I am continuing in this Writing 101 class and need to write about a loss. It does not need to be a sad story but it could even be amusing or comical if I could pull that off. Hum oh, hum. What sort of a loss should I write about today? Actually I am a day behind but am trying to make an attempt at completing this next assignment which will become a serial assignment with two more installments. I have experienced many types of losses in my life and so has everyone else. From the loss of my parents, grandparents, and others who were especially close to me to losing my keys, my glasses, and sometimes my mind as I forget what it is I am supposed to do today. Once while visiting the Mall of America I had forgotten my purse in the third floor food court and suffice to say, that wasn’t the best day for me.  I have also lost favorite pets, and favorite stories and other poems I’ve written after a computer crash. I have gotten lost just driving from one place to another thinking I know the way but I found out that I didn’t.  In fact, I think that is what I am going to write about today:

Lost in Wyoming (Part 1)

I once went on a journey from Minnesota to Wyoming as I was on vacation to visit one of my best friends and her daughter. Because I have driven this route before, I thought I knew the way by heart. And for the most part I did as most of the route was along Interstate 90 passing through Minnesota, South Dakota, and finally Wyoming. I enjoyed the journey very much as I like the sense of adventure which I experience whenever I travel. It doesn’t matter if I travel by car, bus, or airplane because along the way I relish this exciting taste of adventure; the flavor of doing something new or different and the thrill of having a change from my usual pace in life.

I packed my suitcase and stuffed that into my car with my hiking boots and my laptop and then headed out. I had my trip all planned and most of my route entered into my GPS unit. Since it was about a thirteen hour drive I decided to stay overnight in a small town in South Dakota which would  mark the halfway point of my journey; I am not one to drive 13 hours straight through and tend to take resting breaks along the way. My journey got off to a rough start in that it seemed I had eaten something that didn’t agree with me. Consequently, I needed to stop more often than planned to find a restroom so therefore, I had a dickens of a time just getting out of Minnesota.

But once I had crossed the border into South Dakota, my guest to make to my friend’s was in earnest as I seemed to feel better and could now drive a greater distance. Many described South Dakota as very flat and boring to travel through. To be sure, wide plains of grass and farm fields stretched out before me but I did not consider the scenery to be boring and because the journey was such a simple route, I had great confidence in myself that I would successfully complete this journey with no mishap. With the wide open highway and the sunlit blue sky before me, I bravely ventured on never dreaming that at some point I would become lost.

As I traveled onward, I debated about taking a detour to visit DeSmet, South Dakota as I was an avid reader of the Little House on the Prairie books. DeSmet is where the Ingalls family finally settled after their years of traveling and moving westward. I decided not to do this on this trip because it is such a ways and I am so focused on being timely, but I am determined to visit it on another trip. I make various stops along the way to refuel my car, freshen up and just stretch my legs. After hours of driving, I arrived at my first destination, Chamberlain; a small town situated on the Missouri River. I chose to stay here for the night because this town holds a special childhood memory. Many years ago when my dad and mom took us on a trip out west we had stopped at a campground staying overnight in our pop up tent. The campground was right on the river and my siblings and I enjoyed it very much. We met other children camping there for night and had played a late night of tag with them. Much to my surprise, the motel where I was staying was also right on the Missouri River and it was a beautiful view. After being assigned a room and storing my luggage, I took a walk through the small town and visited a few of the shops there. It is a very warm and relaxing summer evening. Finally, I went to bed feeling very sure of myself along this trek of mine and still never knowing that I would somehow get lost tomorrow.

Stayed tuned for Part 2!