Thoughts Become Things

Sunday, July 20, 2008

July 20, 2008 Back Home

The following are some disjointed observations that I may not have mentioned in previous postings.

* Cottonwood trees are obnoxious
* Large industrial-size toilet paper is hard to pull
* Based on reports from Ray, and my own experience using communal shower/bath areas, women are much bigger slobs than men
* Drivers lose all skill they may have had when they enter natural areas and see wildlife. An otherwise presumably intelligent person will stop dead on the road to look at a bison in a field 100 yards away.
* On long drives, it’s a good idea to check fluids regularly (the Impala gave us a scare at one point—only needed coolant—a LOT of coolant…)
* Food prices EVERYWHERE are much higher than back home in NH (small peaches for over $1.00 each in Wisconsin??!!)
* Verizon is the best cell carrier—that guy in glasses and his friends really are everywhere…)
* Cruise control is one of the finest inventions—especially west of the Mississippi
* Any hot dog that is not natural casing (even Hebrew National) sucks
* 2 things that keep America together: Walmart and World Weekly News
* Hanging a wet towel out to dry in windy weather out west will dry it quickly and maybe make it dirtier than when you hung it out.
* A cold beer, comfortable chair, and a view of the mountains make everything alright
* Fruit is extremely expensive in western states
* Unless you want to pay $3.95 for a can of Manwich, try not to buy groceries anywhere near a campground
* We didn’t see many eastern license plates at all when we were out west. They must be flying in and renting cars.
* There are still a lot of RVs in campgrounds, despite high gas prices
* Block ice lasts at least 3x as long as ice cubes
* Water in Montana and Wyoming tastes good, but is very mineral tasting and cold right out of the tap
* All boys, no matter how old, have a compelling drive to throw rocks in water or over the edge of a chasm.
* Our favorite ranch name (seen in Montana): “Lottsawatta”
* Cheapest gas on our trip, seen in Gillette, WY: $3.789/gallon
* Odd gas fact: in SD, gas stations have cheaper Plus gas than regular
* Final stats:

Gallons of gas: 208.524

Average mpg: 30.84

Miles traveled: 6431

Total expenses—food, gas, lodging: under $2500 (we know how to live cheaply!)

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