almost home...
Oct. 19th, 2006 06:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ambitious_wenchI am safe in Nampa, Idaho. I was withough intarwebs night before last, and so was incommunicado. Once again, thoughts from the road in no particular order.
I am one of the few brave souls who did NOT stop at Wall Drug in South Dakota. I think that is probably the world's most extreme example of over-the-top advertizing. According to some signs I saw on the way, there is a sign for Wall Drug in Kenya, South Africa, and was (at one time, at least) advertised on London busses. Ye gods.
Thank god for road signs in Western South Dakota. Otherwise I would have been a hell of a lot more bored than I was. My favorite included the phrase "24 hour TOE service" We know SD is devilbunnie territory, don't we?.
Two places I did bypass with deep regret: Mt. Rushmore, and Devil's Tower.
The Black hills are indeed black, but the soil is a deep red. The Badlands are truly beautiful in their own stark way. Again, I regret having to bypass them.
Wyoming and Montana--I have to go back. Stunning, especially with a dusting of snow. Speaking of snow, my luck is holding very well. Parts of I80 were closed due to slippery conditions, but i90 was clear and dry, with only the occasional flake whipping by.
BTW, 75mph into a 25mph headwind made me lose 100 miles off a tank of gas. OUCH!
OK, ditzy redhead report: I left my bag of dirty laundry at Jeff's. *sigh*. Didn't leave anything at the hotel in Billings, MT, though. However, I did something really ditzy. For the first time since leaving New England, I had to stop to take a picture of the rising sun illuminating the Crazy Mountains of Montana. Got out of the car, took the picture, went back to the car, tried to open the back door, found it locked, opened the front door, hit the lock button, closed the front door, tried to open the back door and realized it was still locked. Tried to open the front door, and found it was locked too. I really had hit the lock button instead of the unlock button. About 5 m inutes later, a transportation agency truck spotted me and stopped, and he called the Sweet Grass county sherriff and got a Deputy out to help me. Meanwhile, my car was running the whole time. Alan popped the door open in a matter of seconds (why do I bother to lock it when it is that easy to open), and my total time lost was about a half hour.
Second ditzy redhead part: I was pulled over later yesterday. Seems someone had called in because I was weaving--I made sure to have my license out, rolled down the driver's side window, and the passenger side, told the statie that the other window was open so that he could feel safer. I think that may have saved my ass. He looked over my license, saw that it was from Rhode Island, told me why he'd pulled me over. I told him truthfully that I had been trying to read my directions, without my glasses while driving, apologized. He said he couldn't smell alcohol, and then asked if I was on any meds. Told him no, the only thing I was drining was gatorade, not under any meds. He then said my eyes looked a bit red, and asked when the last time I smoked marijuana.
*blink*
I was tempted to say something flippant like "you're assuming I've smoked in the first place". I didn't. Honesty is the best policy. I told him I was busted for 3 joints worth in 79, and hadn't smoked it since. OK, so it was only partially honest.
He didn't ask for registration, insurance, nothing. He told me to be more alert and let me go. Lessons learned: do not try to read directions without glasses while driving 65 mph. Be considerate of the statie's safety. Be honest, do not get flippant, and admit mistakes.
Back to random thoughts: Gallatin National Forest has some spectacular climbing rocks.
Western Yellowstone is v. pretty.
Malad Gorge in Idaho is stunning.
Looking forward: I could be in yosemite tonight, but it means a 12 hour drive. Thanks to my son, I can afford a stay in a hotel--seriously thinking of doing so. this way I can arrive at a reasonable hour instead of stumbling in after dark.
Once again I will be connectionless if I do, however.
Oh, not sure how much coverage I will have on my cell phone, once again.
According to statistics, this is the most dangerous part of a trip--the closer you get to home, the more likely you are to have an accident. I will be keeping this in mind, my friends.
I am one of the few brave souls who did NOT stop at Wall Drug in South Dakota. I think that is probably the world's most extreme example of over-the-top advertizing. According to some signs I saw on the way, there is a sign for Wall Drug in Kenya, South Africa, and was (at one time, at least) advertised on London busses. Ye gods.
Thank god for road signs in Western South Dakota. Otherwise I would have been a hell of a lot more bored than I was. My favorite included the phrase "24 hour TOE service" We know SD is devilbunnie territory, don't we?.
Two places I did bypass with deep regret: Mt. Rushmore, and Devil's Tower.
The Black hills are indeed black, but the soil is a deep red. The Badlands are truly beautiful in their own stark way. Again, I regret having to bypass them.
Wyoming and Montana--I have to go back. Stunning, especially with a dusting of snow. Speaking of snow, my luck is holding very well. Parts of I80 were closed due to slippery conditions, but i90 was clear and dry, with only the occasional flake whipping by.
BTW, 75mph into a 25mph headwind made me lose 100 miles off a tank of gas. OUCH!
OK, ditzy redhead report: I left my bag of dirty laundry at Jeff's. *sigh*. Didn't leave anything at the hotel in Billings, MT, though. However, I did something really ditzy. For the first time since leaving New England, I had to stop to take a picture of the rising sun illuminating the Crazy Mountains of Montana. Got out of the car, took the picture, went back to the car, tried to open the back door, found it locked, opened the front door, hit the lock button, closed the front door, tried to open the back door and realized it was still locked. Tried to open the front door, and found it was locked too. I really had hit the lock button instead of the unlock button. About 5 m inutes later, a transportation agency truck spotted me and stopped, and he called the Sweet Grass county sherriff and got a Deputy out to help me. Meanwhile, my car was running the whole time. Alan popped the door open in a matter of seconds (why do I bother to lock it when it is that easy to open), and my total time lost was about a half hour.
Second ditzy redhead part: I was pulled over later yesterday. Seems someone had called in because I was weaving--I made sure to have my license out, rolled down the driver's side window, and the passenger side, told the statie that the other window was open so that he could feel safer. I think that may have saved my ass. He looked over my license, saw that it was from Rhode Island, told me why he'd pulled me over. I told him truthfully that I had been trying to read my directions, without my glasses while driving, apologized. He said he couldn't smell alcohol, and then asked if I was on any meds. Told him no, the only thing I was drining was gatorade, not under any meds. He then said my eyes looked a bit red, and asked when the last time I smoked marijuana.
*blink*
I was tempted to say something flippant like "you're assuming I've smoked in the first place". I didn't. Honesty is the best policy. I told him I was busted for 3 joints worth in 79, and hadn't smoked it since. OK, so it was only partially honest.
He didn't ask for registration, insurance, nothing. He told me to be more alert and let me go. Lessons learned: do not try to read directions without glasses while driving 65 mph. Be considerate of the statie's safety. Be honest, do not get flippant, and admit mistakes.
Back to random thoughts: Gallatin National Forest has some spectacular climbing rocks.
Western Yellowstone is v. pretty.
Malad Gorge in Idaho is stunning.
Looking forward: I could be in yosemite tonight, but it means a 12 hour drive. Thanks to my son, I can afford a stay in a hotel--seriously thinking of doing so. this way I can arrive at a reasonable hour instead of stumbling in after dark.
Once again I will be connectionless if I do, however.
Oh, not sure how much coverage I will have on my cell phone, once again.
According to statistics, this is the most dangerous part of a trip--the closer you get to home, the more likely you are to have an accident. I will be keeping this in mind, my friends.
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no subject
Date: 2006-10-19 03:57 pm (UTC)Stay safe. Waiting to hear from you again.
-m