Portland, OR to Mandan, ND?

[mic1hael]

Has anyone traveled this route? We bought our first deisel truck and we are not sure where it would be convenient to stop for deisel. Is it better to stop at truck stops near the interstate or go to the gas stations we know? I would really appreciate any help from everyone driving a deisel truck. Thank You.:confused:

[Ron]

We usually stop at truck stops and there are usually RV lanes to fuel up at. Once you get use to fueling up with Diesel, it will be a breeze in the future. Happy Campin..............Ron

[SAD]

We usually stop at truck stops and there are usually RV lanes to fuel up at. Once you get use to fueling up with Diesel, it will be a breeze in the future. Happy Campin..............Ron

^ I do the same.

Also... If the truck stop does not have an RV specific lane, I go straight to the truck pumps. About the only disadvantage I've seen is ~most~ truck pumps don't have 'pay at the pump' for '4 wheelers'. Have to go in to pay first unless you have a driver's card to swipe.

[jsmith948]

Has anyone traveled this route? We bought our first deisel truck and we are not sure where it would be convenient to stop for deisel. Is it better to stop at truck stops near the interstate or go to the gas stations we know? I would really appreciate any help from everyone driving a deisel truck. Thank You.:confused:

Gas stations will, usually, be a little harder to get in and out of.
Trucks are less likely to block you in because the drivers understand how much room you need to get out
IMHO, make sure you buy your diesel from a station or fuel stop that sells a lot of diesel - you will be less likely to buy fuel contaminated with water
Also, Good Sam's trip router feasture will tell you where the pilots/Flying J's are

[ktmracer]

our route would be 84 to 395 and up to I-90 through spokane then to missoula.

couple of tips
Fill up before you cross the columbia into Washington. Save $.10 gallon over oregon prices at least. If your towing, I'd fill up at Biggs as well, lower prices than portland on diesel.

Have an empy fuel tank when you hit the WA/ID border and fill up at flying J or Loves in Post Falls. Likely will save $.20/gallon over fuel in spokane or washington.

next tip, fill up again in Missoula if needed Fill up at the Million $$$ bar in saltes. worth stopping to see the bar anyway, We did the trip to Great Falls a month ago, $4.25/portland, $4.09 in Post Falls, $3.80 in Missoula/great Falls for diesel. I suspect the price will be low all the way through to ND. Part of the reason is that All the oil from the Baken Field and Montana doesn't have much place to go w/o a pipeline so fuel is much cheaper in MT/ND since they have refineries set up for the Baken oil.

If I was looking for the easiest route I'd stay on the interstate from Missoula down to billings and back up to ND.

If I was looking for a scenic route, at missoula cut off the Lincoln, Rogers Pass, to GF Lewiston, but it' almost all two lane road.

At least to missoula, there are plenty of big stations/truck stops near the interstates.

and make sure you have enough gas to get from about Jordan/Glendive MT to Mandan. Believe me you DON'T want to get off the freeway around Dickinson. It could take you an hour or more to get through town and fill up with all the truck traffic from the oil wells, especially if towing. W/O a pipeline there is massive tanker traffic coming from Williston and Dickinson to get the oil out to refineries.

[mic1hael]

our route would be 84 to 395 and up to I-90 through spokane then to missoula.

couple of tips
Fill up before you cross the columbia into Washington. Save $.10 gallon over oregon prices at least. If your towing, I'd fill up at Biggs as well, lower prices than portland on diesel.

Have an empy fuel tank when you hit the WA/ID border and fill up at flying J or Loves in Post Falls. Likely will save $.20/gallon over fuel in spokane or washington.

next tip, fill up again in Missoula if needed Fill up at the Million $$$ bar in saltes. worth stopping to see the bar anyway, We did the trip to Great Falls a month ago, $4.25/portland, $4.09 in Post Falls, $3.80 in Missoula/great Falls for diesel. I suspect the price will be low all the way through to ND. Part of the reason is that All the oil from the Baken Field and Montana doesn't have much place to go w/o a pipeline so fuel is much cheaper in MT/ND since they have refineries set up for the Baken oil.

If I was looking for the easiest route I'd stay on the interstate from Missoula down to billings and back up to ND.

If I was looking for a scenic route, at missoula cut off the Lincoln, Rogers Pass, to GF Lewiston, but it' almost all two lane road.

At least to missoula, there are plenty of big stations/truck stops near the interstates.

and make sure you have enough gas to get from about Jordan/Glendive MT to Mandan. Believe me you DON'T want to get off the freeway around Dickinson. It could take you an hour or more to get through town and fill up with all the truck traffic from the oil wells, especially if towing. W/O a pipeline there is massive tanker traffic coming from Williston and Dickinson to get the oil out to refineries.

Thanks for the tips on fueling up. I am originally from ND and your right there are so many oil trucks out there it is crazy. We already planned on stopping at belfield to fill up because we have family there but it will probably be a nightmare but not as bad as filling up in dickinson.

[ktmracer]

Thanks for the tips on fueling up. I am originally from ND and your right there are so many oil trucks out there it is crazy. We already planned on stopping at belfield to fill up because we have family there but it will probably be a nightmare but not as bad as filling up in dickinson.

I was born in Dickinson, Uncle lives on the family farm just north of dickinson. He says traffic is crazy with the oil boom.

And I did a "brain fart" on the $10,000 bar and truck stop. It is at the Haugen exit, not Saltese exit. Nice restaurant also. Worth the stop just to see all the Silver $$ on the walls and in the bar top.

If your interested I know of a shortcut around tri-cities, cuts out a bunch of through town traffic. Are you going to use the interstate through MT or cut across to Great falls at missoula?

[mic1hael]

I was born in Dickinson, Uncle lives on the family farm just north of dickinson. He says traffic is crazy with the oil boom.

And I did a "brain fart" on the $10,000 bar and truck stop. It is at the Haugen exit, not Saltese exit. Nice restaurant also. Worth the stop just to see all the Silver $$ on the walls and in the bar top.

If your interested I know of a shortcut around tri-cities, cuts out a bunch of through town traffic. Are you going to use the interstate through MT or cut across to Great falls at missoula?

We always take the interstate unless we go up to the family farm in New Town, ND. Yeah I would love to find a different route through the tricities. Thank you