The Road Trip Report

I got home last night around 7. After 2,589 miles in less than 72 hours, I was pretty tired. The mug shown above was my good friend. It holds one quart.

Every morning, bright and early I'd fill it full of hot coffee and hit the road. By the time that was drank, it would be time to fill the gas tank. My 1996 Geo gets nearly 45 miles to the gallon, so every four hours or so it would be time to stop.
After paying at the pump via credit card, I'd grab this mug and ask for ice. It was always free.After using the bathroom and washing up I'd head back to the car.

I carry at least two quarts of water with me and thats what goes in the mug now.

Black Jelly beans were my main food source the first day. I drove 994 miles.
The Motel 6 in Laramie was very friendly. I'll always remember its at exit 313. Do not take exit 311. Been there, done that. Lived to tell about it.

Next day I drove over sixty miles out of my way on a reroute around I-29 due to flooding. This was the Highway Departments official Detour and the result was a long scenic drive down US 2 in Iowa.It finally intersected with Hyw 71,which wasn't too shabby. Once in St. Joseph, we got back on I-29 Southbound.
Chocolate Animal crackers and taco chips fueled that day's drive. I got a Motel 6 in Columbia, MO. after a quick meal at McDonald's. This was Saturday night. Tomorow morning, early, I'd get through St. Louis.

The next day, according to plan, I made it home to North East Georgia. My car did a great job, and I survived in spite of the air conditioner biting the dust in Idaho. As I neared the Appalachian range, I had to choke back tears. There's no place like home, no place like those timeless mountains.

Road trips by yourself open up all kinds of possibilities. I wrote an entire novel in my head to break up the monotony of the same Mp3 play list. Singing out loud is fun, be all the star you can be, American Idol eat your heart out.
I smiled and cursed out semi truck drivers who seem to change lanes right behind me after I've passed. How do they know, or am I just lucky?

Today I unpacked and wondered why I bring so much stuff. I picked beans and summer squash from a flourishing mountain garden. Rainmaker showed me the photos taken by his automatic trail cameras and I have a greater appreciation for just how wild it is up here. A huge bobcat, mother bear and cubs, wild turkey with her brood, deer and wild hogs are abundant.

All told, I put on 6,135 miles going to visit all my family, work in the Tetons a month, and head home.

I never want to see another chocolate animal cracker. Black Jelly Beans are still good.