Eastbound and Down

Loaded up and truckin'.......*

By the time you read this, Hernando will have collected bugs from eight states across his smiling face.  We are writing this from the lovely home of Charlie McLauchlan (Kathleen's' cousin) in Geneva, IL where we are breaking the trip for two days with members of both sides of Kathleen's family.  

Here's a recap of our travel thus far:

Day 1 took us from Spokane to that garden spot among Super Fund sites, Butte, MT.  The day's run was a mere 289 miles.   We enjoyed a real restaurant dinner (inside, with table service and EVERTHING!). Maggie revealed a real preference for King beds as we all crashed early and were up and at 'em at 5:30 am for.....

Day 2, which included 600 miles to Rapid City, SD.   MT, WY, and SD all embrace an 80 mph speed limit, which helped us make quick work of the distance.  The countryside was uncharacteristically green and lush.  And there was enough water in the Yellowstone River for us to start the Loop from there if we only had the boat.  Even at these elevated speeds, Hernando consistently delivered 21 mpg!  What's not to like?   Dinner was Mexican on the patio, as we watched Rapid City law enforcement prepare for the local version of the George Floyd protest.  Yes, even in Rapid City. 

Day 3 took us across South Dakota and western Minnesota to Rochester, a distance of 589 miles.  SD celebrated our departure with a cloud and sun display worthy of Cecil B Demille.  Little did we know that the rolling grasslands of SD would seem nearly mountainous once we got to MN.  Lunch was on the banks of the Missouri at Chamberlain, SD.  We broke the afternoon in Sioux Falls to

visit the Griffith family plot at Woodlawn Cemetary. 

Unfortunately, with construction delays, we had to skip the 

SPAM Museum in Austin, MN.  Maybe next time..........

Day 4 was an easy 385-mile jaunt east from Rochester into  western IL  We crossed the Mississippi at La Crosse, WI, and entered the Wisconsin Dells, where cows outnumber people, cheese rules,  and they seem to have devised a way to have ski "resorts" without mountains.  Clever folks, these Minnesotans.

Our current pace calls for us to arrive in Virginia Beach on Monday.  Perhaps once we clear IL, we will again find some states with a more enlightened view on speed limits. But I doubt it.......

Thanks for listening.  If you choose to leave a Comment, please include your name.

* Thank you, Jerry Reed.