On Wednesday morning I woke up to the sunrise exploding through some remnant clouds over Deadman’s Basin, a lake in the middle-of-no-where Wyoming. A side note, I used to refer to parts of Maine as the “middle-of-no-where” after driving through Wyoming, my standards changed. I woke up to a rabbit hopping around my campsite. So many moments on during my trip made me say a Lou Mrozism to myself “Holy dash.” It does feels good to be chasing sunrises, not sunsets again though. I went through my body-weight workout and made some oatmeal. The rest of the day I spent driving through prairies, ranches, wind farms and small towns whose biggest attraction was a grain elevator feet from the main road. I stopped at the infamous Wall Drug general store.

For someone who spent the last week (more or less) in nature and secluded from typical consumerism, my end-of-the-day journey was a rude awakening. I find the place hard to describe. The Wikipedia page helps a little, but it is essentially a giant tacky mecca of “Wild West” tourist consumerism. I quickly left to Sage Creek (free!) Campground in a secluded section of Badland’s National Park. Along the way I saw buffalo, prairie dogs and owls.

I got to the campsite, which sits in a small valley, as the sun was setting. I set up my tent and started preparing dinner when one of the buffalo I saw on the way to the site came sauntering down the road to the campground. If you’ve never seen a buffalo before, they are big. Bigger than I imagined they would be. They move robotically, like the people who created the dinosaurs in the Disney World Jurassic Park ride also decided to make a prairie version. But I can’t deny the animal’s strength and wisdom.

Anyways, after using the campground sign as a scratching post, the buffalo made his way to my campsite where he ate some grass (not my salad) and used the picnic table as another scratching post. He made himself at home and stayed until it was dark, 45 minutes or so, and moseyed on his way after a few rounds of coyote howls.

As I was watching the animal I first thought about what it must have been like when tens of thousands buffalo roamed the plains and reigned over the grasslands. Much of my time on my trip has been spent wondering what this place we call the United States was like when it was America and only Native people lived among these vast places, not over them. I know I’ve said it before but I’ve been practicing my own smallness. The second thought process I had was just how thankful I am. I’m grateful that I worked hard, so I could make this trip happen financially, but also that I allowed myself to take it—to turn off everyday life for a month. I’m grateful everyday, but especially this day I felt so lucky to be a part of all of this, a small spec moving, virtually silently, through a boundless expanses that we are lucky are still protected.

Today marks the end of the longest truly solo part of my trip. Although before now I’ve been mostly alone, I stayed with friends and family along my journey, which was good company and part of the reason for this trip to begin with. However, since Sunday morning I’ve been alone alone, staying in my tent and stumbling on words when I have to talk to someone for the first time in 10 days. I bet to half of you this sounds awful. For me forgetting I have speech, at least momentarily, is gratifying, making me a better observer.

I’ve always been a “listener” but when you effectively turn off your voice for five days your listening skills only manifest in themselves, the powers of observation become your mode of communication. You hear the way people treat each other, the beliefs people have about the earth and religion, the way land can speak to you. You hear the grass break under the jaw of a buffalo and they rain is a relaxing song to fall asleep to.

I appreciate all the support and interest so many of you took in this trip. In less than a week I’ll be back home. I can’t believe a whole month has passed but I know this won’t be the last time I’m out on the road.

Until my next post here are some more pictures: