A week of travel-- comments, observations

Last week was my annual getting away and driving a long western loop, sightseeing, camping, hiking, videotaping, et al. These are just some observations I have from this trip. If anyone agrees, disagrees, wishes to add to, or anything else, based on traveling not limited by region or season, this is what the thread is about.

The average price of my fuel purchases was $2.90/gallon, with a range of $2.56 to $3.20, the highest being in Yellowstone National Park, and I bought $15 worth there because of low gauge reading, knowing I could conceivably run out if I didn't get it; otherwise I filled the tank every time.

The average price of a night's lodging was $50.86, including one night camping, which was the only night because of a problem with my tent that I did not know about until I used it that night (I had intended to camp one or 2 more nights).

A long time ago I used to drive exactly within the speed limit in deference to Romans 13; not one mph over. For years now, though, I have changed that to driving according to how the limit is enforced, 5 to 10 mph over. So I normally drove no more than 5 mph over the posted limit. I would say the average driver was 10-15 mph faster, and those who drove more slowly than I were mostly heavy RV's and trailors pulled by pickkups or SUV's or full-size cars. Clearly the speed limit, to the large majority of drivers, means nothing but hoping they don't get a ticket if they stay reasonably (about 20%) close to it.

I had reservations at an old rustic hotel in West Yellowstone. When I got there and the manager of the place read my last name, she wanted to tell a 'ghost story' about someone with the same name who won a big poker game there in the late 19th century and was apparently murdered, and several who knew him claimed to have seen his 'ghost' there. I wasn't really in a state of mind to make an argument and say what I really think about such drivel, so I just took it in silence, then grabbed my key. My suspicion is that she tells that to all-- or most-- guests who sign in, then makes up the first name to go with the guest's last name. Have you stayed in a place like that?

While driving in Yellowstone Park, with 2 lanes going 'my' way, the vehicle ahead of me stopped, then the vehicle in the other lane stopped. I sounded my horn, but the drivers paid no heed. Finally one pointed and I saw they were stopped in the roadway to look at a coyote. Since I see coyotes frequently where I live, this ticked me off. Am I obtuse for thinking a coyote is such a fascinating creature to stop in traffic over, or are probable 'city slickers' entitled to their jollies in seeing one?

That's enough for now, and waiting to see if this gets any discussion.