We were driving from Denver through the Vail Pass at night when I started getting nervous. I'm afraid of heights. Those are some seriously high pointy mountains. With sleet. And a speedy husband who just wanted to get the drive over. Ok. He's not that speedy. And really very sweet when he realizes I'm starting to quietly hyperventilate. Well, I suppose "quietly" is relative. But compared to the scream I wanted to be making I'm thinking I was quiet.

I had already noticed that the pass has a lovely system of automated signage offering driving information. For example: High Wind Advisory! which I took to mean "Aieeeee, we're going to be blown off the road into the ravine." Quickly followed by Icy Road! followed by Tunnel Ahead! followed by Reduced Speed! followed by Steep Twisting Grade Next Six Miles!followed by Falling rocks! Finally, deep breathing and the rather fatalistic thought of "might as well relax because we're either going to die, or not" led to a sense of calm. Even kinda started joking about the signs. Because every time I had started to relax there was another near-panic inducing sign. He pointed out there wasn't anything else we could possibly be warned about. That was a good feeling. Only a mile left to go. And one more sign ... Watch for Wildlife! I giggled all the way to the condo.

And I forgot to mention the sign in Oklahoma. The posted speed-limit had a 55 minimum. And right next to that sign there was a sign that said "No Tolerance". Definitely a separate sign. Which makes sense in conjunction with the speed limit. But its definitely a separate sign. So all I saw was the "No Tolerance" and thought to myself (seeing as I was very sleepy and zoned out from driving hundreds of miles in a minivan full of small children) "Hmmmm. Well. I guess people in Oklahoma are fed up with the political correctness embraced by people in Colorado." Yes, eventually, several miles later, it did dawn on me that government of Oklahoma was probably not advocating open season on liberals. Probably.