mt rush looks just like it does in my history books

These are the ways I keep myself awake during long drives:

• blast "Side to Side" on repeat while belting along (poorly) and dancing (poorly, in a confined space)
• open vents to cold outside air, which was consistently in the 40s
• sip on maple flavored coffee
• sip on ice cold water when maple flavored coffee doesn't work
• hold cold water bottle between legs ... because the cold keeps me up
• snacking

Things that just will not do to keep myself awake during long drives:

• a full meal as opposed to continuous snacks
• podcasts

GW from between the cracks

Taking a moment to appreciate my homelands... and that their flags were right next to each other so I could take this awesome antenna selfie

Today I learned that WI was the 30th state and CA was the 31st state. Seems fated. I wondered how the politics of that worked out. And Abbey said she's gonna use to this predict my next move. I guessed that 32nd was probably OR (close, OR is actually 33). MN is 32nd.

But the landscapes, oh man the scenery. I have a real hard time keeping my eyes on the road.. so like.. if you don't hear from me again.. Sometimes I'll check my rearview mirror for another driver sneaking up on me, and then I see the sky in the distance, and I get distracted again. The colors at the SD/WY border were incredible. Side note, I didn't realize I'd be cutting through the corner of Wyoming, and when I saw signs for Devils Tower, I had to turn off (had an extra hour to kill anyways). The colorssssss. Been driving through fields of corn for so long, I forgot what mountains felt like. I wanted to just abandon my car and role play my own version of the Sound of Music cover on the green and yellow and blue and yellow green and speckled mountains in Montana. My entire drive was overseen by ominous storm clouds, which I welcomed because Sunny's windshield began looking like a bug graveyard. After the initial panic about not being able to see through the gunk that was being spread across the glass, the mild storm left Sunny shiny and clean, and I took an inaugural picture from the steering wheel (forgot the 'before' pic though). Driving through it all set to the tune of "Indian Summer" and "Free" - just perfect. Also, apparently I'll never get tired of seeing fields of cows and horses and sheeps.

Sunny poses with Devil's Tower

I just love the west.

Billings looked (and smelled) super industrial. I wasn't too fond of that. So it was a good thing I was just passing by on my way to Bozeman. And for that stretch, I was back to ooh-ing and aah-ing to myself. Also thank god for flatter highways and fuel efficiency. I got a kick out of passing by ranches... in the same way I got a kick out of passing by bright red barns and silos when I first drove out to the Midwest. Then I saw the beautifully large mountain houses dotted along the rolling landscapes. And part of me was like "unsolved murder mysteries," but the bigger part of me was like "fifth honeymoon destination."

Bozeman is way cute. I guess I should've expected that from a college town. But I was still itching to do what I do best when I'm traveling - eat and wander around. That backfired a little because I was/am only marginally prepared for this cold mountain weather (it might as well be winter). Good thing I left a couple sweats and sweaters unpacked, but either way, I still look terribly homeless (oh wait, I am.. haha.. ha. ha.... waaaahhhh). And when the wait for one at Montana Ale Works was too long, I gave up, turned back, and scavenged the free food cabinet at my hostel. So now I'm just eating apples and peanut butter and pretzels like a child. And an expired Chobani yogurt like a food scientist who doesn't give a fuck after stirring the whey back in.