Why is it that when you check into a hotel – and your first question is “Do you have a room available” and your second is “Do you have wi-fi to your hotel rooms” – they put you in one of the three rooms in the hotel without any actual wireless coverage?

Did they think I was asking just to make conversation? Is it a polite conversation starter, along the lines of “Isn’t the weather great?” and “How about those Mariners?” (The answer to the latter is “Just about as wonderful as your wireless coverage!)

Three nights out of four on this trip our hotel wireless has utterly sucked. It’s been either nonexistent, one out of four bars, or so congested we can’t stay connected. As an IT geek who needs to manage work and personal email during a trip, this has been very annoying.

BlackBerry GPRS Internet access is just not sufficient. I’m not set up to moblog (blog from my handheld – I don’t think it’s secure) and browsing is annoyingly slow.

Must… have… Internet. Going… through… withdrawals. I guess that’s what a vacation is for! Fresh air, pine trees, hiking trails and all that Outward Bound type of stuff.

I heard on the radio this week that Chrysler is coming out with a 2009 car that provides mobile, in-vehicle wi-fi access. I like it.

Miles covered: 583
Road reading: In the Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

One of the really fascinating things about Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains (and South Dakota’s Badlands) is the geology. I mentioned in an earlier thread that I am a bit of a geology geek; I love structural and historical geology, it’s fascinating to see the bones of the earth showing beneath her skin.

In the Bighorn Mountains, some enterprising state geologist has carefully placed roadside signs labeling the various rock strata by type and origin. The most amazing was the exposed Precambrian granite bedrock, estimated at 2.5 billion years old. The huge outcroppings of granite were lovely, a subtle rose with large dark crystal inclusions and metamorphic streaks. Laying hands on the stone was almost a spiritual experience.

Geologic time encompasses such an incomprehensible breadth of years. Our time on the earth is such an insignificant flyspeck by comparison. It makes our stresses and conflicts seem pretty petty and minor.

I don’t like feeling insignificant, so I had a vision of polishing and cutting granite into a kitchen countertop. Take that, ancient geologic artifact! We humans have tools and in our brief time here on earth we’ve learned to use them!

Environmental types, really, I’m kidding. I wouldn’t chop up Precambrian granite for my home. I actually do view such things with a degree of reverence.

This stone has been here 2.5 billion years. And it’ll probably still be here another 2.5 billion years after we’re gone. It deserves a little awe.

We’re in South Dakota now and tired from too much driving. (Yes, Tanya, close to your neck of the woods – although the Dakotas are not small states.) The drive east from Yellowstone through Wyoming along Highway 14 is absolutely spectacular and I highly recommend it if you ever want a scenic, winding trip through geologic time.

Mileage count: 523 mi
Gas prices: $3.89 in Sheridan, WY and $3.97 in Rapid City, SD
Road Reading: Blood and Iron: A Novel of the Promethean Age by Elizabeth Bear (a WONDERFUL fantasy novel!!)
Quote(s) of the day – via text: (Jeri) We’re most of the way across Wyoming and have seen almost no cattle – so why are there so many cowboys here? (Michelle A) Watch out for Indians!

Today I got to go flyfishing in Yellowstone. I’ve always wanted to flyfish the Rocky Mountain rivers of Montana and Wyoming – something about the quality of the sunshine, the incredible wide skies and the spectacularly clear water has always called to me.

I think A River Runs Through It, set in Bozeman, Montana, is one of the most beautiful works of cinema ever filmed. (And the book by Norman Maclean is wonderful reading as well.)

Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.

This expedition wasn’t planned, we didn’t bring any of our gear. I didn’t catch a thing except a couple of mosquito bites. It didn’t matter. It was wonderful.

Thanks, Bryan, for making this particular dream come true.

(Note to any flyfisherpersons out there: yes, my rod tip is pretty low during that cast. I actually have been flyfishing most of my life – I was fortunate enough to have a family who taught me the skill long before I learned it was supposed to be difficult. I was casting low and sidearm today underneath a stiff breeze. )

Many parts of Yellowstone are like another world.

Mammoth Hot Springs upper terrace, evening, as the storm clouds are blowing in.

Geothermal pool. These are hot, usually bubbling from steam vents, and often surrounded by shallower pools lined with red-orange iron algae bacteria.

Traveling through Yellowstone can take on an additional dimension by listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack while you explore. I kept expecting a pack of wargs to come snarling over the hill. My in-laws didn’t get it.

Yesterday we explored the gift shops. Grandma wanted to get the boys souvenirs. Zach insisted on a coonskin cap of questionable authenticity – since the tail looked kind of purple in the sunlight. We didn’t let him walk near us when he was wearing it.

Also, my overpriced one-star hotel has had fire-alarm issues at about 5am every morning. The first morning was one long alarm, long enough to get to know my neighbors in their pajamas, then several short test ones. The second morning was five short test alarms. This morning was ‘just’ one short test alarm. We spent five minutes trying to find the off button on the alarm clock the first morning. I have not been pleased.

Note: Photos today by Ben on my camera.