Traveling through Kansas

Well, yesterday was interesting to say the least. I had my first lesson in being prepared! I drove all the way from Grand Island to Littleton, too much for my stress level. I dropped down to Kansas route 36 to avoid trucks on 80. The road was super and I would recommend it, hardly any traffic. Of course, with no traffic, no gas stations. I had half a tank when I hit the Colorado border and 113 miles to Byer. I drove through some town that started with and I and the only gas station was closed. No problem I thought there are six to go before I run out of gas. The first five did not even have a gas station and Anton (my dead end spot) had one that was closed. I pulled in and noticed a pick up parked in front so I banged on the door. I could see someone way in the back with a light on appearing to ignore me. So I banged louder, went to another door and banged even louder. Finally 2 guys came to the door and I told them I was desperate for gas. One was the owner and he opened the pump for me so I could buy $20 worth. They were very nice and saved me from a night in Anton. The next station I came to was 55 mi down the road!
Decided to skip the toll road and take I70 to 225. Well, of course, I missed my exit because you can't exactly change lanes on 3 sec notice. So I took the long way through downtown Denver. Ugh, that goodness it was Sunday, still packed with cars. Spent the night in the Casita in front of Greg's house and will head up to Bailey this afternoon.. Now I am tired and wish only to be home. Of course it is always great to see the kids. I am going to see if Grace will take a walk with Foxy and me.
Cold this am so I expect it will be freezing in Bailey tonight. The boys are wrestling so I will go to their matches. In the meantime I am going to the container store and buy some goodies for the Casita. Might even drop by Anthropologie for another kind of goodie (:-)

Grand Island, NE

We are parked in the Mormon State Park outside of Grand Island. It is windy as it usually is in NE, but warmer, sunny and rather nice. I woke up at 5:15 am, took Fox out and climbed back in bed until 8 am. Quite a late morning for me and the fog and cold made it all the better. Clarinda was only 2mi away so we crossed the Nodaway River and drove into town. Love the name of that river. They refer to the valley as the Nodaway Valley. Makes me dream of a sunny summer day lazin around the river, and, you know, nodding away. Love that dream. Clarinda is the county seat for Page county and the courthouse is in the middle of the town square. I know Dad must have walked around that square and I am sure it wasn't paved. I can just picture a little boy running across the dusty road on his way home from school. At least, that is how I like to think about it. I took several pictures, looked for good coffee which I didn't find, then hopped in the car and headed out. Highway 2 takes you south missing Omaha and into Lincoln. There I stopped at WalMart and fixed some lunch, grabbed a MAC Donald's senior coffee and got back on the road. While stopped at Wal Mart I tried to find my high school friend's, Bee, phone number. No luck so I will have to email her. It would have been nice to see her on my way through.
Highway 2 is a beautiful drive and I highly recommend that Route. Oh, forgot to mention my stop at the Iowa welcome center. Met a nice lady who was reading Guns, Steel & Germs. I commented on how much I enjoyed the book. She said she might be too stupid to understand it but it sure made her think twice about this "evolution" idea. Then she went on to tell me about her daughter flunking her first psych course in college because the prof was an athesist and she couldn't agree with him. Now I am wondering how Obama managed to take the state of Iowa???? Got to love it.
One thing I have learned about my wanderings is that I don't like driving over 200mi and I love meeting people along the way. The sun is on its way down and I need to plot tomorrows trip. Ta, Ta.

Still in Iowa

Iowa is a beautiful state with rolling hills, corn fields, small towns with little church steeples all dressed in sparkling fall colors. The sky looked like winter coming and drizzle fell on and off all day. We ended up in Nodaway Valley Park 2 miles north of Clarinda, where my father was born. The park is heavily wooded and overlooks the West Nodaway River and the Nonaway River. I can't help but wonder if my Dad roamed these woods, but, of course, I know he probably didn't. He was pretty young 8 or so. I haven't been to Clarinda yet and I can't help but wonder how I will feel. My plan is to park on the town square and walk with Foxy around town. Perhaps I will run into some Morgans or Hindles. Wouldn't that be amazing? This would have been such a pretty place to grow up and makes one think of perfect little families in perfect little towns in a perfect and simple time. Such is the dream but certainly not the reality. My grandfather, Harry, had a reputation for drinking. He left my grandmother, Pearl, my Dad and his little brother, Don, for Arizona and without benefit of divorce, married again. How hard it must have been for my grandmother to provide for her young sons. If time permitted I would do a little research at the courthouse in hopes of digging up more info about the Morgans. Sounds like another trip is in the offing.
It is only 6pm and I am longing for bedtime. Foxy got me up at 5:40am and I surely was not ready for that. Fall is here and I am in my cuddle up, read and sleep mode. More tomorrow.

Back on the Road

We are finally camped near Waterloo, IA and I am so so tired. It would be great if Foxy would curl up and sleep so I could do the same.



This morning started out rocky as Haley noticed a leak under the car. Had to unhook the trailer and take the car back to repair shop. The had changed my oil and put in a heavy duty transmission cooler last week and as it turns out the transmission fluid was leaking. Got that fixed and when I pulled up in front of the house I heard a funny sound coming from under the hood like a tool had been left there. Haley and I checked and the noise stopped. No idea what it was but it went away so I hooked up the Casita again.



At last, I pulled out of the drivcway to notice that one of the Casita tires looked low. Of course I stopped and got out my handy tire pressure gage and checked the tire. All well there so I got in the car and promptly drove over a curb with the Casita. Later, when I stopped for a break I checked inside the Casita only to find the microwave on the floor. Ahhhhhhhh. Would you believe it actually worked after I put it all together again.



I missed several turns that took me out of the way and also managed to go on a wild goose chase for an RV park. Finally, back on the hwy, I stopped at the first RV park we came to. A race track with RV park attached. Happily, no races today, in fact, hardly a soul was in the Park. The cool, clear air and spectular sunset almost go by me I am so tired. Cooked my steak and popped my already boxed and wrapped mashed potatoes in the microwave. Yummy dinner. Now I am watching TV and awaiting Grey's Anatomy to come one. The bed will feel good. Oh, I forget, I also left my coffee pot in Ripon. Fortunately, I have an extra French Press in the Casita. Can't do without the coffee!!