Hotel for a night ...

We spent a night in a hotel in Caspar, Wyoming ... having decided to not try to drive to the Black Hills of South Dakota in one day.  It was a way to reflect on what we gain by not having to stay each night in the relative sterile, yet predictable environments of the chain hotel by the side of a major interstate highway.  And yet, it was comfortable, convenient for re-stocking our larder (more importantly, finding our Starbuck's Verisimo coffee capsules) and washing clothes.

We watched the 1996 movie, Independence Day ... mindless activity for road weary folks ... and were reminded of 1997 when John, our oldest son, had a pulmonary embolism that almost took his life ... he was in MICU at Johns Hopkins and heavily sedated with Ativan to keep him from moving in his bed, twisting his leg in his cast and risking a bleed after all of the TPA that he had been given to dissolve the clot.  There were two movies that were shown on alternating days ... The King and I ... and Independence Day.  The Ativan had so diminished his short term memory that I could walk out of the room and back into his room a minute later and he'd be delighted to see me (not realizing that I had only been gone for a minute).  Every other day that I came to the hospital he'd excitedly tell me our good fortune to see the movie, Independence Day.  I must have watched that movie six times with him ... each time he was as excited as the last to get to see Independence Day.  Fortunately, he survived ... and his memory returned ... and I can watch  the movie without fearing his loss.

We arrived today in the Black Hills of South Dakota ... Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Custer State Park and the George S. Mickelson Rails-to-Trails Bike Trail.  We were greeted by a thunderstorm and heavy rain in the evening, but tomorrow promises better (and cooler) weather.

We're starting to develop a categorization of campgrounds ... and finding the ones that better suit our interest in being in beautiful natural settings affording us more space and avoiding the ones that seem more suited to tightly-packed camping villages closely tied to commercial tourist enterprises.  Our current campground is to be avoided (in the future) ... across from the tourist attraction, Reptile World (have I mentioned my fear of snakes) ... down the street from Bear Country USA ... and, near enough to a major roadway to hear the rumbling sound of all of the traffic.  This one was the result of a recommendation from a very pleasant couple traveling in an Airstream for the first time (note to self:  be more selective with recommendations)  ... and yet, it yielded neighbors who just traveled from Arkansas and brought over a plate of steamed shrimp, seasoned corn on the cob, Texas toast and boiled red potatoes (they made too much) ... campgrounds of all kinds yield people all trying to hard to create a small community of fellow travelers.

And, a shout-out to the US Women's Soccer Team who won the 2015 FIFA World Cup in a stunning game over last tournament's winner, Japan ... the game was strategic ... almost surgical in its opening intensity and a thrilling game for the American team, particularly Carli Lloyd and her amazing goals and Hope Solo as the the goal protector and an opportunity to see Christie Rampone and Abby Wambach achieving lifetime goal of a World Cup victory shared together as co-captains ... making way for the new stars ... a wonderful testament to the athletic strength of women in the US and across the world.