The Big Move: Day Four

Jackon, WY to Rapid City, SD

WHY WHY WYYYYYOMING!


So before I blog anything about today, let me start with this: rural Wyoming was the place where I got my first speeding ticket.

The day was going SO well. I SAW A BUFFALO. Not just a buffalo, but a cute one, frolicking (seriously frolicking) in the Grand Teton National Park. How cool is that?

From there on it went down hill. And up hill. Up and up into the hills on a dirt road following a pilot car and going 15mph on a road with no guard rails.



We went down into the heart of Wyoming. It was here that I was pulled over for going 40mph through a town. Where was I pulled over? Like 20 feet away from a 40 mph sign. Don't believe me? Here's a picture:


"Seriously? Seriously."

When my mom (yup, pulled over with mom in the passenger seat) asked what the deal was when we were close, the cop responded that I might have hit someone crossing the street. In a town of like 100 people. Honestly if I did hit someone all I would have done was put them out of their misery. Excuse me for trying to get as far out of Wyoming as I possibly could. They should pay me for having to drive through that godforsaken wasteland.

To add irony to injury I literally got pulled over outside Hell's Half Acre. Literally.


Wyoming has the smallest population of the 50 states. It's probably not because no one lives here but because all of them are terrible at passing on the highway. One redemptive group of people was the Cottonwood Garden Club who have snacks prepared at the rest stop.


Driving into Buffalo Gap NP was the highlight of my day. Because it has a sign that says "welcome to South Dakota". Upon leaving Wyoming, home of my first ticket, I wanted to pull over and frolick like my baby buffalo in the morning. But mom was driving (since obviously I'm a highway hazard) and so I took a picture of eastern Wyoming in my rearview mirror.

"Bye-oming"

We drove into the black hills and also into a storm. Our destination was Rapid City. Two days before Sturgis. So here I am in the middle of the rhythmic hum of Harleys.

10 hours in the car really makes you crazy. So crazy in fact that when you go to order a beer at dinner you blurt out to the waitress "I got a ticket today! What's on tap?"

My mom and I explored the city and bought some sweet swag in the Coyote Claw discount outlet. Hell yeah! Four dollar shirts!