And introducing...The Biscuit!

Things to come

I just started reading my friend Jasper's blog at overeezee about his 3 month trip to the Philipines and I want to start travel blogging again! It still feels like I was on my road trip not that long ago, definitely not six months ago. I am leaving next week for a quick jaunt to Barcelona, so I will definitely be posting and blogging about that. But unfortunately, who knows when I will next be able to hit the road? There's a very good reason.....Biscuit is coming in June (or maybe July...). My first child, who right now goes by Biscuit, is due after the school year ends. Ben and I know that we'll be traveling to Cape Cod in September for a wedding, but beyond that, who knows! We were supposed to travel to San Francisco for a wedding in June, but that is not gonna happen. We're sorry Brian and Jenn! So now I must figure out a hotel for Barcelona and a possible schedule for our four days there. We're definitely thinking Pinoxto Bar, a football game at the stadium, Sagrada Familia...who knows what else? Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Home again home again, lickety split

Of course the trip home was eventful. Salt Lake City is lovely, especially from the airport. Seriously, can we get some mass transit out there people? On the flight home we had the flight attendant who thought he was a comedian "Welcome to Delta Flight 9886 to Bermuda.....Please turn off your Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Bananas and Pineapples...." I did however appreciate his coming on later to say "If that is your child running up and down the aisles please seat him before someone in the back of the plane trips him because he is currently preventing us from continuing beverage service to the rest of the plane."
So we taxi to the runway area and sit. And sit. Finally Funny Man comes on and says "The tower has pushed us back about an hour and half...." at which point a yell went up in the plane. "Now hold on people, I HEARD the pilot say "Do you understand this is a plane full of New Yorkers? That's unacceptable." It looks like its going to be about twenty minutes." So not too bad. We land and start just driving around. Funny Guy comes back on with "So....now we're looking for a parking space..."

Rapid to Salt Lake Cities

I just looked around the Rapid City Regional airport and I am one of 3, yes, three people in airport gate area. They even closed the little snack shop because there is no one here. Security? Ha! I took the laptop out of the bag and they told me that wasn't even necessary. Thank God they didn't weigh my suitcase when I checked it, I am quite sure it was over the weight limit. I mean, I am taking home rocks. Literally. Some of you will get them for presents.
At least they have free wifi, and it really is wifi! So I'm trying to figure out if there is anything I can during my layover in Salt Lake City. I suppose it would be nice to visit Temple Square, if for no other reason than because it is so huge. They claim they get more tourists than Yosemite. That makes me not want to go, that is just so sad. Well, I'll let you know.

Sheep

I've had a question regarding the docility of sheep. Which, now that I type it, is very funny.

Anyway, the Big Horned Sheep who was about to attack my car was my only run-in with sheep, so I'm entirely sure. He/She? certainly did not seem the least bit put off by me, my car, or the other people standing around the lookout spot not far down the road. He was tagged, as I think they monitor the population closely. The rangers said they usually hang out in rocky areas that are a bit too steep for humans to traverse. So there you have it. Your daily sheep info.

Last day

So I went to the Crazy Horse memorial today. Very impressive. All of Mount Rushmore could fit in Crazy Horse's head. Its rather large. People kept asking on the bus tour I took, why it is taking them so long to complete; the answer is twofold. First it is massive, much more so than Mount Rushmore which took a long time. Second, and this the more I thought about it the more I appreciated it, the entire thing is publicly funded. Korczak Ziolkowski refused to accept any government money, and one of his daughters spoke about a letter he wrote them (he has 10 children, 7 of whom are currently involved with the memorial) saying- don't take this up unless you plan on continuing with it, and doing it right. It makes sense; Gutzon Borglum died before Mount Rushmore was finished, the government took over and chopped his design in half (the Presidents are supposed to be carved to the waist). The government never honored a single treaty it made with any Native American tribe. If the government feels the memorial is important perhaps it could do more to encourage tourism to it, have presidents visit it (rather than send congratulatory letters like the ones displayed) and make everyone in the presidential entourage pay their own way. Wouldn't that be nice to see?

After Crazy Horse I spent some time in the Black Hills National Forest. I saw many of those quick marmots, getting some odd pictures of marmot tush. It was nice to just walk around and soak in it. Soak in what? Hard to explain, easy to feel, at least to me it was. Come and visit, you'll see what I mean. I decided to leave the backpack in the car and just carried my water- so sorry, no pictures (I don't have a case for the camera which makes it a pain to hike with as it has a huge display I don't want to scratch.) I am sick of that backpack anyway, its huge!
So I hike to the top of Harney Peak and regretted not having the camera. Harney is the highest mountain east of the rockies in North America and yet it was a pretty easy hike. Black Elk Wilderness is so peaceful, even for a busy weekend, it was still pretty easy to feel alone.

I'll be glad to get home to my own bed and pillow (I am a pillow snob and not afraid to admit it). It'll be nice to have conversations with people who know my name, but then again it won't be, you know?

Tomorrow is travel all day but I am going to try my hardest to leave the airport in Utah, as it is another state I have never been to.