I love this shot the huzband took in the middle of nowhere Wyoming!

What a beautiful country we live in.  Part of what I have enjoyed throughout our drive is witnessing the different terrains we have traveled through.  The windy plains of Oklahoma to the broken mesas of New Mexico, the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee to the snow-capped peaks of Colorado.  What others consider boring, I find beautiful.  I am intrigued by the wonderous changes of this land.

We left Colorado this morning only after our good friends, the J’s, filled our bellies with a delicious breakfast!  It didn’t take too long to reach the Colorado/Wyoming border.  Leaving the Colorado Rockies behind us, we headed into the Wyoming Great Plains.  There were times when you could see dirt roads fade into the distant horizon for there was nothing, and I mean nothing, to block your view.  We passed through towns that sported signs stating they had a population of 4 and our “highway” was a two lane road surrounded by land that went on for miles upon miles.

making friends at a local rest stop

Our destination today was Mount Rushmore.  Though one of our shortest rides we have had recently (roughly 6 hours), the huzband and I noticed an increase of crankiness in the car.  We have been on the road for 11 days now.  We were talking this evening and the subject of “our home” came up.  It was said that our home, for the time being, is our car.  I am so grateful for this time that we have; these incredible places, people and experiences we are having.  However, it does not mean that living out of a suitcase, traveling day after day (so far thankfully broken up with visits with friends and family) and eating food on the road does not get to us.  I catch myself wanting to head down the road towards crankiness and have to pause a moment, take a deep, relaxing breath, survey the beauty around me and seek a little more peace and strength.

Once  we crossed into South Dakota, we passed through Oglala National Grassland and soon afterwards the Black Hills National Forest.  There is no doubt you are entering the Black Hills.  The landscape so quickly changes with trees beginning to fill every inch of land.  It is stunning and was such a peaceful drive (perhaps a napping wee one in the back contributed to some of the peacefulness.)  Not long before Mount Rushmore, we came upon Crazy Horse.  Though incomplete, it is just so cool.  We had thought about visiting there when planning our trip but just didn’t think we would be able to fit it in.  Little did we know we were going to drive right by it!

We are staying in a small town near Mt. Rushmore called Hill City.  It is quaint and full of character.  I enjoy chatting with the locals, hearing all the local history.  Tonight’s story had to do with the Silver Dollar Saloon, where we had dinner.  Back in the 50’s it used to be a zoo with a polar bear and everything.  Unfortunatly their lion killed someone and well, obviously it is not a zoo today.  However, that lion is sitting, stuffed in the restaurant, peering at you through it’s glass eyes while you eat your food.

Tomorrow is a new day with more of this beautiful land to explore.  Though I look forward to it, I also do not want to rush my sleep time.  My internal clock is all messed up and though I look at the clock and see 10 pm, my body feels like it’s somewhere between midnight and dawn.  It’s off, and weird, and off.

So goodnight my friends.