Day 3: Variety is the spice of road trips. Which is good, because the food is pretty bland out here.

• Breakfast shows improvement over yesterday, which isn't saying much


• Day starts with wildlife sightings, which continue throughout the day. Highlights include many bison, with one at a range of about 10 yards, and a moose with its child.
  
  
  


• More geothermal phenomena. Less colorful, more smelly than yesterday.


• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Lovely views, very cool waterfalls.


• Lunch at Lake Yellowstone Hotel. G has second bison meal of the trip, this time a burger.


• Stroll along Lake Yellowstone, then head out of the park


• Just outside park, discover Crossed Sabers ranch, where M and J once rode horses




• M wonders how Mountain and Central time zones are different. G is nearly rendered speechless, then explains that they are in fact an hour off. J says she's never heard of Mountain time before.


• The city of Cody (pop. ~8000) apparently contains a Mongolian import business, with an INFLATABLE YURT out front.


• See nothing but plains and road ahead of us. J thinks this is incredibly cool. G is once again baffled.



• Turn onto US 14, which is under construction. For the second time today, end up behind a "pilot car" that leads us through the construction.


• Enter Shell Canyon, which is surprisingly beautiful. US-14 continues to impress through sunset, and then views of vast expanse of plains below at dusk.


• Last wildlife sighting of the day: Several cars are pulled over, we join them to see a moose by the side of the road. Moose then approaches the car and crosses the road about 15 yards away. Discussion turns to hypothetical situations involving moose-car interactions and how to avoid being killed.


• Apparently, there's a smiley face on the mountain.




• Stop for dinner in Sheridan, WY, at a place that has just closed. Hostess informs us that Perkins and Sanford's should still be open. G heads for Perkins, fails to find it, ends up back on the same stretch of I-90 we had originally taken into town.


• Manage to find Sanford's after a couple of passes on a very empty Main St. For no apparent reason, it features the largest menus, forks, and receipts ever. Seriously, the receipt is so wide G has to fold it lengthwise to fit it in his wallet.


• G misses turn to hotel, ends up back on favorite stretch of I-90 for a third time. M and J are not impressed.