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Trip Summary

It's taken three weeks to wrap our minds around a summary of this trip.

It would be easy to focus on having a flat tire on the trailer, a trip to an emergency room to treat Dick's chigger bites, multiple intense rain/hail storms, a leak in a fan frame, a detour to avoid fires in Oregon and the nine days the Durango spent in a body shop recovering from a Portland accident.  But those memories would dim many glorious memories.

The southwest is packed with adventure and many wonderful sights.  We were able to experience many of both.

Travel Trivia
We drove 8,348 miles (7,341 miles towing) and got 14.0 mpg on this trip.

The total for the past 10 years is 102,558 miles driven (83,921 miles of towing) and 395 trailer set-ups.

Expectations
We had hoped to re-visit places of past delight and travel new, out-of-the way routes ... and did.

Special Sights & Experiences
  * Traveled the Natchez Trace Parkway
  * Traveled the Gulf Coast from Houston to Corpus Christi
  * Stayed in Seminole Canyon State Park near the Texas/Mexico border
  * Lake Amistad
  * Fort Davis National Historic Site
  * McDonald Observatory
  * Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, NM
  * Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, NM
  * Hovenweep National Monument
  * Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam
  * Traveled the Trail of  the Ancients (US-160)
  * Vermilion Cliffs
  * Grand Staircase-Escalante
  * Traveled the Scenic Byway 12 (including the "no berm" Hogsback)
  * Capitol Reef National Park
  * Bend and Sisters, OR
  * Stayed in a number of exceptional campgrounds

Disappointments
We had hoped to wander around in southeastern Arizona (in the Tombstone and Bisbee area) and get a closeup view of the Wave in the Vermilion Cliffs area near Page, Arizona.

We missed the first because we avoided the sweltering 110° temperatures in the area and the second because of poor planning.

Close Calls
  * Came within 13 miles of running out of gas when we filled-up at Sydney, NE.
  * Came within 0.3 gallons of running out of propane when we got home.

Problems
  * Fresh water tank has a slow leak (we knew of it before we left, have to fix it).
  * Fantastic Fan frame leaked after a heavy rain (Airstream dealer's repair didn't work).
  * Trailer tire flat caused by a screw.
  * Durango front end damage caused by a street barrier.

Our Next Trip
We're considering a new approach ... drive fewer miles and see more sights.  For example: go to a state (Kentucky?) and explore as much as we can.

Day 57 – Carlock, IL to Columbus, OH

Thanks to nice weather, we just kept going.

The Route

We went further than planned today.  The planned 270 miles became 355 miles and we ended up at home. 

We left Carlock on I-74, snaked through Indianapolis on I-65, connected with I-70 there, and took it east to Columbus.

About the Day

The day was sunny and pleasant.  The temperature ranged from the low 60’s to the high 70s.

Along the Way

Illinois …

Sometimes we return to a place we’ve been on purpose; sometimes it happens by accident.  Today it was the latter.

We were considering a stop for a late breakfast.  We had passed a few options and finally picked one on a whim.  Rich’s Family Restaurant (in Ogden, IL) looked nice and it was conveniently located at an I-74 exit.  We pulled in and noticed the parking lot looked familiar.  Sure enough, we had stopped at the same place last year.

It was nice, nothing fancy.

Indiana …

There’s little to report other than the chronically rough, poorly maintained roads in Indiana.  I-70 was the worst.

Ohio …

The good news is that we arrived on a nice day.  There was no rain to avoid.

We parked the trailer at 6:15 and after two trips, had it unloaded by 8:45.  The operative word is “unloaded”.  It’ll take a few days to put things away and clean the car and trailer.

Tomorrow

We'll start adjusting to normal life and wish we were ready to leave on the next trip.

Day 56 – Newton, IA to Carlock, IL

We’ll be home by Tuesday.

The Route

This was our sixth and final day on I-80.  We left Newton on I-80, connected with I-74 just east of Davenport, and drove south on I-74 to Carlock.  It was a 257 mile trip.

About the Day

It was mostly sunny with high clouds … a delightful day for driving.  The temperature ranged from 63° to 80°.  Gusting cross-winds made for interesting towing.  Truck traffic was heavy at times.  The highway was in good condition.

We got on the road by 10:00.

Along the Way

Iowa scenery …

Observation: Northwestern Illinois looks a lot like Iowa, it's just not as hilly.

Mississippi River …

Views from the bridge

Travel Trivia

We just traveled eastward on I-80 for four full days and two partial days.  We got on it in Utah, passed through all of Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa, and got off in Illinois.  I-80 is 2,900 miles long and we only saw 1,220 miles of it.

The Campground

We’re staying at Kamp Komfort RV Park.  We’ve stayed here before.  It’s very nice, not fancy.

It's a quiet time of the year for many campgrounds.

Site #2

Sunset

We experienced sailor's delight tonight.

Tomorrow

We’ll stop for our last night on the road.

Day 55 – Lincoln, NE to Newton, IA

We’re now 610 miles from home.

The Route

This was our fifth day on I-80.  We drove east for 225 miles.

About the Day

Much like yesterday, there were high clouds in the morning.  They burned off in the afternoon.  The temperature was 53° when we left Lincoln and climbed to the low 70s.  We were buffeted by cross-winds most of the day.

We got on the road by 9:30.

Along the Way

We got a nice welcome from Iowa.

The sculptures on the South 24^th Street Bridge in Council Bluffs really caught our attention.  They’re intended to be symbolic of man, machine and transformation.  Unfortunately, they’ve created a lot of controversy by baffling drivers and being described as ugly.

No matter how we looked at it,
it looked like a collection of space junk.

We had a fun lunch at The Corn Crib in Shelby, IA. We’ve stopped there before. The restaurant is in a barn.  The meals are really good, down-home cooking.  They’ll make it any way you want it.

Enter The Corn Crib through the silo.

Iowa fields are the real artwork of the state.  The corn fields appear to be coiffed.

The Campground

We’re staying at Newton KOA.  The entrance and grounds are inviting.  We’re glad we could stop here before they closed for the season at the end of the month. 

The entrance caught our interest.

The camp sites were attractive.

Tomorrow

We plan to stop in Carlock, IL.

Day 54 – Ogallala, NE to Lincoln, NE

We’re 833 miles from home.

The Route

This was our fourth day on I-80.  We just drove eastward for 276 miles.

About the Day

This was a very pleasant travel day.  There was no wind, no rain and no fog. It was partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to the high-70s.

Leaving Ogallala

Last night’s campground …

Site 37

It's the "off season" here.
No reservations needed.

We got on the road by 9:30.

Along the Way

A peaceful departure from Ogallala

Travelers can't miss the Archway Monument.

Nebraska makes use of highway messaging.

Nebraska’s terrain is definitely different from what we saw in Wyoming.  The landscape here is more colorful.  It looks a lot like Ohio.

We Forgot Something

A lot happened yesterday.  We forgot to mention a close call.

There aren’t a lot of towns along the 323 mile stretch of I-80 between Rawlins and Ogallala.  We got distracted by the fog and numerous exit ramp construction projects, kept delaying a gas stop and came within 13 miles of running out of gas.

We finally stopped for gas in Sidney and needed 23.5 gallons to fill-up.  The Durango gas tank holds 24.6 gallons and we were recording about 12 mpg.  We couldn't have made it to the next exit.  Whew!

The Campground

We’re staying at Camp A Way and it’s a dandy. They offer many excellent services and amenities.

The campground is located in a secluded area within Lincoln.  The sites are attractively placed on terraced hillsides.

Site C6

Tomorrow

We’ll end the day in Iowa.

Day 53 – Rawlins, WY to Ogallala, NE

We’re 1,107 miles from home and still on I-80.

The Route

This was our third day on I-80.  We drove east for 323 miles.  Rawlins, Laramie and Cheyenne, WY and Sidney, NE were the only cities of significant size.

About the Day

Clouds hung low most of the day, there were a few light rain showers, 20 mph winds in Laramie and dense fog in the mountains.  The temperature dropped to 37° near Sherman Summit, stayed below 50° in Wyoming and warmed to the low 60s in Nebraska.

Leaving Rawlins

Last night’s campground …

This land appeals to cowboys and hunters.

The wind blows constantly.

We got on the road by 9:45.

Along the Way

Highway communication …

I-80 (at least in Wyoming) is pretty dynamic.  Speed limit signs are digital, electronic traveler messages are well-placed and highway closure barriers can be activated remotely.

Barriers (like train crossing barriers) block
 the highway when they close a section.

Wyoming Scenery …

Low clouds

Snow fences line the highway.

Wind farms are energized by constant winds.

Aspen bring color to the area.

The Fog …

We began the climb to the 8,640' Sherman Summit a few miles east of Laramie.  Fog increased as we approached the summit.  

A fog warning at work.

We drove through this for about 12 miles.

Traveling 50 mph through dense fog with no other vehicles in sight is really SCARY for passengers!

A welcome sight after escaping the fog.

Nebraska Scenery …

This coyote caught our attention.

Nebraska terrain presents a new look.

Cabela's stands out in Sidney.

Nebraska fields and ranges are more
 colorful than we saw in Utah and Wyoming.

Did You Know?

Ogallala first gained fame as the terminus for cattle drives from Texas to the Union Pacific rail-head located there.

The town’s name comes from the Oglala Sioux tribe.

The Campground

We’re staying at Country View Campground. It’s OK.

Tomorrow

Our next stop is in Lincoln, NE.