Chapters 1-2 Summary and Analysis

Chapter one: "The Solace of Open Spaces" begins with the author waking up from a nap out in the desert. The dogs have taught Ehrlich how to sleep; against sagebrush so she will not be blown away by the high winds that are common to the area. Ehrlich is on a 55-mile journey through the badlands of Wyoming. The trip will take as long as five days because the sheep will not move when it is hot outside. Instead, the animals rest in the shade until it has cooled off. Ehrlich comments a lot on the terrain, from the wide open spaces to the dry, arid valleys, rugged plateaus and red rock mesas.

In Wyoming, winter lasts six months of the year. The author talks about how the long, frigid winters affect everything from the mental health of the...