This one just about sums up a huge part of our trip:
me taking photos, and Mia being in them.
While there are many ways to experience a tour-- solo, with a friend, two friends, lots of friends, a stranger, people you meet, a guided group-- for me, I am happy that I travelled with a buddy, and of all people, a best friend.
Because I get to say to someone:
"Hey, remember that time we got spooked by the fog and moved across the street to camp in front of the church?"
"Hey, remember that time we spent like the WHOLE DAY at the breakfast buffet?"
"Hey, remember that bird that landed on your BIKE? And that baby turkey that POOPED on you?"
"Hey, remember that uphill headwind going into Yellowstone when 8mph was all we could muster and we ran out of water? Then we split two candy bars and a soda and had dinner with that really sweet family at the campground and slept in the cab of their truck because we thought we were going to be eaten by a bear like the guy the other week and the kids gave us each a little flower bouquet and a sharp stick.. and THEN we actually used our sharp sticks in Rawlins to open our buffalo salami when we were trying to buy a cheap dinner at a farmers' market but actually kinda spent a lot and I got cinnamon bun you were jealous of so I went and bought you a cookie that was like TWO dollars because I felt bad?"
Those stories don't necessarily warrant a story told to another person-- but I can still get a nod of acknowledgement or a smile from my riding buddy,
"Yeah, that was HILARious."
