Colorado Springs, CO

Sigh… I’m not sure where to start on this. There were two attempts at this, and they were both failures. There were a few things I was told about to see in Colorado Springs. Seven Falls, Garden of the Gods, and Pike’s Peak. But my main interest in Colorado Springs was the Tesla museum. The first day we went didn’t work out so well. No one has heard of the Tesla museum, there was nothing online for it, there was one phone number you could call that went straight to voicemail, and the address on the internet lead nowhere. We left a message on the voicemail hoping for anything. Then there was the Garden of the Gods. I was expecting it to be a garden, like with plants and flowers and such, but it was a lot of rocks. Not a big deal, it was beautiful, but it was closed. There was a bike race going on and the roads were closed. They weren’t to be open until after we left. We did make it over to Seven Falls. If you ask me, it’s just one fall with seven turns. It was pretty, just like all the other falls, but it was expensive to get in there to see it. However, there was an elevator that was built inside the mountain. I walked inside a mountain! How cool is that? Oooh, speaking of inside of mountains, I heard NORAD was in Colorado Springs too. I highly doubt we could do anything about that though. I’m sure we needed to apply months in advance and have a thorough background check. Anyway, it started pouring while we were at Seven Falls. I didn’t feel like getting wet, so we waited under shelter until the rain stopped, but it didn’t. There were a ton of chipmunks in the area. And boy were they friendly. I fed them. They actually came up to my hand, put their hands on mine and took the food out of my hand! They were so cute. They seemed pretty desperate. If you hold the food just above their heads, they jump up and try to grab it. It looks like they are clapping. How adorable. Sadly, this was the best part of the day. It was quite amusing. Once I decided the rain wasn’t going to stop, I put my sunglasses on and strutted over to my car. At this point, I didn’t care, I just wanted to get back to Denver. It was too late to go up Pike’s Peak anyway. And there was no way I was going up a narrow road on the side of the mountain when it was raining.

On the way back, the guy from the Tesla museum number called back. He was a bit… crazy. He was really excited that we knew who he was and asked how we knew and if we were engineers. We set up a time to go see this stuff and demonstrations. It was would be a minimum of $35 to see this. I figured it would be worth it. A Tesla fanatic, a personal demonstration, this could be good. So we drove the hour and a half again on Thursday to the address given. It was a bed and breakfast. It was cute. Got down to the basement to see a guy that had an Amish looking haircut. He started his “presentation” which is more of a lecture… in the dark. He kept talking, in the dark. I had no idea what was going on, but I was being patient hoping it would get better or the presentations would make up for it. This guy was a total waste. He lectured about everything we already knew, the stuff he had he wouldn’t let us really look at or read, or touch. He was very protective of it. His lecture was sporadic, sometimes going off on tangents relating to UFOs or nutrition. Then he showed us an informational video from 1983 and his “demonstrations” which was the same thing over and over, but with different light bulbs. Needless to say, I was PISSED. I left that place cursing. Sailors would say that they had a mouth of a Shaza. Oh my dear lord. What a waste of time. Three hours of mind numbing nonsense. I can't begin to describe how insane this guy is. Apparently he's coming out with 25 books, a couple of movies, and he warned us to search for the truth, but to keep it to ourselves because people will take advantage of us. Really? Can I have those five hours and few hundred brain cells back? On the other hand, I’m glad we went so that I would no longer crave it and satisfy my curiosity about the Tesla museum in Colorado Springs. Tesla, you have once again been duped. On our way out, we drove through the Garden of the Gods. It started raining again, so we couldn’t do any hikes there. It was truly beautiful though.

I definitely have to come back here one day. Maybe go see the wind cave there. Only because it reminds me of South Park. “I can’t kick you just have to save me!” Either way, if and when I do come back to Colorado Springs, I think it would be something that I have to plan. It wasn’t completely bad, but it could have been a lot better.  

08/22/11, 08/25/11

Homebase

Made it home after two weeks of traveling. It seemed a lot longer. Maybe I was paying more attention to details and living in each moment. The drive back definitely wasn’t as thrilling or eventful, but it gave me time to soak in these past two weeks, especially the small details that I wanted to hold on to.

The absolute silence I heard at the mountains only to be disturbed by a breeze blowing at the trees in the distance. The people that were incredibly patient with all the tourists. The disgruntled look on people’s faces when they were hiking. I couldn’t tell if they were tired or mad, or they just had that type of personality. But as soon as they looked up and saw someone else, the scowl faded away into a smile and a nod of acknowledgement. I probably looked even worse. I hope that I smiled back at them. They were white, most of them were white. Whether it was the people that lived out there or the people visiting. Quite a difference than what I was used to, but it probably took a while for me to notice that. Was that bad? I decided it wasn’t. People are who they are. And I noticed their kindness and their love of nature before I noticed their heritage.

We drove through North Dakota. Not much there. Went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Not much there. About a half hour drive through. Not much in Minnesota or Wisconsin either. Maybe there was, but at this point, I was itching to get home, so I didn’t feel like stopping anywhere. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the sunflower fields along the way. And the huge rainbows, one which was a double rainbow. Must admit, it was pretty cool.

Going through the pictures, I was slightly overwhelmed by many how I had. (800 pictures for Glacier alone! Still haven’t posted them, but I will… maybe only 100 or so of them though). It was my poor attempt of trying to capture the feeling out there. Craig did a much better job though. He took amazing pictures. He took a lot of me that I am very thankful for. Those memories I will have because of him. He actually made the trip very enjoyable. We got along very well, surprisingly. I say that because I usually get sick of people that are constantly around, and for two weeks nonetheless. But it was ok with him. And he helped with the driving. We decided to split up the driving evenly, but I won’t lie, he did most of it. And he kept my road rage calm when I drove. And he kept me safe from bears. One night I confessed that I was scared of the bears and he says “it’s ok, you got me.” And he flexed his arms. And although I knew he couldn’t really take on a bear, it made me feel safer and calmed my nerves a bit. I let out a nervous laugh, but it was a real laugh too. And it was a lot of little things like that that made these past few weeks enjoyable and as wonderful as it was. And I thank him for that.

More memories… the glaciers. The melting glaciers. How people are freaked out about them melting. That’s what they do. That’s how those mountains were formed. As the sign in Rae’s office at work says, “pull up your big girl panties and deal with it”. Don’t stop it from melting if that’s what it’s going to do. What else? The huckleberries. Oh, the huckleberries. Or any type of fruit for that matter, but especially the huckleberries. The fruit had such flavor. It must’ve been local. Even the beef, and the bison. Everything is more delicious out there. More flavorful, more real. It makes even the organic stores around here seem inadequate. Thank goodness my mother makes delicious food. I’ll learn one day.

I have to admit, I miss my family. I couldn’t wait to see them and share these past two weeks with them. And the huckleberry flavored things I brought with me. Yes, I’m obsessed. I went to my sister’s house for most of the time. I was pleasantly surprised at how well we got along. Was I more relaxed? Was she? It seemed like we both didn’t have a care in the world. It made for a good time. It’ll make me miss her even more. I went to my nephew’s soccer game. He’s a freshman in high school now. Wow. A long way from his games when they looked like bees buzzing over a hive merely trying to kick the ball in one direction. Now there was passing, planning, heading, faking… a real game. I miss being a part of their lives too. Sigh… I’m the aunt from Chicago. Well it’s a little better now. I’m the crazy aunt that’s going everywhere. 

Glacier National Park, MT

I’ve contemplated for a while what to say about the past few days. But there are no words. For me to describe Glacier, or at least how I saw it, would not due. It’s a place everyone needs to see for themselves. It’s a place that doesn’t look real, it’s just a postcard, or a picture out of national geographic. Where there are mountains, there are waterfalls, especially if the mountains are covered with glaciers. Taking pictures was more frustrating than ever. I continuously took pictures trying desperately to capture a fragment of its grandness, but alas, no justice. If there was any way to describe Glacier National Park, it would start with “Wow”.

The first day was pretty laid back. Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Lake hikes. Those may have been my favorite hikes. Avalanche Lake was like a hidden treasure. It’s the moment that made me realize that this place is indescribable. The Trail of the Cedars I especially enjoyed although it was an incredibly easy walk. It was a half mile long, no elevation gain, on a boardwalk. It made me realize a few things, a couple of them about myself. I realized that I liked these hikes because I didn’t necessarily have to watch where I was stepping. I could merely enjoy my surroundings without having to worry about tripping or slipping. I noticed colors, shapes, growth patterns, animals, sounds, and other minor details. I was immersed in my surroundings. It was something I hadn’t enjoying so much before. My entire life I’ve had goals, and I’ve attained many of them. I got from point A to point B. But what I failed to do is enjoy everything in between. I didn’t miss everything, but I didn’t take time to live in the moment. It brought the phrase “stop and smell the roses” to a whole new meaning. Perhaps I have new eyes on the world, or at least a little better.

Next day was mostly dedicated to the west side of the park. Bowman Lake, Apgar Lake, Poleridge, and then headed to the east side on Going-to-the-Sun Road. The lakes are gorgeous. They looked like one of those challenging 1000-piece puzzles. Everything that day was surreal. I constantly had to remind myself of where I was and what I was looking, and that everything around me was, in fact, real. They say Going-to-the-Sun Road is the most beautiful road in the U.S. I don’t have a single doubt that it is. It was the one time where road construction was an advantage. It gave me more time to soak up the falls, the mountains, the lakes, the valleys and everything else it had to offer.

More hikes the next day – Hidden Lake overlook, St Mary’s and Virginia Falls, Eagle Falls, and Appistoki Falls. The Hidden Lake hike was awful. It was a short climb, but it was on snow. Yes, in the middle of summer and there’s snow everywhere. Going up the only real annoyance was snow in my shoe (hiking sandals). I got to see marmots and mountain goats. Loved the mountain goats and the hike was OK. On the way down however, it was a different story. Going down a slippery trail where you have a steep snow covered hill was something I couldn’t handle. After going over a “tough spot” I broke down and cried. It wasn’t like the Corbin Cabin hike where my body gave up. This burst of tears came from an overwhelming fear that I hadn’t felt before. I sucked it up and moved on. There was only one way off this path and it was down back to the car. Carefully continuing the hike, as people passed me with ease, I started to cry again. It didn’t bother me that I others didn’t share my concern of falling off a mountain, but it was the realization of why I had the fear to begin with, and the feeling of helplessness that I wouldn’t be able to change this about myself. I cried almost the rest of the way down, still being tactful about each and every step. Luckily I was wearing my sunglasses and it was difficult to notice my state. I wanted to be alone even though I was surrounded by many. This made the rest of the day drag, and left me emotionally and mentally exhausted. The hike to each of the falls was rejuvenating though. The hike to St. Mary’s Falls and continuing to Virginia Falls offered a surprise. A no-name falls in between, which also happens to be more beautiful than the other two.

The final day at Glacier was interesting. I went up as far as I could on the Swift Current hike. It was a good thing I didn’t go up any higher because it started raining on the way back, and I would have had another breakdown if I was on the side of a mountain while it was raining. Just saying. It was a beautiful hike, especially on the way back in the rain. The rain had washed away all the dust and shown the rock of its true nature. It was called Red Rock Lake for a reason. It was so different on the way back that it made me question if this was the trail taken on the way to the mountain. It was beautiful, and it was a great way to end the Glacier trip. I think this would be a place I would go back to. I’d like to be in better shape for the more difficult hikes, and hopefully be less fearful of heights and these monsters that people call mountains. And perhaps I will see more sights that make these past “wow’s” seem like “ehh...”

08/02/11-08/04/11

Drive through Montana

What a day. It rained all night. I know because it kept me awake. In the morning it kept raining, and raining, and raining. I was hoping to wait it out. But it didn’t stop. Now the inside of the tent is wet. I shrugged and decided to not waste any more of the day. It was going to be a driving day anyway. I shoved every loose item into my sleeping back and put it in the back seat. The tent was a lazy fold and put it in the truck over a blanket so it wouldn’t get everything else dirty. Although we came in the northeast side of the park, we drove down the west side of the park. On the way out, we decided to drive through the east side. Which was great, because there were two other falls I wanted to see. Surprise, surprise.

This was a great idea, because it was the best waterfall I had seen in my entire life. Some falls are like Fairy Falls, small but a lot of character. Some are like Niagara Falls, big with a lot of power, but a little plain. These falls were the perfect hybrid of both. The Canyon Falls. Stopped at the upper falls first, which was the better of the two. An 1/8-mile hike from the parking lot to see it. When I got there, I was winded. Not because of the hike, but the beauty of the falls. I honestly couldn’t breathe. It was fast and powerful yet graceful and elegant. The water was hitting the bottom so fast that it spew out into splashes of mist. I could stay here forever. But alas, I had to move on. Saw the lower falls on the way out. They were nice, but now nothing can compare to the upper falls. The thing I did like about the lower falls location was that the views of the canyon were beautiful there.

The drive through Montana was much like the drive through Wyoming. A lot of nothingness. Perhaps I had become accustomed to the beauty of the west. The rolling hills, the forests, the wildlife… This is what everyone should see every day. It makes me dread going back to the Midwest. It seems pale, bland, and maybe even boring the scene out here. Again, the long drive gave me time to think and reflect on the past few days.

How can I write all this down again? I thought about myself and how relaxed I had become. I didn’t mind that there might be a molding rotting tent in my trunk making everything else in there stink. I didn’t mind the rain coming down all day. It was just another form of nature. I was lucky so far in the weather. I’m glad I was introduced to sleeping pads. How did I ever just sleep on the ground? Where is all this construction coming from??? This is the middle of nowhere. Sheesh. I’ve worked my car pretty hard. That’s ok, that’s what it’s for. No Honda Civic has ever been on such an adventure. Uphill, downhill, it’s all good. Although I wish my car would’ve have roared going up as opposed to whine. It’s a good car. My little bat-mobile. I desperately need a shower. It’s weird how showers have become a perk out here. I hate showers, but I miss taking one. It’s so beautiful out here. These small towns are really starting to grow on me. Maybe because they just seem so friendly.

Desired destination for the night: Kalispell, MT. Finding a hotel was difficult. Made reservations at a Motel 6. Took all my information over the phone only to take it down again once I checked in. Seriously people… Going to a Motel 6 reminded me of when I first moved the Chicago area. It was an exciting time in my life, just like this one. Got in the non-smoking room that stunk, but I was glad to be in a room. I yearned for a bed, a shower. Well, not a shower, but just to be clean, or at least feel clean. I couldn’t tell if I had acquired a tan or layers of dirt. Turned out to be a little of both. Set up the tent in the tiny room to dry, laid out all the other wet things to dry, put the laundry in a pile in the corner and took that fantastic shower that I had been looking forward to. Now the bed, a real bed, is calling. I think I’m going to answer.

08/01/11 

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton! They didn’t look like Tetons to me, but they were gorgeous. Mountains have a special personality about them. They stand tall and proud, and they have a story to tell. The glaciers on the mountains gave them a little more character. Driving through the park, a different point of view of the same mountain range was like seeing a whole new scene. Continuously breathtaking.

Driving to the first hike, I decide to summit mount signal using very special gear. My 2004 Honda Civic. The road was windy and elevated, but it wasn’t like driving on the mountains to Yosemite National Park back in March. Here the road was wide, and not on a cliff. On top of the mountain, it became clear why it was called Mt. Signal. There was a huge tower right there. I looked at my phone and saw that I had great reception. So I took the opportunity to call my parents.

The flowers on the mountain were beautiful. In fact, all the flowers I have seen on the way have been beautiful. There’s something about wild flowers that you can’t get from a delicately arranged flower bouquet from the florist down the street. They were vibrant and placed randomly about each hill or mountain. It’s as if god was eating seeds and sneezed on this mountain he was creating. I could say the same thing about the trees and forests. These trees are ground on mountains. Rocks. What kind of soil are they hanging on too? Nature is just awe-inspiring like that.

The first hike was at Jenny Lake. Took the pansy way there, the ferry. Then hiked the half mile to hidden falls. Gorgeous, as usual. I don’t know what other ways to describe waterfalls. It’s like an unattainable goal to truly describe a waterfall. Anyway, hiked up another half mile to Inspiration Point. Wasn’t very inspirational, it didn’t make me want to write a book or anything, but it was beautiful. You can see plains, mountains, forests, a lake and a river, all in one picture. On the way down from Inspiration point, a 71-year-old man passed me. I struck up a conversation with him and found out that until about three years ago, he was a college basketball and football referee. Wow. He makes me feel lazy and lethargic. He inspired me to be more active. Maybe that’s what Inspiration Point was about afterall.

The weather was crappy and I was feeling sick. I took a nap and had a bite to eat. I felt a little better, but not good enough to do the entire next hike. Phelps Lake. I had it in me to hike there, but not around it. The hike there was nice. Very woodsy and outdoorsy. Once at Phelps Lake, I felt like I was looking at a post card. Was this real? It was beautiful. It was still a little hazy out, but I definitely got the feeling of what it was. The lake with the foresty mountain behind it was numbing. Sat there for a little bit then made way back to the car.

On the way to campsite, there was moose. A moose! It was clogging up traffic of course, and I made traffic worse by getting out and taking a few pictures myself. Unfortunately it didn’t have the antlers, but it’s face was just as funny-looking. I filled up on gas at the park. I thought it would be more expensive, but it wasn’t too bad. A little under dollars per gallon for 85.5 grade. Stopped to have dinner at the lodger there. Best food I had ever eaten in my entire life. Mmmm… And now back at the campsite, looking forward for more days of adventure and surprises. I hope this feeling never goes away.

07/31/11 

Yellowstone NP - Day 2

Woke up, had a quick breakfast and immediately went to the next desired campsite. Stopped at the one right before it, just in case. It was full. It wasn’t even noon yet! On to the next one, the one I was hoping for. Driving over, I crossed the Continental Divide. And then again. The third time I declared Blair Whitch. I stopped to look at the map to confirm I wasn’t nuts. I wasn’t, not for this reason anyway. Took a picture and continued on. Entering the campsite, I saw most of it was flooded, but I spotted one right at the beginning, and luckily, it was shady. I don’t know if I can handle a sauna in the morning. Set up camp and went out to discover Yellowstone.

I had gone through the map they give you upon entering the park. I circled anything that was labeled as a fall. I know… I can’t get enough of them. They’re all different, and they’re all mesmerizing. And I can stare at each and every one of them for hours on end. I hopelessly take tons of pictures, with each one reminding myself of my hypocritical tendency. I know I can’t get the picture I want, no matter what camera I have. Even taking videos isn’t sufficient. I do my best. But nothing compares to being there, standing by the waterfall, hearing it’s decent upon the rocks, feeling its mist, even better if there is a slight breeze, watching each drop fall to join the flow below.

The first waterfall was Mystic Falls. That was a hike. Of course before getting to the trailhead, there were geysers and hot springs and all that happy stuff. The one that caught my eye was the Sapphire Pool. Coming to a fork in the road, there was a path to the Mystic Falls 1.7 miles to the right, and 0.7 miles to the left. Going to the right, it was 0.7 mile hike to a scenic overlook. Stopping every 25 yards to catch my breath, I constantly questioned myself why I was doing this. The mountain is steep, the path is narrow and how will I ever get back down. The scenic overlook was good, but the falls were still a mile away. The people going the other way said it was steeper. Yep. Going back the way we came. The hike down was much quicker, but in a way much scarier. Part of the path were sandy, I slipped a couple of times and swore like it would save my life or something. Got back to the fork and hiked the other 0.7 miles to the falls. Very much worth it. As agonizing as it was doing that hike, at the end of the day, I’m glad I did it.

Got to Old Faithful just in time to see it erupt. It was pretty cool. There were an incredible amount of people there, especially for something that happens every 90 minutes, give or take. It made me wonder why Yellowstone doesn’t blow up entirely. There are hot springs and geysers everywhere.

I was told that I had to walk into Old Faithful Inn, just to see the lobby. It was the oldest building in the park and it was beautiful. Indeed it was. It was all wood. I had noticed a fire hydrant and multiple pumps outside the building. That no longer seemed odd. Next was dinner. Walked across the street and had the best tasting driest broiled chicken sandwich I’d ever eaten. Everything tastes good after a good hike.

Speaking of hikes… Fairy Falls was next. It was about a 5 mile hike. It was easy though, no elevation gain. The trail was beautiful and the waterfall was breathtaking. I daresay it was the perfect waterfall. Noticing a raspberry bush, I got a little freaked out about bears. I soaked up the waterfall and moved on.

I really wanted to see Grand Prismatic Spring before the sun set. I made it just in time. Walking on the walkway to it, I felt like I had just gotten out of the shower, but not in the clean sense. I would feel a gust of hot humid air and then a cool breeze would blow. Just like getting out a hot shower and opening the door to the bathroom. Since the spring was constantly letting off steam, I couldn’t actually see it. But every now and then I would get a glimpse of the colors. I tried catching it then for a picture, but I figured the aerial pictures on line would have to suffice.

Got in the car, snuck into a nearby hotel to use the bathroom, brush my teeth and recharge my computer so I could write about the day in the tent. This handwriting stuff is not as convenient. I wish I could sneak into a shower too. The dusty hikes have made my feet dirty, even my legs. It reminds me of John’s black foot during our fubar trips. I feel like calling him up and setting up some kind of challenge. “Black foot? It has NOTHING on my black leg!” Oh the stuff I come up with when I’m tired. Tomorrow… Grand Tetons. Get your mind out of the gutter. ;)

07/30/11

Yellowstone National Park

Yay! Pancakes were delicious. And I got to recharge my camera and computer batteries. The internet was slower than I liked it to be, and at one point it stopped working. So I only posted three of the four entries. I wanted to post more and perhaps post some more pictures as well. But I would like to get into the park and find a site, so I packed up and headed to Yellowstone. It was recommended to go through the northeast side, through Cooke City, MT (another cute town). Stopped there, stalked up on ice and filled gas at $4.35. Yikes! The grades they had were 85.5, 88, and… I forgot what the last one was, but the first two were odd enough.

Yellowstone National Park, finally! These campsites fill up fast, going from one campsite to another, got the last spot at Indian Creek. It’ll do. Headed over to Sheepeater Cliff. It was interesting. The rocks had broken off into columns. Climbed over to the top, which wasn’t too bad, it’s not that high. What I didn’t consider is the way down. I’m like a cat in a way, I can climb up a tree, but climbing down scares the day lights out of me. The drive up to Mammoth Springs was very windy, as the road tended to be entering the Yellowstone area. Around one curve, there was a beautiful waterfall that cascaded in a way to look like a wedding cake. Of course I took a picture. This one wasn’t even labeled on the map. I had a feeling I’d like Yellowstone.

Mammoth Springs. Now Yellowstone is full of hot springs and geysers. They are everywhere. But Mammoth Springs are the most famous, and for a reason. They were beautiful. At first, I thought it was a pile of snow. But it was just a lot of springs, bubbling, making noises, flowing, there was even a little hot spring waterfall. Sorry, I don’t get over waterfalls. They’re my favorites. Anyway, I see all these people taking pictures. Some with super duty cameras and lenses and things I don’t even understand about cameras. And all I can think is FOOLS! You can’t put this in a picture. Pictures never do justice, no matter how good your camera is. You can’t capture the feel of the sun beating down on you, or the breeze that blows bringing that disgusting sulfur smell towards you. Ewwww. You just can’t get it. Doesn’t matter though, it doesn’t stop me from taking endless pictures. I feel like I’ve had this thought before and I’ve mentioned it. Perhaps. But it’s true. You just need to experience something as beautiful as nature for yourself.

Went into Mammoth Spring Inn too use their facilities. On the way, there were elk and bison, and all kinds of fun animals. I like being able to see wildlife in their true environment. It’s not like the zoo. Of course I took pictures, but one elk with huge antlers started moving towards my car so casually sped away from it. I’m not messing with any of that.

On the way back to the campsite, I had to stop at a couple of falls, of course. Undine Falls and Wraith Falls. There was a short hike to Wraith Falls whereas Undine Falls was a lookout from the road. They were both cute. I love how all waterfalls are different. I hope to see better falls in the park. But I’m satisfied with today. Tomorrow is dedicated to seeing more Yellowstone and going on hikes.

07/29/11 

Drive through Wyoming

Mt Rushmore, finally. Honestly, it’s not as grand as I thought it would be. It’s much smaller than the pictures make it look. Now don’t get me wrong, it was much better than the pictures, but there was nothing inspiring about it. I didn’t look up and think “oh my, how beautiful”. I’m not disappointed though. I would only have been disappointed if I hadn’t seen it.

On the way out, there was a steam engine. It was fabulous! And I love seeing grown men becoming like a little child on Christmas morning. It’s something I hope everyone has in them, and I hope they have something to bring it out every now and then. Where my thoughts go… Anyway, you could actually ride the train too! I wanted to, but I was more itching to get out of South Dakota. Never did I think I would spend three and a half days in South Dakota. But apparently, there’s a lot to do right off of I-90 in South Dakota. Off to Wyoming!

Yellowstone National Park is the next destination. I was almost afraid there would be a lot to do on the way too. I may need a year just to venture off and satisfy my curiosity in the northwest. I don’t think my curiously will ever be satisfied, or at least I hope not. But apparently I had nothing to worry about. Wyoming had nothing along the way. And I mean nothing. Even phone reception was scarce. This made me worry that my parents would freak out. Which they kind of did, but that’s another story for another day.

I think I needed that drive though. Sure it was long and there wasn’t much to see, but it left me to my thoughts. And boy did I think. I desperately wanted to write these thoughts down, but I feared it would stop my train of thought and leave me annoyed and wondering what I was thinking about. If anyone knew me, they’d know my train of thought is so ridiculously random. I could write pages and pages about what I thought that day. Maybe I’ll write down a few.

Free range cows. There was quite a bit out there. How would you catch them when you wanted? The fields are huge!! You’d probably have a dog. I want a dog. Hills and plains. It reminds me of Syria. Still waiting to see a citadel on a hill, like one you can see from my parent’s balcony. No citadels, just hills, and trees, and cows. Oh, Syria. I can only hope for the best. The lady at Wind Cave. The nerve she has, telling me that the air was blowing out of the original cave entrance in that matter-of-fact voice. You don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m in HVAC boytch. I actually explained it to her, and even demonstrated. Idiot. Let’s see if my car can go over 100 mph. Nope. Too high of an altitude. My poor car. My poor 4-cylinder car. Is it going to survive the mountains? It’ll be ok. It’s a good car. Better be, I just put a load of money in maintaining it. What do people do in small towns? What do they think? What are field trips like and high school sports? Who do they play? Does everyone know everyone else? Could I ever live like that or make my children live like that? I’m sure no one comes here for job prospects. The past few days have been awesome. Just awesome. I don’t understand why I haven’t done this before. Nothing planned, so nothing can go wrong. Have I become more relaxed? We’ll see. I can’t believe I broke my camera flap. Really? I need to get some electrical tape to keep it shut. I can’t believe I did that. Oh well, at least it still works. I don’t want to leave this trip. I do miss everyone though. One day at a time. All those thoughts probably happened in a span of 30 seconds.

Never made it to Yellowstone, a longer drive than anticipated. Stopped in a cute town named Cody. Now I feel like all the towns along the way were cute. There was one town that had a population of 10. And it had a post office. Anyway, Cody was pretty cool, rodeo capital of the world. They had one almost every night. Unfortunately, stayed at the only campsite there, KOA. Not bad though. Showers, laundry, internet, pool, and free pancakes in the morning! Mmmm… pancakes.


07/28/11