Home Sweet Home!

We left Green River, Utah for the home stretch back home to Menifee. This has been a great trip and we have seen and done so much but after 5 1/2 weeks on the road we are tired!  We have pretty much decided that a month is our limit before we're ready to be back home. We miss our home, our friends and neighbors, and our kids and grandkids.

We pulled out of Green River and the GPS told us we'd be home by 5:00 pm.  We had beautiful weather today with NO rain.  As we drove west on I-70 and then south on I-15 we were awed by the interesting and beautiful landscape.   Parts of it reminded us of Arches National Park.

Between Green River and St. George there are mountains,  desert, amazing landforms, and open highway but not many big towns with places to stop for lunch.  We decided to stop in St. George at Cracker Barrel for their signature fried chicken dinner. We both had the fried chicken and took advantage of their "Take Home Dinner" special for $5.00.    It's a great deal and we knew we wouldn't want to cook when we got home.

Between our stop for lunch and a little traffic we pulled onto our street at home at 7:12 pm.  The total miles driven on this trip was 5,996 miles.  Including gas, meals, souvenirs, entrance fees and activities and a new tire our total expenses were $12,831.

Until, the next trip I am signing off.

Ogallala, NE to Green River, Utah

It rained most of the night last night and as were leaving the Harvest Host site this morning it started to pour. 

We are eager to get home after 5 1/2 weeks on the road so we got an early start today and left the farm at 7:07 am. We got on I-80 going west and soon crossed the stateline into Colorado where we picked up I-76 going towards Denver. Our route skirted the city of Denver where we got on I-70  going west.  We planned to make it through the state of Colorado and at least part way through Utah before stopping for our last night on the road.

We wanted to stop and have a good breakfast so we tried to stop in Idaho Springs.  I found a well rated place for breakfast but with narrow streets and a street fair blocking all of the main street there was no where to park so we continued on our way.

We passed several small mountain towns and figured they would all have the same parking difficulties.   The next big town was Vail and we thought that since it is pretty large and a tourist town surely they would have parking for us.  We soon discovered that is not the case at least in the area near the restaurant I wanted to try.  There was a large Public Parking Lot complete with a sign saying "Absolutely NO Trucks, Trailers, or RVs."  Oh well, who needs breakfast, right?

So we had some of the delicious homemade zucchini bread be bought at the farm and got back in the road.

We continued on through Colorado and into Utah with rain, quite heavy at times and winds.  As we got into Utah we looked ahead and decided to make a big push towards home by going to Salina, Utah.  I contacted the Love's RV Stop and made a reservation. 

When we got about 8 miles from Green River we heard a loud flapping noise.  We pulled over immediately and discovered we had blown the rear inside tire on the driver's side.  Thankfully we pay for RV Roadside Assistance so we called them.  The operator took down our information and they dispatched a mobile tire service to replace the blown tire. Carlos, from Desert Wrench Tires and Service came out and made very quick work of replacing the tire, remounting the tires and had us on our way.

Since we used up an hour or more with the tire situation we decided to stay in Green River.  I called the Love's RV Stop in Salina and she was able to transfer our reservation to Green River.

Before we set up for the night we filled up with gas and drove back a few miles to the Tamarisk Restaurant.   It has a very good reputation and the seating looks out onto the river.  We both ordered the steak dinner and it was really good.  

The Love's RV Stop was fine for the night. Conveniently located, quiet, easy access and full hookups. 

We will be home tomorrow!

Neola, IA to Ogallala, Nebraska

When we got up this morning we noticed one of our tires looked a little low.  We did a search and found a mobile tire repair service called Mobile Tire Rescue in Council Bluffs. Rather than have them come to us we drove to their shop since it was less than 10 miles away.  The owner of the company, Miguel got to work right away.  He took off the tire, checked it for punctures, tested it for air leaks, refilled it and put it back on the motorhome.  We were back on our way by 11am.

After we left the tire shop we had to make a quick stop by a post office to mail a key card back to Lake Cheming RV Resort before getting back on I-80 through Nebraska.

We had rain for most of the day and drove a little over 350 miles to Ogallala, which is known as the Cowboy Capital of Nebraska. I had made a Harvest Host reservation for the night but before we checked in we decided to stop for dinner.  The snack of cheese and crackers while driving wasn't enough to be counted as dinner.

I searched for restaurants in the area and Ole's Big Game Steakhouse has good reviews and a nice steak dinner seemed like a good idea.  When you step in the doors the first thing you see are taxidermy trophies of big game on all the walls.

We were seated right away and when we looked at the menu, our plan for a good steak dinner completely disintegrated.   They wanted $49.50 per plate for steak dinners!  They might be great but we'll never know because that was a big "no way" for us.  We chose other items from the menu and had a good dinner before heading to our reservation for the night.

After dinner we drove to Genesis Farm, which is a 320 acre grain farm in Ogallala, Nebraska. Our host, Jessica sent us perfect directions telling is exactly where to park next to the fifth grain silo. After we were parked we walked around some of the outbuildings and equipment barns. On our way back to the MH we ran into Jessica and her cute little daughter, Lauren. They welcomed us to their farm and gave us a notebook with homemade items we could purchase.  We ordered homemade zucchini bread, cinnamon rolls,  and caramel corn.  Jessica delivered it right to our motorhome and stayed for a while talking with us and telling us about their family and life on the farm.  We enjoyed our stay on the farm especially with the added bonus of an impressive thunder and lightning storm.  We loved sending pictures to our kids of Mom and Dad camped next to a grain silo on a huge farm in Nebraska.

Cave of the Mounds

Happy Father's Day to Bill, Brett, and all the Dad's out there!

We left Oshkosh and drove to the Cave of the Mounds located in Blue Mound, Wisconsin.   The caves were discovered accidentally in 1939 and are the oldest cave formations in the Midwest.   We have been in caves all over the country and this one is unique in that when you are walking through the cave you are only inches away from the formations including stalactites, stalagmites, and columns. The guide told us that the formations are still growing and to grow 1 centimeter, about the size of a mini marshmallow, takes 100 years.

After we left the caves we drove through heavy rain for 5 1/2 hours about 367 miles through Iowa.  I found a county park called Arrowhead Park in Pottawattamie County near the town of Neola, IA.  It was a nice park with electric at each site and it cost only $20 per night.

While driving today we say this cute homemade travel trailer on the highway in Wisconsin.

Munising, MI to Oshkosh, WI

We left the KOA in Munising, MI and drove about 30 miles to Lakenenland Sculpture Park.  The park is open 24 hours a day and is completely free of charge but does accept donations. The park features more than 100 sculptures spread over 37 acres are all made by one man, Tom Lakenen.  He has created all the sculptures using scrap iron and recycled materials to create whimsical art some of which is purely comical, while others pieces are memorials or provide social and political commentary.  The park is quite unique and very enjoyable to either walk or drive through. 

We both agreed that these sculptures were more our speed than the Sculpture Garden we visited in St. Louis.

When we left Lakenenland we drove about 100 miles to Iron Mountain, MI to tour an Iron Mine.  This was an actual mine not a Disney like recreation.  Our guide, Chris was very informative  and provided a very detailed history of the iron ore mining in that part of Michigan.  This mine was in operation for 68 years from 1877 until 1945. 

Before the tour we donned yellow raincoats for the 43 degree constant temperature and hard hats.  We then boarded a mine train to go 400' below ground and 2600 feet into the mine.  After a certain point we got off the train and walked through the mine. The tour stopped at several points for Chris to point out features in the mine or to explain tools and techniques used by the miners.

The work of mining was VERY dangerous and most men only worked 16 years before being killed or seriously injured in a mine accident. Outside the mine is a pole with shovels and picks, each handle a tribute to a miner who was killed in the mine.

We had planned to tour Lambeau Field but Bill changed his mind and decided to move on to Renard's Cheese near the entrance to the Door County peninsula. We tasted a dozen different cheeses and bought several varieties including flavored cheese curds.

I searched our route and found the Circle R Campground near Oshkosh, WI and made a reservation for this evening.   When we arrived I went into the building marked office to register and it was a bar.  There were about a dozen people inside drinking and one of them told me to go next door.  So I followed the instruction and walked into a full-blown 50th birthday party.  We're talking a room full of people,  tables of food, people in themed outfits, and loud music.  I walked outside completely confused and a gentleman, who ended up being the manager, came across the driveway and told me to go into the "Office."  I told him I had already gone inside and was told to go next door.

He asked a man at the bar why he sent me away and he said, "I didn't see the motorhome and figured she was here for the party."  Once that situation was sorted out I registered and we were told to go and pick out whatever site we wanted.  We picked a nice grassy spot next to a tree and set up everything.   It is a nice campground,  pretty surroundings, and very peaceful. 

Tomorrow we will visit the last official destination on our itinerary before heading for home.