Puttin' On The Miles & Creatin' Smiles

We’ve put on the miles and time has flown!!

Our 6 months of travel has now dwindled to 3. 

Our travel bucket list is getting emptier but we’ve got a ways to go yet and it seems as though for every item we’ve crossed off two more have been added to replace it. 

So much has happened and so many emotions have arisen that I haven’t even begun to process it all yet but felt a summary blog was overdue so here ya go. 

Some days have consisted of miles and miles of windshield time, 1-night layovers that have ranged from a noisy truck stop to an amazing, remote, totally quiet, lost-in-time small town city park.  Also occasional full hookup RV parks to catch up on laundry and enjoy the decadence of air conditioning when needed and the luxury of unmonitored use of electricity and water.  God help me but I love being wasteful!  

We’ve had the privilege of spending ample time with Dave’s family and mine. 

Spent time and shared meals with fellow RV’ers Tom & Dianne and Bill & Kathy. 

I’ve reconnected with childhood friends I’ve haven’t seen for 30-40 years and their generosity and willingness to take time out of their busy lives to stop and visit still warms my heart. 

A special THANKS goes to Roger & Marian for allowing us to park our home next to theirs on their marvelous acreage in Nebraska.  We shared many glasses of wine, Marian’s home cooked meals and priceless conversations.  Marian and I met in 3^rd grade and even though time has passed, our Soul connection hasn’t.  To others we’re a couple of lively 60 year-olds but in our minds-eye we’re still grade school buddies just hangin’ out. 

Another heart-felt THANKS to Mike & Carolyn who are the most steadfast friends God ever created.  Your company is always a total joy.

Family reunions on both sides of my family brought together siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles & many years of memories including visiting my grandparents farm which was sold in 1976 to an amazing couple who continue to call the property “Tucker Hill Farm” and feel they are only caretakers of the land multi-generations of my family called home. 

They always welcome our visits and how cool is that?!

We’ve weathered some good ol’ Midwest tornado watches and severe weather warnings but so far have only been rained on a few times.  Whew!

We drove a few miles from the Nebraska town that was destroyed by the twin tornadoes and saw pivot irrigation rigs turned upside down, trees stripped to the ground, empty stockyards that once held hundreds of cattle and massive metal grain bins twisted like aluminum beer cans.  A somber reminder of Mother Nature’s power. 

We left my home state with a box of home-canned goods, raised on the farm and locally processed pork sausage & ground beef, farm-fresh eggs, hand-made laundry soap, locally grown and bottled wine, even a large bag of travel snacks and subway sandwiches for the road complete with tons of toppings.  My friends and family definitely know my priorities!  HA..

We’re winding up our eastbound travels at Scott County Park in Eldridge, Iowa near a farm Dave’s family lived on.  Days have been spent revisiting places from Dave’s teen years, sightseeing, exploring and relaxing before doing a U-turn and heading back west in a few days.    

The next leg of our summer journey will hopefully take us back into Western Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and eventually back to Arizona in the fall. 

Let the adventure continue……