Distance blogging

Why are the Grand Tetons blue? (Or is that Glacier Peak? I can't tell at 75 mph.) The blue is from taking pictures through the side tinted window of the car while you're on an enforced road trip with all of your siblings and your crazy mother.

In other words, I'm not so up on what the garden is doing because I'm halfway across the country taking the kids to a Frisbee tournament. And seeing lots of neat stuff, but not really having enough time to make it a "doing things" road trip. In fact, Eldest Child is trying very hard to veto a stop at the Corn Palace. She clearly doesn't appreciate Americana.

I've been up early each morning and managed to work out almost every day. I don't want to get horribly out of shape and then try to keep up with the crew in boot camp when I get home. The fires in the Dakotas and other stuff have made for interesting sunrises and sunsets -- especially when we've had to pull a long day's drive and gotten on the road at 5am. Yawn.

One other fun thing? We ended up intersecting the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally traffic. Nowhere to stay, a new friend made us dinner and then arranged a special camping spot. I have a soft spot for tattooed bikers, and cutie pie biker chicks in stunning chaps and vulgar t-shirts, but there are Too Many Motorcycles on the highway for my taste. Scary scary driving interspersed with fun sights. This Border Collie mix was wearing goggles.

It may be my age or motherhood, but the woman with the lovely deep tan riding pillion in a leopard-print bikini top, short cutoffs and flip flops just gave me the willies. All I could think about was how she would be a head-to-toe scab. Guess it wouldn't matter, because unlike the rare riders in the photo above, she and her pilot weren't wearing helmets. I get the free choice crap, but if someone has to pick up the tab for your profound brain injury care, you don't get to make that choice.

Apparently I am a little crabby.

The children are much, much less crabby with internet and texting capacity. Fortunately, the Mitchell, SD KOA has both.

They also have a lovely pool, and a perfectly adequate for the purposes mini golf course. As a reward for our horrible 18 hour day on Tuesday, we scheduled two five hour days for the final part of the first half of the tour, so swimming could be on the agenda.

Of course the temperatures have dropped 20 degrees. We're running in front of a storm front.

She's doing great driving, and I'm learning to breathe very very deeply and try not to infect her with my tension. It's all a process, no?

Updates later; time to pack it in for the night.