Yager is the name given to the former school bus that Coyote and Rodeo lived in for five years and which they still rely on as a source of transportation, adventure, and connection. On both a practical and a philosophical level, Yager brings Coyote and Rodeo exactly where they need to go, and different aspects of its interior also serve important symbolic purposes. The driver’s seat is referred to as the “throne,” and there is an entire private quarter at the back that Coyote has claimed as her room. The “Attic” of Yager is the roof, which is fixed with a railing so that people can ride up there while the bus is in motion. Yager’s presence in the novel reflects the importance of Appreciating the Journey, because wherever the bus takes the family, they have opportunities to meet new people, such as Doreen and Wally.

As each new friend influences the family’s mindset, Coyote indulges in the habit of personifying Yager. As she says, “It could be some folks don’t see the need to name a bus. Then again some folks haven’t had the chance to get to know a bus as well as I have” (2). Yager was her home for many years, and it holds a significant place in her mind and heart. In the story’s conclusion, Coyote compares Yager to life itself, noting, “Life is like this bus. […] And here we are on it together. We weren’t always on it together. And we won’t always be on it together. But we are right now. And that’s pretty freaking awesome” (273-74). The vehicle thus becomes a metaphor for Coyote’s newfound gratitude as she reflects on the people she is lucky enough to know.

Red Bird, by Mary Oliver, is a book that Coyote’s mother once owned, and this object has a key role in the protagonist’s emotional and physical journey. Coyote sets out with her father and her best friend in an effort to recover this book, which she lost during their previous adventures on the road. To Coyote, this book symbolizes a vital connection to her mother. As she explains in plain language, “We weren’t just looking for a book. We were looking for that book” (85). Her desperate need to find this book at any cost indicates how strongly she associates it with her mother, remaining fixated on The Past’s Hold on the Present. This desperation leads Coyote into engaging in equally desperate acts, as when she lies to her father and breaks into a closed thrift store. When she finally does recover the book, however, she discovers a gift she did not expect: a final message of love from her mother. She hears her mother’s voice “for the first time in way too long” (234) and experiences cherished memories that she had been repressing. The book also connects Coyote to a new friend, Doreen, who shares in her experience of grief and teaches Coyote about the importance of gratitude.