Our wait for trailer axles finally ended, we have begun a marathon trip home. As usual, we are leaving just as the fall colors are beginning, the Amish fall, pre winter shopping is getting underway, and the horse pastures are getting a last trimmimg.
The trailer repairs were completed at about 3 in the afternoon, Eastern time, and we began our journey west by working our way to I 94 via US 20 south of Chicago, and then on to I 80, our friend for the next week. As the afternoon progressed, we passed the Iowa 80 Truckstop, the largest truck stop in the country.
The sunset facing west was spectacular, as it is so many times in the midwest.
We pulled into Little Bear Campground in West Liberty, Iowa, just before dark. 314 miles and five hours later. Doesn’t sound like much, but we were up at 4:30 this morning prepping for the busy day! Local news, a bite to eat, and to bed. It worked so well today that we’re going to try it again tomorrow!
Day 2: York, Nebraska
Iowa is becoming the preeminent wind turbine area in the country. Thousands of square miles of open prairie not only grow vast amounts of corn and soybeans to be used in everything from gasoline to coffee creamer, but also have an endless and constant zephyr blowing across those same endless vistas. Many of those turbines are seen along Interstate 80.
Traveling our highways is an unending parade of surprises. Just about the time it gets boring, something new passes by, like a helicopter….
Even rest stops provide some entertainment.
There are thousands of beautiful views across this “flyover” state, most of them including a look at corn…
After a long day of traveling across Iowa, fascinated by the very definition of the Midwest, we rolled into Nebraska, specifically, York, Nebraska. We’ve been here in the past, and enjoyed a full solar eclipse a few years ago along with family and friends.
We have slipped into site G3 in the York KAMPground. The weather is cloudy and sprinkling and the forecast is for high winds and ping pong sized hail later this evening. We’re only a hundred yards from Interstate 80, but we’re more concerned about the weather than the noise!
Day 3: Sidney, Nebraska
Western Nebraska is not corn country. We’re talking range land and wide open spaces. We kinda got lost in an unexpected land we thought was Montana or Wyoming!
We passes The Great Pioneer Arch on Kearney, Nebraska, about noon and crossed into the Mountain Time Zone. We’re making progress.
Sidney, Nebraska is the home of the flagship Cabelas store, as well as corporate headquarters, which is surprising for a town of about 7,000 souls. Sidney is about seven miles north of the Colorado state line, and has a historic that goes back to a fort established to protect the railroad from attack. A brief mining period and the location of Nebraskas first oil well pretty much sums up the activity in this region.
Cabelas has an rv park adjacent to the store, so we stopped in site 21 for the night.
The sunset was a perfect end to a long day of driving.
Day Four: Green River, Wyoming
Somewhere about Kimball, Nebraska, the wind began to pick up. By the time we reached Elk Mountain, Wyoming, we were fighting a 25 mph headwind with 45 to 60 mph gusts. What had started out as a pleasant drive through rolling, golden range became a gut wrenching, gasping endurance contest.
We left Sidney in 40 degree temps after a windy overnight. The area landmark survived nicely.
Clear skies, light traffic, full fuel tank….what could go wrong?
We don’t have any photos of the 200 or so miles we drove during this wind event because our fingers were gripping things like steering wheels and armrests, but eventually we came out right around Rawlins, Wyoming, in time to check out the changes in the terrain.
We struggled a bit with some dirt roads in the town of Green River, but eventually found the Green River RV Park, and site 16.
For the first time on this trip I forgot to take a photo of our campsite. Green River RV Park is a comfortable park, where the sites are all paved, as well as the interior roads. That’s rare in this area of the country. It was frosty the day we left, probably due to the altitude. Nice park.
The view from the back of the park is a beautiful look at the Green River and the major railroad on the other side.
Normally, we can expect fuel mileage in the neighborhood of 11 to 12 mph when towing our 15,000 pound trailer.
Not today:
We’re hoping for better luck tomorrow.
Day Five: West Wendover, Nevada
The western area of Wyoming is much like the rest of the state, but does have a lonely beauty uniquely intriguing.
We were surprised to see so many wind turbines in Wyoming, but on review, it’s a great place where the wind blows 24/7.
Moving into Utah, we began to see the changing of colors. Beautiful!
After navigating Salt Lake City, what can you say about Utah? The Great Salt Lake, of course. We spent several hours skirting the southern edge of the lake.
We stopped for a break at the monument commemorating the Bonneville Salt Flat area, the site of the annual Speed Week.
West Wendover, Nevada, is the first gambling town encountered when arriving from the east. We are not here for the free money (?), we’re here for a nights sleep at the Wendover KOA. Using some rewards points, we’re spending a grand total of $15 for the night. It seems to be quiet in site G2, well, except for the Mexican concert that fired up about 7 pm in the baseball stadium next door….
Nice.
Day Six: Winnemucca, Nevada
We left West Wendover on a great, clear, warm, calm morning and headed west on Interstate 80 once again. Our body clocks are still set to eastern time, so we were up early. Sasha had designs on a long playtime at the KOA dog park, so, with coffee in hand, we tossed and talked for a bit. The pup has been a real trooper during this period of daily driving so we owed her a few minutes while the temperature was cool.
Back on the road, Northern Nevada put on a display of sagebrush, sand, and dust. Great if you’re a snake. We did notice a shortcut to a ritzy town…
Back in Pacific time, we stopped at New Frontier RV Park in Winnemucca. It’s a nice park, and site 12 didn’t disappoint.
We’ve stayed here a number of times, even riding off highway vehicles in the nearby hills. Today we noticed a huge construction project going on next door. Looks like progress has found the east side of town.
Day Seven: Verdi, Nevada
We’re spending the night in the truck parking area of the Cabelas store just west of Reno, Nevada. We’ve briefly stayed here in the past, and it’s a safe, not so quiet place to spend the night, but the evening skies are spectacular!
Northern Nevada was typical today, meaning a lot of brown dirt, grey sagebrush, and dry lake beds.
Beautiful in its own way. The pungent smell of sage and the smell of burning big rig brakes is not to be missed.
Tomorrow should be our last on the road for this trip, so I’ll leave today with an unexpected sunset.
We’ll update and debrief in a few days. Stay tuned.
