So, the funeral/memorial was nice. It was the second of two for my grandfather. The one I was able to attend was more for friends than family. It was well done.

While making the 11 hour trek across 3 states I made a few notes about the state of Montana, mostly based on experience. Montana is the only state I’ve driven through where a tractor will block both lanes (including the oncoming traffic) and expect drivers to work with them. It’s also one of the few states you can drive over 800 miles and see less than two police officers, neither of whom will pull you over for doing 20mph over the posted speed limit. I think the second one really wanted to pull me over but had some other place to go that seemed more important than chasing me down. Additionally, Montana’s drivers are super considerate compared to the drivers on I-5. Now, Seattle has been notorious for having irrate, inconsiderate drivers. But, take a drive through this wonderful state, and you’ll find people actually move out of your way if you’re in the left lane. They don’t cut you off just because you’re driving faster than everyone else, and they wave with more than one finger. It’s quite refreshing. On my return trip, I hit North Bend and wanted to curse everyone on the highway within 10 minutes. It all started at about Ellensburg and got worse the closer I got to Seattle. That just means it’s radiating and growing from its epicenter.

I didn’t see the Mule Palace on this trip. I really wanted to stop in and see what it was all about. I just forgot which exit it was at.