Day 5: "Just don't ever turn your car off"

That sounds like something that should be in one of those Speed movies with Keanu Reeves, but it was the advice (albeit jokingly) that the VW service guys gave to me. They checked the car's error codes, but didn't find anything (a few misfire codes they said weren't really anything, and certainly nothing related to starting). So today was basically a drive-only day after eventually getting out of Bozeman at 1 PM. I did turn the car off twice - once to let Hailey out and then to eat lunch (at an ahem... popular Scottish-sounding restaurant... I know, I know, but it had shade and was close to a hotel I figured I could stay at should the car not start back up.) The car started both times and worked perfectly today, even though it was really hot. I did make it out of Montana (finally) and am staying in Sheridan, WY.

Since I didn't stop, I don't have any pictures for today, but some random thoughts.

• Montana east of Billings is EMPTY. Literally, there is nothing (except road construction). I'm not even sure why it exists.
• Why is I-90 paved red for the first 15 miles or so upon entering Wyoming?
• Is everything in Montana big? Every person who gave Hailey a bone gave her a gigantic one that is probably an entire meal's worth for her. They all commented on how she "savored" her bone, when in reality it was just HUGE!
• Why does everyone smoke in Montana? I was confused by Bozeman - it seems pretty young and liberal - people all walking and riding bikes (heck, the VW place offers loaner bicycles before a car) and talking about saving the planet, but then 15 minutes later they all meet out back for a smoke break. Just unexpected.
• Even still, they are all super nice and willing to go out of their way to help you.
• Funny coincidence, the service guy at the VW place just moved here from Redmond a week ago and actually lived less than a mile away from my old condo. Small world!
• Wyoming seems to be a step back in time. Maybe it's just Sheridan, but the main street (pretty much the only street) seems like it belongs in the 40s.
• Also in Wyoming, apparently "grilled French bread" means white bread with butter on it put under a broiler. Classy :)
• In my mid-20s I remember happily driving 15 hours (okay, maybe not always happily, but I used to regularly go on full day's drives just for the heck of it) and now I'm done after 300 miles. Does that mean I'm old?
• You can clearly tell who came to Montana just to drive fast. I've seen a ton of Corvettes (actually, I think a lot of those just live here) but also packs of Vipers, one Ferrari, and several packs of motorcycles. When I see them, I just get out of the way; but the truckers seem to enjoy blocking them (just by coincidence, I'm sure).
• My tow truck driver from the other day is pretty funny, when he dropped of my car (I wasn't with him) he signed my name as "Tire Iron" - the VW place was a bit confused until I called them :)
• And finally, I drove past the Little Big Horn battlefield and I think I know why Custer lost - there are several casinos there (Indian reservation). I bet the soldiers spent the night before gambling and boozing it up.
• Okay, one more - I saw this on a road sign: Baaxuwuaashe. How do you pronounce that? It's apparently some Indian word to do with the Crow Agency around Big Horn.

Anyway, that's today's excitement. Tomorrow, I'll aim for Rapid City and I think I'll start venturing off the main path again.