I’ve gone to look for America

If East vs. West feels like an international rift, then Wyoming and South Dakota might as well be the moon. I feel so insignificantly small in this stark, erosion-chiseled landscape, barely punctuated by a tree or spot of green. Amazing to think that in this country, where tremendous storms can destroy the lives of thousands of people, we are in a place that gets 100-degree heat, minus-20 cold, and scant rain (save for 60 to 100 inches of rain a year, plus a brief rainy season in spring).

“Now I understand the expression ‘dotting the landscape,’ ” my husband said. “Look! There are cows dotting the landscape.” There were. Huge black cows that, against the distance on golden hills, looked like dirt specks. At a wild horse sanctuary, we petted young mustang colts (the baby hugged them). And we saw Mount Rushmore because, well, when you’re in the Black Hills … Sadly, we will be unable to make the Corn Palace on this trip, but we should be able to go to the almost-equally legendary tourist trap Wall Drug.