on the Snake River Plain, mostly flat and full of potatoes.  At least, Ashton ID claims to be the Seed Potato Capital of The Wurrrld.  Lots of this before hitting I-15 at Idaho Falls and heading south for another 50 miles.  During which the potatoes are occasionally interrupted by lava beds.

The North Blackfoot Rest Area has a handy Structure plonked on top of the building containing the Usual Offices of an Interstate rest area, so you can gawp at the lava beds in all their glory.

Pocatello is completely different to how I remember it the last time I stayed here but then again, that time it was dark when I arrived.  Mr Google thinks a bit over five hours from here to Battle Mountain, plus I gain an extra hour by crossing into the Pacific time zone, which will give me the opportunity to phone Mr National Car Rental to ask 'em what I should do about the POB grumbling about wanting an oil service.

1. But not where anyone else can hear you, obv.
2. Of which the POB being the rearmost.
3. Definitely one of their trailers, anyway.