Day Eleven: Coming Home

Coming home from a great vacation is the best/worst thing. On the one hand, it's lovely to be home when you get there. On the other, it sucks to leave.

We left early, stopping for Starbucks. I even did the unthinkable and got coffee. I'm not a coffee drinker, for reasons unknown.

The drive was very, very, very long. We had lunch at an In-N-Out in Utah (not sure where) and passed through Arizona, Nevada, and a very dull chunk of California. I have recently discovered that I really want to explore an abandoned water park just after the fruit check, though.

I gave (almost) everyone their presents when I got home, introduced them to the wonders of huckleberry (I still have some of that licorice left), and honestly enjoyed being back home, in my own bed.

I would love to get a job at Yellowstone next summer, honestly. I want to go back as soon as I can. That place fills you up, makes you feel smaller and more alive. You can't escape the sheer might of everything there, but at the same time, you feel a bit closer to connected, you know?

Stop me before I wax too poetic.

I think that everyone should go to Yellowstone and Grand Teton at once. There's nothing quite as cleansing as a tremendous view, right? That's all you get there.

And so it concludes.

I think this just means that I need another adventure, and soon!

First bit of California in a while—in Utah.

Jerry in Arizona.

Day Two: Oh, Idaho!

It goes on.

We left the hotel bright and early and drove through Idaho. I met up with an old friend from high school, which was really nice. I haven't seen him since graduation, basically. Anyway, after the socialization, we left. Casey and I played our roles (tourists) wonderfully and bought cheesy things from a gas station. We also took the time to take pictures. Oh, yeah.

After a small roadblock (literally) in Montana, though, we finally made it to Yellowstone! Within the first mile of the park, we saw some elk grazing. Being tourists, we stopped and took pictures before continuing to our campsite. Basically, in one day, though, we went through the rest of Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. That effectively knocks several states off my to-do list.

We got the tent up in less than ten minutes (Casey and I were both Girl Scouts, once upon a time) and went to this place, the Lake Lodge (I think) for dinner. There, I discovered that I'm basically going to be addicted to huckleberry stuff for the rest of my life.

Also, we saw a bison.

Also, I bought a bison. His name is Jerry.

Also, I counted this day as a success.