Sitting Bull Visitor Center

Dear Fabulous,
A white blanket coated the ground as the plane touches down on the landing pad. I find my luggage, my rental car, all three are blue. My favorite color and I think... "This is a good thing". I overhear the rental car clerk explaining on the phone they have no more vehicles due to the "protesters. This journey already feels blessed when my flight gets us into Bismark 25 minutes ahead of schedule. Early?!? That's a first. Then again when my cell phone navigation stays working after I've been warned to go a different route due to road closures.

My blue bubble bobs solo along the road. I think of my little brother, playing with toys as my mother sews in batting to the blankets she makes for all our loved ones. How similar the loft is to this coat of white on the ground, I relax a little and turn on the radio. I jam out to "classic rock" and can't help but think of Vanessa and the Studiomix crew, some how knowing more songs than I did before.

I smile deep into my snow boots and go slow, slower then the speed limit sometimes as my blue bubble is 2 wheel drive and the roads are looking and feeling more like 5 wheel drive. I make a mental note "See Amelia, you'd love to be rocking a 4 wheel drive truck right now!"

The road is absolutely beautiful, and although its sleeting out I roll down my windows to get a clearer picture.

My first stop. Visitor Center, as I am a visitor and I need to pee. A group of people are also "visiting" sitting around and chatting. I do my business and sit quietly... patiently. Virtual reality goggles are being passed around, I'm offered to see and find myself in the middle of a march, there are people singing. Those in the room tell me to look around and I find a man at my feet recording. "oh, hello down there" He fails to hear me. I am pulled in and almost hit my head on the, now invisible, couch as I roll around trying to see from all angles. Head, up, head down, to left to the right. A little motion sickness.

I tell the group, I've come to work. They tell me where to check in and warn me my 2 wheel drive might not make it back out of the camp. I choose not to risk it tonight and head to my lodgings.

Here, in a home, I am greeted with warm food, sweet smiles, new friends, tea and an invitation to a ceremony tomorrow. Tomorrow is a big day. I'll travel to camp, blue bubble and all.