bugs on my windshield

that's right, my windshield was disgusting after driving the approx. 175 miles between Missoula and Columbus, Montana. but let's start at the beginning.

so the season ended and I spent a blissful week on Ryan and Aubrey's couch watching soccer. Don't worry, I also bonded with Ryan while Aubrey was away, enticed Ryan and Della to a soccer game, checked out Pike Place Market, and went to Safeco to see a Mariners game with Aubrey. it rocked. oh, I also won a scrabble game. mwahahaha.

so I came back to Yakima on Wednesday night and set up an appointment to have my oil changed Friday. when I did, however, they found that my timing belt was messed up (thus the icky feeling on the drive to Seattle) and they had to fix it. Being Friday, I did not get my car back until 5 pm Monday, so my trip was set back. Plus Amanda was in Seattle on the weekend, so I spent the better part of Saturday and Sunday in my host family's house playing computer soccer and finishing my demo CD. Which is basically done.

So I got my car back Monday and, after watching Eric's Cowboys choke on Monday Night Football (I will admit to rooting for them, slightly, but don't expect it to become habit), we said goodbye/broke up. Not that it came as a surprise to either of us.

So I set out this (Tuesday) morning at 8:13 am pacific time. My car still shimmies more than it should, but it's supposed to be able to get me home. However, I discovered that my cruise control stopped working between my trip to Seattle and this all-important trip.

So my trip. 8:13 am pt - 8:25 pm mt = 11 hours, 12 minutes. I went from Yakima to Spokane through Couer d'Alene, Idaho (which is so phenomenally beautiful that it reminded me of Lake Tahoe; also smelled kinda like vanilla ice cream) and stopped in Kellogg, Idaho around noon pacific time ... then through some more mountains and into Montana, going through Missoula, Butte, Bozeman, all the way to Billings. I stopped in Butte around 4 mountain time (I think?) and Columbus, Montana for dinner at like 8 mountain time. I guess. My concept of a time zone is so screwed up right now.

And without cruise control, my right foot got tired of holding the gas pedal down to the requisite 80+ mph in the great state of Montana. so I drove left-footed for several 10-minute stints. more tiring than you'd expect, but I think it helped keep me awake (insert eye-roll, sarcastic comment from some of you here). I actually only had one trouble spot in terms of staying awake, but tomorrow will probably be tougher.

I got a hotel on the second try here in Billings, and turns out it has a lot of cable and free wireless. awesome stuff. I also heard from Lilit that there's this hurricane thing on its way toward Houston. Holy crap, y'all. I'm thinking of you, hopefully everything will work out okay and it'll just be another fun story to tell.

Speaking of which, will somebody please blog? Alana? I know you have funny stories. Jenny: surely life at work has changed with Rice people back in school. Discuss. Derrick: first football game? general impressions of grad school?

but since I'm blogging, here's my schedule ... Wednesday Sioux Falls, South Dakota (should I see Mount Rushmore? my thinking is I will never be in South Dakota again, so yes) ... Thursday Davenport, Iowa ... Friday Cleveland, Ohio (with Ms. Anne Marie Danger Power) ... Saturday The Promised Land. Morristown, New Jersey.

October 6-November 10 ... Europe. with Joe (not Jo' Mama, but my best friend from HS) and involving lots and lots of soccer.

November 12-16 Dallas for MLS Cup 2005 ... November 16-20 H-town.

December 5-7 ... baseball winter meetings, Dallas. Eric-I might have to throw the Chiefs tickets back up for grabs, the job fair ends on the 7th so I probably won't stay around.

okay, that's enough from me. more tails from the road to come.