Since I've got a bum foot from over-hiking in new boots, I dediced to take the opportunity to get some miles out of the way. I need to traverse southern Wyoming (basically the entire state from east to west on I-80) which doesn't promise to be terribly interesting topography - kinda rolling with occasional upthrusts that still harbor snow in the upper reaches (first pic above). Just let the drive be the experience today. The cross-wind was murder so I rolled down the windows, let it in, and howled with it at the top of my lungs - kinda cathartic. Didn't bring lots of CDs as I like to experience "local" radio. Somewhere between Laramie and Rawlins I acquired a taste for country music and got my soul saved by a ferocious fundamentalist preacher who kept refering to God as Gawwwd. Speaking of Rawlins, according to well placed signs they have a McDonalds, and I was starving and craving fries. There were 3 exits and I missed the first that would have dumped me off at the foot of the McDonalds. No problem, I'll just take the next exit, which I did, and found myself in the neighborhoods of Rawlins. Tried to noodle my way back east to the McDonalds; however, a railroad bisects the town and I couldn't find a way over or under the tracks to get to the fries. Wasted 15 minutes or so trying then, since I'm not a guy, I pulled into a laundromat (well into the parking lot anyway) and asked the attendant how to get to Mickey Ds. She allowed as how it wasn't easy from that side of town, said her shift had ended and that I could follow her and she'd be glad to show me the way (likely she has a thing for the fries also and sensed my panic). So I did and it took some maneuvering and many turns but she got me there, waved me in, and waved goodbye. I didn't get a chance to thank her. I bee-lined to the counter and encountered the cutest kid (named Tudor just like the British royal house) who had an equally adorable accent that I couldn't place and placed my order which he had me repeat a couple of times as I'm guessing my less than adorable Texas drawl made me difficult to understand. I asked where he was from - Moldova as it turned out and he was shocked to find out I had heard of the place and vaguely know where it's located. I asked how in the world he ended up in Rawlins, WY and it turns out that McDonalds has some sort of student exchange program that he's part of. I guess all the slots in hell were full. When my to-go order arrived I noticed the bag seemed really heavy so I peeked in and found my order plus 4 pies. Grave moral dilemma since pies are my second favorite food after fries. Returned to the counter to return the pies and the manager happened to be standing next to Tudor and explained that she put in the pies cause she felt bad that I had to wait so long for my order. I'm guessing it was 3 maybe 4 minutes - just long enough for me to ascertain Tudor's heritage and wow him with my knowledge of world geography. I've waited longer to take my next breath. And nothing would do but that I would keep the pies and forgive McDonalds of Rawlins for their sloth. I find this story important and deem it worthy of sharing because lots of people would say that Americans have become so self-serving and self-centered that they have forgotten how to bestow a little kindness on strangers. Well, those people (and I was formerly in their ranks) have never been to Rawlins, Wyoming. Fell out of Wyoming and into Utah to find one of the coolest rock formations I've ever seen (second pic above)- called the Devil's Slide. Way cool and visible from a veiwing area just off I-84. What a day.
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