Nomad!!

 I’m a nomad now! It began early Wednesday morning, when after a long night of much packing and little sleep, I loaded my car so that it looked like this:

Then I hit the road, and I hit it hard. My first stop was Carhenge. My friend Karen had told me about Carhenge, and she pretty much had me at the name, which implies exactly what you think:

My next, and most substantial stop, was the state of South Dakota. Specifically, I went out of my way to visit western South Dakota, where I quickly and cheaply viewed Mount Rushmore from the side of the road:

I'm proud to live in a country where we carve some presidents into some big rocks. I'd definitely go back to the area to do some hiking or climbing in the future. Also, I had some good Cajun food in Rapid City. And a trip through South Dakota wouldn't be complete without a stop at the famous Wall Drug:

Fast-forward through an overnight stay in Sioux Falls, a placid drive through rural Minnesota, a lovely yet trafficky entrance to Wisconsin, and I reached my destination: Milwaukee!

There's a great opportunity in a travel blog to revise history, but to be truthful I must report that having started the journey in a state of exhaustion, I didn't find driving hundreds of miles particularly rejuvenating. After two days and four states, my states of mind were more varied even than that. Upon reaching my destination and unloading my many, many bags, I found myself with a Boston terrier and four rats to look after.

Then I danced around the house, Mary Poppins-style, pulling items out of my carpet bag as I enjoined on my charges the importance of order and obedience. Or I morosely lay on the couch, unable even to concentrate on watching tv, until merciful sleep overtook me. One of the two.