July 25, 2006
Road Trip : Part Two
(Logan, UT to Yellowstone, WY {via Grace, ID}) : 261.16 Miles
(Yellowstone, WY to Kalispell, MT) : 401.41 Miles
Leading Off...
Yes... There was no irony lost on me that I had to go through Grace, in order to get to where I wanted to go =)... The good news was that the trip through Grace was pretty much painless this time, and I was able to prove the adage that things always get easier the next time around.
Additional Thoughts...
Yellowstone... is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen (right up there with The Grand Caynon, and well... Ithaca in Janurary). It was amazing to see the geysers, mud pots, and hot springs. We ended up waiting for about an hour to see Old Faithful (see picture below), but it was well worth the wait. If you've never gone to Yellowstone before, you definately have to go see it at least once. I've been told that Glacier National Park is even more breath taking - and I can't wait to see it tomorrow!
What I Learned Today...
Gambling is legal in Montana... (who would have knew this?). And while this is cool and all (there's litterally 15 casinos in the town I'm staying in right now - population : 14,000), there is something to be said about looking into a 'casino' on a Tuesday night, seeing about five people there (who look like regulars), and realizing that the definition of a casino in Montana is any store with 10 slot machines...
Day(s) of First(s)...
In addition to the usual first time at Yellowstone things (like seeing a buffalo, and an elk up close), there were some non-standard firsts...
Like today was the first day that I visited the *same* McDonald's twice in one day (breakfast and lunch today in West Yellowstone).
Today was also the first time that I've ever been hit with a drive-by-racial-slur... (the interesting part is how, pray tell me, that the teenage occupants of the car managed to tell that I was asian from behind - given that I was wearing my Cleveland Golf hat backwards at the time... It is good, however, to know that racism is alive and well, in the far outreaches of the United States)
And on an Emotional Note...
(if you know me well, you should expect to see something in this category often...) I called my mom yesterday, and she said something in the course of our conversation that totally floored me. (given that I usually ignore most of what she says, this is truly unique...) She said that she trusted me. (yes, this is the same woman who called me for the first twenty five years of my life to confirm that I did indeed brush my teeth that morning)... not that there is any reason that she shouldn't trust me - but it's always interesting to hear someone say that they trust you for the first time. (which qualifies this as an emotional note for me... =)
(Old Faithful... well... kinda sorta...)
(Dances with Wolves?)