We careened into the Cowboy State, cruise control set somewhere around 78 mph on a two-lane highway so straight it disappeared into heat-wavy nothingness. Our car buffeted back and forth in the crossgusts of those famous Wyoming winds. The plains were dotted with ranches, windmill farms and antelope. To get the kids interested, I told them they’d each get two points for every antelope they spotted, 20 for bison and 50 for each bear.