Meanwhile .. back in Montana …

As we start day six .. and let me just add that 4:00am does not get easier the more you do it … we are still in Montana. It is still raining. And we still have not seen any cowboys.

A few other notes on the trip so far ….

Highest temperature: 93 degrees in Florida/Alabama
Coldest: 42 degrees in Montana/Idaho
Best rest stop: Washington – coffee & home made cookies for sale
Best driving: South Dakota Speedway

Best sign: Wall Drug, South Dakota, with second place also in South Dakota – Fireman’s Brewery sign made of an old fire engine standing on end.

Best food: The Dixie Diner, Texarkana, Arkansas
Best voice on the Garmin: Jack from Australia

The Most Culturally Sensitive McDonalds: Connecticut. They make things different there. The egg mcmuffins are different, the iced coffees are even different. We can only think they are catering to their Connecticut customers and respecting how Connecticut-ians differ from the rest of the world.

And speaking of McDonalds .. we have enjoyed their hospitality 6 of 6 days. Yes, they are a big ol’ evil empire, with tentacles on every highway in every state. But they consistently are open early, have good coffee and – most imporantly – the restrooms are (almost) always clean.

Worst Starbucks Customer: Woman in front of us at Starbucks in Washington. The DRIVE THRU Starbucks who gave her order by saying “I’ll show you when I get to the window” … THEN at the window, gave them a carton of milk to use in her coffee with what sounded like two pages of instructions including how much milk, how hot, and how to package up the leftover milk. Oh .. and before you ask… yes, she could have walked in to Starbucks. Although there’s a chance that she’s done that in the past and it has figured out it’s harder to throw the milk back at you when you’re in the car …