into the hills

As you approach the western part of Nebraska, you are still in the plains. Big skies, flat fields. You know the mountains are ahead, but you don't see them. And then, suddenly, the flat road takes a tiny rise and a dip. Starts to curve, dips again. You cross into Wyoming and the first rock formation appears, Are those mountains ahead or clouds?

Within minutes you have gone from cornfields to this:



That's taken from a rest stop outside of Cheyenne. Not your ordinary potty break. ( It's a picture worth clicking on to get a true image.)

We were on our way to Laramie to have dinner with Nate, a friend of Max. We were to follow him into town. That's his truck in front of us, the University of Wyoming on the corner.




We followed Nate into town, past the University, into an apartment complex. Russell thinks maybe he is stopping home for something before we go. We follow him through winding streets, onto a cul de sac, around to a parking area when the cell rings and it is Max.

"Where are you guys?"

"Right behind you"

"No, you're not"

And then we really look at the car we've been following since that corner where the university is. This is him. I was trying to get a picture of the house on the hill. Should have been monitoring the trip better instead.






We apparently followed him home. I have no idea what he thought, seeing this van with NY plates in his rearview mirror, following him, running lights to keep up. When the reality of it hit us, we were laughing too hard to tell Max where we were. It took a while, but we found each other, had a fun dinner with Nate, even though the Laramie jinx continued. Attempting to squirt ketchup onto a mini burger, I missed and covered my palm instead. The TP holder in the ladies room fell off the wall and into my lap.

It was time to leave Laramie and we were gifted with another glorious sunset.



Tomorrow, Pinedale