I've sat so long my legs hurt

Good news, we made up the 4 hour first day delay time. (In your face, car trouble)

Bad news, hours upon hours of car time today.

Today we traversed over the Big Horn Mountains, through Yellowstone, and, as I was just informed by the hotel clerk, around places Lewis and Clark once stepped.

It was a long day. a long, exhausting day.

These are the things I have learned today:

1. The Eastern half of Wyoming is the most boring place in the northern section of the US of A.

2. The Western half of Wyoming may be the most exciting place in the northern section of the US of A

3. My pointer finger can actually get tired after hitting the shutter button on my Nikon over 900 times in one day.

4. My Nikon doesn't not need it's shutter button pushed over 900 times or else the battery will die at very important times, ie: Old Faithful. (thank goodness for my Droid)

5. Driving through tunnels made of mountains in the mountains freaks me out.

6. Driving by bison as they graze on and off the road also freaks me out. (but kinda in a good way. "Oh my gosh, look at the bison, take a picture!")

7. Driving by deer at night while they graze right off the interstate while I'm going 75 definitely freaks my out. (and not in a good way at all! "Ah! Don't hit me! I need my car for 23 more days!!!")

8. My mom will befriend people in a gas station because she saw them laughing at my car. (I have an "I Love Cincinnati" bumper sticker next to my Indiana plate, so what?) She will also befriend and receive a mini-Bible from a Vietnam vet while his fiancee is using a Yellowstone port-a-pot. However, if I chat it up with the hotel clerk while she waits outside, she worries if everything is ok. :)

9. Old Faithful is cool but so are the others.

10. I'm a huge fan of the bubbly hot springs. Don't hate on them just because they smell like eggs.

11. Only you can prevent forest fires, especially if your name is "God." However, you can also sit on a folding chair and watch the forest burn, especially if your name is "fireman."

12. One of mom's favorite words is "desolate." One of mine is "Mooooommmm...."

13. I could not be a rancher's wife. I would worry all the time because I wouldn't be able to get in touch with him. There is no cell phone reception out there. How long would he have to be gone in the wilderness on horseback before I was allowed to worry if something terrible had befallen him?!?!

14. Watching sheep get herded right up to the road and being waved to by the old cowboy from his horse was one of the highlights of the day.

15. Western Wyoming looks like the pictures I used to draw in second grade. I'm not kidding. I always, always drew pictures of mountains with one little house all by itself tucked in somewhere. Though my pictures normally included Johnny Appleseed.

16. Bears will not come out for a photo op if you sing "bears, bears, where are you bears?" at them through the open window while driving through Yellowstone.

17. When I wish for something to happen, it normally does. Today I wished to see one wild animal in Yellowstone. I saw 3: Bison, Elk, & weird deer-like things. I forgot to wish for a bear.

18. Gas station pizza is not always horrible.

19. Mom talks to me more when the sun goes down. I like it. She made some excellent points in this "what next" discussion. I like what she had to say. Anyone else think it may be time to work on my Master's?

20. I yell a bit too much if awesome photo opportunities are missed. I should work on that.

21. Montana will probably be beautiful when we see it. The last 4 hours have been driven in the dark. As mom says, "You CAN drive over mountains in the dark!"

21. After 13 hours of mountain views, you get tired of them.

Speaking if tired, I'm exhausted! It's 2:30 am Mountain Time but I couldn't forget about you. Sorry that the past 2 days have been lists. I look forward to actually writing soon. I wish I had wifi in my car.

the nomad