Day 16: Home

Last evening we were able to sit on the site patio and enjoy a nice breeze and beautiful sky.  It was relaxing to watch the sun set and a full moon rise.

 

Saw this burst of color along I-80 as we drove east toward home.  This color was not from a flower but leaves on a bush.

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We made our last gas stop at Iowa 80.  We stopped here two weeks ago on our first gas fill up.  The price at that time was $4.23 per gallon.  Today the price was 4.68 per gallon.  This is a 45 cent increase in two weeks!!  How high will it go?  Some people are predicting $10 per gallon.

For the last couple of days Keegan has been looking forward to our driving into Illinois; however, he fell asleep shortly after we left Iowa 80 and we had to wake him up when we got into Decatur.

This is the I-80 bridge across the Mississippi River.  We know when we cross this bridge, we will be in Illinois.

We got home at 4:00 p.m. and unhooked and unpacked so we could meet Jason, Kara, and Hunter at Monical's for supper (a tradition).  This is a very happy Keegan hugging his dad.

Keegan brought gifts for his family on this trip.  Here he is showing mom what he brought them.

This picture was taken in June 2017 after Hunter came home from his trip with Memaw and Papaw.  

This picture was taken today at the reunion following this trip.  Hard to believe how much both boys have changed from five years ago,

As much as we love to travel, it is also good to pull the motorhome into the driveway and unload the car from the dolly one last time.

It felt good to sit in our swing, look over our backyard, and just relax.  It was a great trip.  We really did not think we would ever make another trip to South Dakota and Yellowstone.  We were very happy that Keegan wanted to see Mount Rushmore and make that his trip with Memaw and Papaw like Hunter had in 2017.  We had visited all the places we visited with Keegan but it was fun to watch him experience them for the first time.  We told him that he would have to make this trip again with his family.

  

We traveled 3,000 in the motorhome and 1,000 in the car.  We had great weather.  Although we left Yellowstone on Saturday before huge rain storms moved through and caused so much damage to the northern gate and Gardiner, Montana.

This is a picture of the road we took into and out of Yellowstone each of the three days we were there.  So sad to see the damage to the Northern part of Yellowstone.  The park service has closed all entrances to Yellowstone in order to assess the damage caused by the rain and mud and rock slides.  We are thankful that we were able to spend three days enjoying the park.

Another trip is in the books.  We do have a six-week trip planned for this fall.  As of right now, we plan to take that trip.  I don't know at what price per gallon gas will have to be for us to cancel.  We know that physically, our traveling time is narrowing so hopefully, we will be able to take the fall trip.

Day 15: Driving, Driving, Driving

 On road by 7:30 for a day of driving east on I-80.  For a Monday, it seemed like a lot of traffic.

I didn't take many pictures today.  I saw this old barn and thought it was interesting.  It was in Nebraska.

This is the arch over I-80 at Kearney.  There were a few cars and trucks in the parking lot so I guess this attraction is still open.  We stopped for gas at Gretna which is just outside of Omaha.  When we drive through Omaha, our memories are always very active as we think about the three years we spent here as newly weds while Carol was in the Air Force at Offutt AFB.  We were so young then and didn't travel anywhere but home.  We have lots of good memories of this area and still remain friends with Dan Warner who shared a dorm room with Carol until they both got married.

This fancy metal art is over a bridge on I-80 before you cross the Missouri River into Iowa.

Here we are back in Iowa.  Keegan has been looking forward to Iowa because he knows the next state is Illinois.  The closer we get to home the more excited he is getting.

Western Iowa is so pretty with its rolling hills covered with fields.  I love the way the farmer uses the land for his crops.  I learned about contour farming in grade school.  I am sure kids today don't learn about the different farming methods used in the Midwest.

We made it to Des Moines KOA about 2:00 p.m.  It is the same one we stayed at exactly two weeks ago today  We are in a different spot.  It is a patio site with a rocker, BBQ grill, table and chairs...very nice.  The one big draw back is that it is the farthest away from the laundry, store, and restrooms/showers.  I am not sure what the temperature is but I would guess in the 90's.  My plan was to do laundry so I wouldn't have to do laundry when I got home.  I packed up my clothes and coins and the three of us carried the clothes in the heat to the laundry.  Carol and Keegan went back to the motorhome.  After they left, I discovered that the washers and dryers do not take coins, only credit cards.  That was a first for me.  We have stayed in KOAs this whole trip and this is the first laundry that uses only credit cards.  The staff was gracious enough to drive me back in their electric cart to get my card and then return to do my laundry.  After my laundry was finished they took me back to my site.  It was much appreciated in this heat.  Anyway, laundry is done, Keegan is packed up and ready for home, supper is done, I can relax and try to stay cool.

  

Carol just read on Facebook that Yellowstone National Park is closed due flooding, effective today.  It would seem that we got out of there just in time.  I hope it doesn't stay closed long because a good friend of ours daughter and her family is either there now or soon to be there.   How quickly the weather can change things.

Day 14: Camping with the Jackalopes

 

We camped last night at Douglas KOA, Wyoming.  According to the campground information the Jackalope is a native of Wyoming, but is only found in Converse County where Douglas is located.  This rare animal might be mistaken for a large rabbit except for its horns, or could be a deer except for its size and gait. In 1892 a man named Ron Ball first saw the animal but was denounced as a liar; however, a taxidermist exhibited a animal that resembled what Ron Ball had seen.  Douglas has been designated "Home of the Jackalope by the Governor of Wyoming and the city and county vehicles carry the symbol.  So is it real or another Big Foot?

Our campsite at Douglas KOA.

We missed our snow-topped mountains but the scenery was totally different but still pretty. 

We stopped for gas at a Little America gas station in Cheyenne.  Cost was $4.99 a gallon!  Had trouble finding the on ramp for I-80 East so we took a little tour of downtown Cheyenne.  Cheyenne is the capitol of Wyoming but is only 65,000 and not centrally located in the state.  It is a neat cowboy town.

As we traveled east we could feel the temperature rising.   The interstate in Nebraska was very rough.

Can you tell from these photos where we made a stop in Nebraska?

We decided that we could not pass by Cabela's without stopping here.  Keegan spent his last vacation money on the wooden gun he is proudly displaying.  We are camped at the Blue Heron Campground by Gothenberg, Nebraska.  When we first started tent-camping with the kids, we stayed here but then it was a KOA.  It is under new ownership and no longer a KOA.  The manager is very nice and it is located under tall cottonwood trees so we are in the shade for a change.  Two more days of driving and we will be home.

Day 13: Leaving Montana

 Up early and on the road by 7:15 a.m.  We had 450 miles to the next campsite and we were also hoping to avoid a long wait for the road construction.

Had to take one final picture of the view we have enjoyed for the last four days.  I am going to miss seeing the snow-topped mountains.

Here is the campsite.  We are all loaded and just about to get on the way.

This is the Yellowstone River that many of our roads have followed.  It also runs by the camp.  The Yellowstone River begins from a mountain in Yellowstone National Park and goes northeast to northwestern N. Dakota where it empties into the Missouri River.  It is nearly 700 miles long and is the only river in the US that runs completely free with no dams anywhere on it.

This is the road from the main highway to the campground.  It has large potholes that Carol has had to maneuver around for the last four days.  

There is a huge field of cows on one side of the road.  As we came by this morning several of the cows had stretched their necks to the other side of the fence.  They must think that the grass is always greener on the other side.  Ha  Ha!

We will follow the Yellowstone River until the other side of Billings.  It has been nice watching the river along the highway.

Keegan has a great imagination.  Today as we were driving, he made a fort out of blankets, pillows, and the RV table.  It kept him occupied for a while while we drove nearly 450 miles today to Douglas, Wyoming.  It is hot here so we immediately turned on the air and closed all blinds.  I saw a weather forecast for central Illinois and a heat wave is hitting that part of the state.  I will not only miss the mountains, but also the cool temperatures.  We have been in the RV since we set up.  I am sure that will be the story until we get home.  Carol drove 450 miles today and says his shoulder feels great.  We are thankful that he had the shoulder surgery and is now able to sleep at night without pain.  We only have 400 miles to drive tomorrow so we can sleep in a little.