Mountain Time

We're back!

I have to admit, I didn't expect to post anything today. After all, what could there possibly be to say about the thirteen hour stretch between Chicago, Illinois and Rapid City, South Dakota? Turns out, quite a bit.

First, I should have remembered the thing on the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota, a piece of American history that really shouldn't ever be forgotten. I have never seen the Mississippi River in person until today. Crossing it at land altitude instead of by air--even unceremoniously at 75 mph and on the way to somewhere else--somehow still felt like something of a threshold. Suddenly, all the standards set by things I knew to be the best "on this side of the Mississippi" were no longer applicable (I guess nobody really says that anymore but you get the idea). Our minds turned of their own accord to thoughts of steamboats and Mark Twain. Even though we hadn't planned anything special, we were compelled to pull over and have a little picnic to celebrate.
Wha-- who the hell is that 10-year-old getting into our cooler? Oh wait, that's just me with uncombed hair. Explains why I keep getting carded for beer I guess.

Erm, *ahem*, so, right then, we carried along for the next 10 hours after the historic crossing being generally very impressed by the beauty of the Great Plains of the country's Midwest. I suppose this is what John was talking about when he said we were going to *SEE AMERICA*.


Unfortunately we were stopped for an entire hour on I-90 when a bad traffic accident happened right around the corner from us. Fortunately one of the Army men that Phill and Laura packed us in our survival kit became more restless than we were, staging a mini attack that distracted us until the wreck was cleared.


Then, as the day wore on, we passed the sign in South Dakota telling us that we are now officially on Mountain Time, and then this sign, which we subsequently obeyed:
A little midwestern humor for you I suppose. Gives you an idea of the sort of place it was. I had the meatloaf and Michelle had the cheeseburger. Nothing special, but at least it had local flavor. Probably our last hot meal until we emerge on the other side of Yellowstone in a few days. (Incidentally, this will also be our last blog update.)

Finally, around hour 11, we drove off into the sunset as the landscape got flatter and flatter, giving us a better view of said sunset, which Michelle exploited very effectively:




Happy trails, adventure fans! We'll see you in a few days on the other side of the woods, with pictures from Rushmore, Old Faithful, and basically nothing you can't just pick up on a postcard at any international airport in the country. :P But isn't just so much more special hearing it from *US?*