Today starts out a balmy 35 degrees Fahrenheit or so. We push on towards Salt Lake City, having some 1000 miles left to go. My plan, which I haven't shared yet, is to push on and get home tonight. Once I'm on my way home, I really want to get back to my own bed and pillows. So pushing on for an extra few hours and getting home really late is ok with me.

We drive through Salt Lake City a little after noon and then past Salt Lake. It's quite a sight, as the lake streches to the horizon on one side, while the salt flats stretch on the other side of the freeway. The lake is mostly still and clear, you can see a reflec- tion of the nearby mountains and the sky, although not crystal clear, as the lake is too big to prevent tidal waves. As you drive westwards, a railroad track parallels the freeway, some hundred feet or so to the right. Between the track and the road is a trench of water, still and clear. The reflection from the railroad track and its embankment of dirt is a smooth continuation of the real thing. Unless you look closely and see the reflected sky, you can't tell that it's water. It's one of those moments.

Anyway, we get Kentucky Fried Chicken at this small town and go. As we drive back towards the freeway, there is a row of trees planted on the sidewalk, with a sign at the foot of each tree. It's some sort of local tree decorating custom, with different businesses and groups staking a tree to decorate. Some of the trees have the beginnings of decoration, strings and some lights. But it's still a bit early.

Today's conversation focuses on Sweet's time in the military. Stories from his joining up, the people he met, the bad experiences that have colored his view of the US Army. They are fascinating anecdotes and I feel bad that he had some miserable things happen to him in his four years. But I don't share his opinion of the US Army. There are bad characters and good characters, there's a monolithic system to deal with, and there are a lot sacrifices a soldier makes to be a soldier. And that's one of the reasons that I respect our Army and the people in it. It's a tough, dangerous, unappreciated job and I'm glad there are people that do it. And maybe I'm reading Dave wrong, but it seems to me like he's totally soured on the military.

Anyway, we stop at a gas station and get some sandwiches to go and once again we're on the open road with me at the helm. It's getting dark, the speed limit has dropped to 65 miles per hour, and so I set the cruise control to 70 mph and drive. Up and down, left and right, the road is no longer straight and narrow as we go up the mountain and then head back down. We pass Reno with its bright hotels and casinos, neon signs lighting the sky, billboards enticing you to stop and gamble. But we drove on, as I thought we'd get back to Concord by 01:00 or so, time enough to return the rental and get Pick back to his car.

The rest of the drive was rather uneventful, Sweet drove from Sacramento to Concord. We stopped to get our luggage out, then Pick drove home. I followed a few minutes later in my car so we could return the rental tonight. And that's when the fun started.