On the Road Again

Day 14 and Day 15.  R&R. 
Feels good to sleep late.  Feels good not driving.  Feels good to get dressed in the warmth.

Day 16;  Mile 3,387-3,675:   October 15, 2013   Leaving Fort Collins, Colorado & entering Kansas. 
By 1117, we were in our vehicles and continuing our journey.  As the day goes by, it is very sunny and windy too.  I forgot how flat eastern Colorado is.  Driving through the Denver area is not very interesting-typical large city scenery.  Stopping for fuel in any town-large or small-has been quite a challenge.  It was not unusual to pull into a gas station and find out that they don't carry diesel so Dave would have to find another station.  And when you are driving a full size pickup pulling a 26 foot trailer, weaving through city streets and small gas stations, you can't do it very quickly.  Once it took us about an hour to finally get fueled.  But it has been easy for me.  Everytime I pulled up to a pump, dad jumped out of the truck and ran over to do the fueling.  Quite nice, especially since I dislike pumping gas.  At 1835, we stopped in Colby, Kansas at a Walmart (of course) for the night.  I bought some "Nature's Harvest Oat Bran & Sesame Sticks" at Walmart.  They were delicious.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find them again in the next Walmart we stopped at.  We are in Central Time Zone now. 

Colorado

Lots of windmills in Colorado, too.

Colorado (see train on the right).

Sunset in Kansas.

Day 17;  Mile 3,675-4,026:  Windmills & Sorghum.
We were up early today and left Walmart at 0655.  Kansas is very flat on the western side but changes over to rolling countryside. There must be thousands of acres of windmills in Kansas.  I have never seen so many windmills.  I think there must be thousands of acres of red sorghum, too.  I read that Kansas grows more sorghum than any other state.  Mom and I finished listening to the Mitford Books on tape (by Jan Karon).  We enjoyed them very much.  In Topeka, Kansas, we had dinner at the Texas Roadhouse with a friend of Dave.  And then we parked for the night in--you were going to say Walmart, I bet--a Sam's parking lot-next door to Walmart.  It seemed more level-turned out to be very noisy and too much light.   

Windmills along the horizon in Kansas. 

Eisenhower Museum in Abilene.  It was closed due to the US government shutdown.  We were very disappointed.

Kansas countryside with stone fence.

Stone fences dating back to late 19th century when free range was abolished in Kansas.

Good incentive for all the work that goes into building stone fences.

I love stone fences.

Kansas countryside.

Kansas.  Truck and trailer are ahead of us.

We didn't get any good pictures of the sorghum fields so I copied this off the internet from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5_Q2qgrGYRfDejnu_Kaqe0ApAE7U4pQGMCwr8tdSolrn7YjPtxkF4bUR9PNHztE-50Js1PN3ey5iRJQgCiYUbNA8vPlbnzzJmgThP1lZCo-1cYlrt0nSKHbZlJ4JMZB49393Iwq9pcx5/s1600/sorghum+plant.jpg         The leaves look very much like corn plant leaves.

Day 18;  Mile 4026-4462:  Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and a full moon.
We were on the road again by 0720 and were in Missouri by 1000.  Missouri has lots of farms.  We couldn't always identify what was growing in the fields.  I think farmers should put up large signs telling those who are sightseeing what they are growing.  Mom agrees with me, I think.  But she may be playing it safe; after all, I am driving and would one disagree with another who has one's life in their hands?  We started listening to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a historical novel, by Mary Ann Shaffer. After the first 15 minutes I didn't think I would like it but it has become very interesting.  I think we will continue listening tomorrow.   Darkness, once again, came on quickly while we hurried to reach our next stop.  There was a full moon visible.  We spent the night (no, not at Walmart) at the Phillips Motel in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.  No internet, though-can't expect much for $48.

Sharing the road with horse & buggy in Missouri

Missouri's gently rolling countrside.  You can see the road in the distance.

More Missouri.

Arkansas and full moon.

Day 19;  Mile 4462-4917:  4 States-Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississipi, and Alabama
In the morning, on our way to McDonalds for breakfast (remodeled McD's-very nice), Dave noticed the tire was flat on the motorcycle trailer, again!  This time the problem was the steel wheel.  It had several teeny, tiny holes that allowed air to escape.  But we still managed to get going by 0830.  In Birmingham, Alabama we had to detour after the highway ended and drove through some of the worst roads of the trip.  I had the clutch smoking when I had to go up a very steep driveway after pulling off to look at a map.  Daniel helped us get back onto the correct path.  Mom and I continue to listen to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  We really enjoy it and are hoping Juliet doesn't marry Mark.  We contacted our special travel agent via cell phone to find the closest Walmart and once again he comes through and skilfully guides us, as the sun is setting, to our next rendezvous with our good friend: a Walmart parking lot--this time, in Leeds, Alabama.  Thanks Daniel!!!  And thanks again, Walmart.

Dave changing flat tire.

Arkansas

Crossing Mississippi River.

Mississippi

Alabama

Alabama