On The Road Again - May 2021

ll, what a nice little town we found after traveling on I-80 all day!  Parked The Lady and The Tramp in front of the house and unloaded everything that needed to be unloaded.  The rest we'll save for the next trip.  The Lady is in her boudoir and The Tramp is back in our driveway - ready for a new adventure. Weather was forecast to be really hot in Wendover and Salt Lake City - well into the 100's.  Reno was quite comfortable and we didn't have to worry about that dreadful humidity we experienced elsewhere. Glad to be home - now we just have to catch up on things around here .  We hope everyone is well.  

 It was easy on the navigator today.  Get on I-80 in Wyoming, stay on I-80, get off I-80 in Nevada.  Not too hard to figure out.  Landscape changed dramatically from the wide open plains of Wyoming to the beautiful escarpments in Utah.  Went from 6600 feet in Wyoming to an almost steady downhill slope into Park City and then further down into Salt Lake City.  Finally, we just had a flat ride along the Great Salt Lake into Nevada. You'll be glad to know that we have finally named our RV and tow vehicle.  There have been many ideas on what it should be; however, we finally decided on The Lady and The Tramp.  Lady being the RV because she's pretty and stays on the straight and narrow; whereas the Jeep roams all over and doesn't mind getting dirty.   Tomorrow we head to Reno and home.  It's been more than a month and we'll be glad to get home.

For those of you paying attention, Green River is the town in Wyoming where we had our flat tire during the first week of our trip.  However, this time, we're on the last legs of our trip and Green River was a convenient spot to stop.   This morning we started out from Buckley and headed north (eventually we got to I-25, but it was an adventure - saw more of north Denver than we wanted to).  Stopped at Costco way north of Denver and took advantage of their good gas prices.  Drove to Loveland and had breakfast with Connor (twin son of Ken and Melanie).  He graduated from NDSU and is working in the Fort Collins/Denver area.  Actually, today was his first anniversary of being in the area.  Fun conversation and then we admired his new red RAM four-door pick-up.  Awesome vehicle, I don't think he missed many bells and whistles. Paul suggested that we take a shortcut just north of Fort Collins which would take us to Laramie on I-80.  Pretty countryside and always had a view of the Ro

 Well, when we left Oakley, the wind was blowing fast and furious (what a great name for a TV series).  Anyway, as we traveled west on I-70, we could see plenty of windmills which were taking full advantage of the 40 mph winds.  The town on the Kansas - Colorado border is Kanorado, guess that was better than Colosas - how original!! We had made reservations at Buckley ANG base just northeast of Denver and, we were lucky to get the last spot!  Got all set up and then called Paul and Sandy.  Since Sandy had a conference call at 3 pm, we did some shopping and then went over to their home in Centennial.  Had a great time enjoying the beautiful weather sitting on their patio.  Good conversation, bird-watching, and then dinner.  Always fun to get together.  Might be able to revisit our anniversary celebrations in Monterey in July.  Time will tell.

  Must be the home of Annie Oakley, because the Buffalo Bill museum is here also.   Have to check that out.   Took off from Topeka this morning and took an interesting detour south (we’re not saying we made a wrong turn, but that may have been the case).   In any event, the next exit was seventeen miles away and we got off I-335 there and traveled on US 56 west through the heartland.   Interesting drive and fun to see the countryside – might as well get the most of a bad decision.   Passed through Council Grove, KS, which bragged about being on the Santa Fe Trail (even had a side road leading to some wagon tracks).   Finally found a road north which took us back to I-70 at Junction City.   On I-70, we got off at Abilene, KS (home of Ike and Mamie and their presidential museum).   Stopped at the Visitor’s Center, but the Director had closed shop for two days to go to a tourism conference – must be hurting for volunteers to man the office.   The Visitor’s Center occupies the old train st

  Quick, what’s the capital of Kansas.   Darn, that was too easy!   We left Scott AFB early this morning and headed west (where else?) on I-70 through St Louis and across Missouri.   Confusing driving through Kansas City (which is actually in Missouri) – too many crossroads and interstates going through that city.   I think we crossed the Mississippi once and the Missouri twice – not sure how that works out.   The Arch in St Louis was pretty in the fog and rain.   Finally half-way across Missouri, the sun came out and we had blue, cloudy skies for the rest of the trip.   Made a side trip on Exit 66 to visit the Cheese Store.   After seeing their advertisements for miles, we thought it would be a good spot to take a break.   Located in a small town, they had a wide selection cheese, wine, Dotty’s pretzels, etc.   We contributed to the local economy and then made our way back to I-70.   It’s fun figuring how where I can turn around with the Jeep attached and a tight turning radius.  

  Well, it’s back to our earlier life.   Left Indianapolis this morning and took US 40 across Indiana (mostly because I missed the turn-off in Indianapolis to I-70).   Turns out that was a good mistake because there were no trucks on US 40 and we enjoyed the countryside cruising at a steady 50 mph.   We always like seeing the old homes along the way.   Funny how some are abandoned and left to just rot away, even though they have some great architectural points.   Pretty much all farmland and rather flat.   At the Illinois border, we went back to I-70 and continued with the trucks.   Decided to stay at Scott AFB and they had space at the FamCamp, so we are here for the night.     Set up camp and then toured the base and the surrounding countryside.   Not very exciting and neither of us remembered much about our two year tour of duty when we lived at Bellevue and I worked at Scott.   Of course, that was forty-three years ago, so I guess we might be forgiven.   Scott is a beautiful ba

  We left Ashland and took 71 and 70 thru Columbus to the Indiana border. At the border, we went over to US 40 which is nicknamed The National Road because it was the original road from the east coast to the west coast.   It traverses the heartland and we have travelled it many times, especially since it cuts through the heart of Reno.   We have taken it over Jack Rabbit Pass into Denver and really enjoyed the various parts of the road.   It’s different here in Indiana because it goes through so many small towns with all the wonderful architecture of the homes.   Still a lot of Amish farms and the obligatory carriages on the two-lane roads.   We finally cut north and went back on I-70.   There was construction on the east bound lane and, as a result, a horrific back-up on that side.   Glad we were headed West.   Hit the worst weather we have experienced on the trip with heavy rain.   Of course, this is the time the driver’s windshield wiper decides to fall off.   Made it to an area whe

  We’re just outside Ashland, Ohio, at the Hickory Lakes Campground.   This will be a delayed post since there is no internet service at this campground.   Today was one of the few days where we only drove Interstates, from 88 to 81 in New York, then on to 80 in Pennsylvania to 80 in Ohio (which is the Ohio State Turnpike) to 71 down to Ashland.   An interesting point on the Ohio State Turnpike is that their rest areas   have spots for RV’s to hook-up with water and electric for a nominal fee.   Haven’t seen that anywhere else we have traveled over the years.   The countryside didn’t change much from New York and through Pennsylvania – it’s all rolling hills (they call them mountains, but we all know better 😊 ).   Awesome valleys, rivers, and forests make up the landscape.   Ohio flattens out a bit as we traversed the Ohio River Valley.   We stayed on the road too long today and didn’t make camp until almost 6:30 p.m.   We always say that we are never going to travel for that long

 Well, it ain't exactly the Harpersville PTA from country song of old, but it's close.  We are about ten miles east of Binghamton.  Made fairly good time today using a combination of Interstate and two-lane highways.  Came down south in Vermont and then cut across to New York.  Pretty country in both Vermont and New York, especially as we came down I-88 past Cooperstown and Oneonta through the Susquehanna River countryside. Had breakfast this morning with the gang at Charlmont Restaurant in Morrisville and then bid a fond adieu to everyone.  Tom, Carolyn, and Katie were going to Saxon Falls to move Katie's "stuff" from Vermont Academy to her new digs in Burlington.  She moves into her new apartment on Sunday and then starts her new job with Data Innovations on Monday. Starting a new adventure all the way around. Should be a great new experience for her.  Danny's new apartment in Burlington is in the same complex, but a couple of buildings away. Char's goin

Friday morning we picked up some bagels and went over to Tom and Carolyn's for breakfast.  Carolyn is still teaching and she has one more week to go before retirement.  However, we had a good meal out on the porch with Tom and Katie.  Char and JT joined us later.  Tom III made arrangements for all of us to rendezvous with my sister, Mary Ann, at an intermediate point half-way between Tom's house and their summer home in New Hampshire.  It was an hour drive each way for both of us. Beautiful drive through the Vermont countryside across the state to the New Hampshire border.  We met at a rest area and then moved to a nearby picnic area overlooking the Connecticut River.  Mary Ann and Stuart had just made the trip north from Charleston, SC to Ashland, NH.  It was good to see them and catch up on what we had all been doing.  As a note of interest, there was a small monument in the picnic area which marked the Vermont/New Hampshire border, so Tom III didn't have to feel like he

 Today dawned cloudy (doesn't that sound like a contradiction).  Weather was forecast for cloudy and intermittent rain.  In spite of that, Tom, Katie, JT and I headed off to the Copley Golf Course for nine holes.  For once, the weatherman was right and we finished the last three holes in an off and on rain.  Vi was smart and decided to go shopping with Char. Nice to get out on the course.  JT, who will turn 18 soon, is a great golfer.  I think my third shot ended up where his drive went.  Fun watching his game.  The four of us played four tees - black for JT, white for Tom, gold for me, and red for Katie.  We wanted to take full advantage of everything on the tee box.   On the way home, my Jeep decided that it needed a rest and just stopped!  Tried everything in the book, but it just was locked up and would make no movement at all.  Tom and I tried everything, but nothing worked.  Spent an hour on the phone with AAA, Goss Jeep in Burlington, and CarMax (because the Jeep was still u

 When we left Ticonderoga, NY this morning, we headed north on 9N to Crown Point.  There we took the bridge over Lake Champlain to Vermont.  We have made this trip several times and the crossing has gone from the old bridge to a ferry when the old bridge was deemed unsafe to the brand new (well, almost brand new) span. NOTE:  When I get a copy of photo Tom III took from his drone on his way back from Tim's party, I'll include it.  So stay tuned.  Hope you checked back - here's the photo. As we travelled north toward Burlington, we were treated to some beautiful scenery of the rolling countryside with the Appalachian Mountains on the New York side across Lake Champlain.  Only a two lane road, so it was difficult to pull over and take a picture.  Travelled almost into Burlington and then took I-89 south (yeah, I know, we just travelled north to get here, but this is Vermont and you take what roads are available)  Paralleled the Winooski River with more compelling scenery.  Go

  Broke camp this morning and headed east on 104.   Took some back roads, i.e. not interstates, for a while before we cut down to the New York Thruway (otherwise known as I-90).   It kind of parallels the Mohawk River through the heartland of New York State.   Just as I-80 duplicates the route of the Indian trails, the railroads, and the highways, I-90 does that on the East Coast.   We stopped at a rest stop named Indian Castle and they had a descriptive plaque (see below).   According to the plaque, the Mohawk River narrows and cuts through the ridge which separates the Great Lake watershed from the Atlantic coast watershed – kind of like the continental divide in Colorado/Wyoming.     About thirty miles west of Albany, we got a call from Char who was travelling north toward Albany.   She and JT were heading for Vermont.   Long story short, we were both headed for I-87 so made arrangements to meet at the first rest stop going north.   It was great seeing them (and Cousteau – the A