Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota

Traveled through three big states today.  Left Billings this morning at 9:30 and pulled up to our hotel in Keystone, South Dakota at 4:30 pm.  Dead tired.  Again.  We will stay put for two nights now in this Holiday Inn Express, and I'm sooo glad to not have to drive any long distance tomorrow.  My hip is screaming and I am stretching it, Sailor sleeps at our feet, Carol is busily at work on her computer (talking to the screen as she is wont to do).  Once we'd checked in (nice, spacious room btw) we went to a little restaurant down the street (Ruby House).  It continues to be a challenge to find the right kinds of lean (proteins) and greens (veggies) for my diet, but I settled on trout with a serving of broccoli and a green side salad.  Since I've learned a lot about cooking fish in the last year, I was a bit disappointed in the trout (too dry, too well done) but I was hungry and ate the whole thing.  Carol said her steak was tasty.  We both declined drinks and desserts and took the dog for a walk after dinner.  It was nice to be out and about on our feet and for it to be dry, altho cold.

It was raining hard when we left Billings and windy, windy, windy.  It rained during almost the entire drive, and when it wasn't raining, it was SNOWING.  Yes, snowing.  We stopped in a town in Wyoming called Gillette and I think, without exaggeration, we could say we were caught in a blizzard.  We got gas there and during the time I was filling the tank I got completely soaked by sideways blowing wet snow.  I have mostly short sleeved shirts, flip flops, and capris in my suitcase.  Luckily I brought my gore-tex rain jacket.  We hear its supposed to rain for the next few days, but at least the temps will be in the 50's.  The woman at the store in Wyoming said they can have all four seasons in one day.  I believe it. 

My mind was occupied most of the day with trying to drive safely in wild weather.  When I did muse on other things, I marveled at the hardiness of early settlers who crossed these high passes and windy plains in something much less comfortable than a Lexus SUV.  I wondered about what the people's lives are like in the small towns that sit along the freeway.  I sang "Home on the Range" silently in my head.  I thought about my friends and family, and sent them love.  My friend Pat and I are writing road warrior poetry by text.  She sends me a line and then I send her one.  This is from today --

Pat -- These wild mountain streams
Me -- Muddy, swift and cold
Pat -- Tenderly open my heart
Me -- And drown my sorrows.

Our plan is to sleep in tomorrow, see Mt. Rushmore, go poke around Rapid City, and scatter some of Aunt Ruthie's ashes in the Black Hills.  Maybe the plan will be fulfilled.  Maybe not.  This the desert taught me -- be open to change of plan.  And so I shall be.

Sweet dreams.