Ohio
Day 1's destination, as I write from a rest stop on the turnpike at lunch, is Parma, Ohio, to visit my aunt and two older cousins. I haven't seen them in years, so I'm looking forward to it and amused by the fact that I'm the one finally taking the social iniative here. It turns out to be a fun visit; I trade stories with my aunt about the woes of being a teacher that she and my mom have. My two older cousins, both of whom are now out of college tell me about their jobs, caring for old folks at a nursing home, and being the sole human resources person at a small automotive parts firm. They encourage me to stop by on a weekend on my way back so I can go party with them downtown and tell me that I have to bring my dad to hang out with them sometime. Somehow, I can't quite see this: my dad, aunt, cousins, and me all getting sloshed down on the Cleveland waterfront.
There's Some Random Dude in the Yard...
I make pretty good time the second day, as I head towards Illinois and realize when I see the "Indiana State Line" sign that you do in fact have to go through Indiania on the way. My friend and often roommate Brian is spending his summer outside Chicago with his girlfriend Merle, so I'm on my way to visit the two of them. I make such good time that I actually get to Merle's early in the afternoon and find nobody home. Taking a stroll around the neighborhood kills some time, and then, still seeing no signs of life, I grab a book and a spot on a bench in the yard.
A little while later, Merle's younger sister walks by, says hi, and goes into the house. Since I've never met her before, I decide to wait a minute before going up to the door. In the meantime, Merle's brother, who I didn't know existed, walks in, throwing me for a curve. As I sit going, "now what?", a conversation no doubt insued inside that went something like this: "Hey Mom, there's some random dude in the yard..." At this point, Merle's mom comes out, so I introduce myself and clear up any confusion that I'm some drifter just chilling in the yard.
Natural and Unnatural Wonders
The next two days take me through Wisconsin, Minnesota (where I'm disappointed not to see a sign proclaiming "Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, Governor"), and South Dakota to Mount Rushmore. It's not quite as big as I expected, but is still great and provides a great backdrop for dinner and postcard writing. Along the way, I also swing through The Badlands, which are just gorgeous. The colors and the way the rocks have eroded are just great. I also take in a kind of random roadside attraction, the kernel-bedecked "House of Corn". Not realizing I've crossed another time zone and dealing with rough, under-construction roads and a sketchy clutch end up making for an exhausting day.
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Fast Food Turnover
One of the things I start to note on my trip as I stop in fast food joints for lunch everyday is that the turnover rate must be worse than I thought. Outside the McDonalds is a sign that reads "Summer jobs available: while supplies last" and the Taco Bell has a pre-printed whiteboard to keep tally of the various positions open.
Snow in June
As I climb up into the mountains and through the clouds crossing Wyoming towards Yellowstone, the Mattmobile gets a much needed rinse clearing off all the splattered bugs. Higher up, there are still some pretty big snowbanks leftover, making me wish I had tossed my snowboard on the roof rack. Guess this wasn't the best day to travel in shorts and sandals.
Yellowstone
Yellowstone is also still in winter at the higher elevations, giving me a view of the park I didn't get to see 15 summers ago. I don't remember a whole lot from the family's 1984 trip to Yellowstone with my grandparents, but I remember it was spectacular enough to take an extra day in my trip to spend in the park. Using the lodge in the park as a base, I manage to cram in just about everything that's open, including the geyers, mudpots, hot springs, tons of bison, and the Yellowstone falls and canyon.
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CU in the Tetons
Heading south out of the park takes me right into the Tetons, which are magnificent; it's really something to look out through the sunroof and see towering snowy peaks. Though I'm just driving through, I keep pulling off to stop, marvel, and take some pictures. As I'm walking along the shore of a lake at the base of the mountains, a guy walks by and starts humming "Far Above Cayugas Waters" after seeing my Cornell sweatshirt. I asked if he was an alumni, to which his wife answered, "no, he teaches there!". Turns out he's an electrical engineering professor here.
Goin' Mormon
By the end of the day, I'm in Salt Lake City, Utah. As soon as I hit Utah, I start thinking about this Snowboard Magazine interview I read where this guy talks about his friends moving to Utah for the riding as having "gone Mormon" on him. Naturally, there's no Bible in the hotel room, just the Book of Mormon.
Come to Reno, It's Not Quite Vegas
Coming into Reno the next day, I turn to some decidedly low-tech navigation. After spotting my hotel from the highway, I just start taking assorted exits and turns as I home in. It's the usual casino atmosphere: a barrage of lights and sound from the slots, cheap buffets, and obscene charges for everything else. And, of course, the extra phone next to the toilet. Casino towns... The hotel also has a parking garage, so I get to wheel my bike across the casino floor on the way to my room, amusing me to no end.
The Final Leg
From Reno, it's just over half a day's drive to Livermore. I've gotta get in before the human resources people leave, since I need to sign in and get processed before they take their computer's offline for the following week. The drive goes reasonably quickly, and I'm soon back among the windmill-covered, dry, brown hills bordering Livermore. Sign in is pretty streamlined, so I stop in at the office to see everyone who's already there and check email before getting moved into my apartment.