January 4, long day of driving, new inspiration to blog. . .oh Bridget Jones, what is it about the new year and journal writing??
I drove about 10 hours today and at least 3 or 4 were through foggy South Dakota. Oddly, the fog was freezing to the trees, making a lovely frost on them. They were stunning (once the fog broke enough to see them). For anyone who hasn't been through South Dakota, I must say that having to fight a little fog made it a more interesting drive (it is about 5 hours or so across). Mostly the fog was fine, but there were moments when I found it a little terrifying. There were a few times when I knew there were no mountains or large hills to contend with (I've crossed the state enough times to know that), but there was a wall of fog that literally looked as if it was skimming the surface of a rock face. It was unsettling to drive toward these walls of fog, wondering what was beyond them and, when I got closer, noticing that rather than disguising a wall, they hid a drop off (not usually a very big one, but something I wouldn't want to drive off, just the same).
I passed Wall Drug, the Corn Palace, and several hot spots that featured 5 cent coffee. I am guessing that 5 cent coffee tastes just like that--five cents. I went the back way again and shaved off about an hour, but have to remember to get gas and stop in the ladies room before I hit the reservations. Unfortunately there is no place to stop when driving through there so by the time I hit a town, I really needed to stop. Home by four, what a relief, and now to the pile of laundry.