Blog

(I apologize in advance for the disjointed/poor writing.  I rushed, Hope you can make sense of my stream of thought. Sometimes it’s even hard for me)

Well, it’s been about three months since my last post.   Seems much longer.

I usually post everyday but, I’m taking a break from daily computer use.   A few photos of this adventure
It has been quite different. I stop along the way taking mostly county and state hwys. Slow and narrow but fun.
This is the trip so far;

Left San Antonio, on the Thursday the 7^th.  Stay the night in Sweetwater, TX.
Friday the 8^th – Walsenburg, CO. 
Saturday the 9^th – Cheyenne, WY
Sunday the 10^th – Murdo, SD
and
Monday the 11^th – Brandon, SD

Currently in Brandon, SD; just outside of Sioux Fall, SD.  I’m four hours from Minneapolis.
Cool but sunny and little wind.
I was looking for a coffee shop and Garmin directed me to the only one in Brandon, Scooters.
Had to ask the Barista’s about the little town.
Met and talked with
Camryn
Atleigh
Paige
Emma and
Madi 
all high school students in Brandon.  Nice and friendly like most in small town America.  Thanks for all the tips about your small town. I promised I’d put them in today’s post. Told them with the photo, this post will probably go viral. Big happenings coming to Brandon. A Hy-Vee and a movie theater. Won’t be long and it will be a metropolis.
It was great meeting you.

I make it a practice to support local businesses. Even though “Scooters” isn’t local , they directed me to an all night diner called, ”Fryn’ Pan Family Restaurant.”  where I’m writing this post.

And here is the adventure over the past three days.

San Antonio to Sweetwater TX – nice drive but……
Cold, wet, snow and wind from Walsenburg CO to Murdo SD.
Being from MN, I’ve traveled thru some hellish blizzards but, nothing compared to a Rockies Blizzard.
Crazy.  Rain, wind and cold.  Then the snow.  The narrow mountain roads I’ve driven during a day blizzard last year is nothing compared to those roads at night. 

I was in the middle of it.   No where to stop.  Couldn’t wait it out and  risk being hit or buried on the side of the road.   Ten to fifteen miles an hour.  The snow reflecting off the head lights was hypnotic; doing everything I could do to keep my eyes on the center lane when it wasn’t covered.  Black all around me except the white snow reflecting in front of me.  Took me two hours, plus, to drive forty miles. Needless to say, I white knuckled it all the way until I reached the Interstate Hwy 90. 

It was the same, with all the eighteen wheelers flying by me.  Luckily, it was even too much for them.  They pulled off the hwy.   Me? No, of course not.  I got behind a semi going about thirty miles an hour.  I followed the lights and tracks for another fifty miles.

Finally it stopped and I was in Cheyenne Wyoming.   There winds of sixty miles an hour gust.  Sleeping in the Element was great that night as the winds rocked me to sleep. Love Cheyenne.

Hit the road again and it followed me, caught up to me, and passed me.  More wind, snow and rain.
Trailers tipped over on the hwy.  A semi coming toward me ripped the front windshield molding off the Element.  It was from the intense wind and the wind coming off the semi that did the job. Made it to Murdo, SD, left there today and
nsow in Brandon, SD.  Cool sunny.  

Tomorrow I will be in Minneapolis. Will see my daughter, Brandis.  Son-in-law Tomo and Granddaughter Neina who just turned two yesterday.  Fifteen days from now, Brandis will be giving birth to my second Grandchild.   Will let you know if a Granddaughter or Grandson.  Brandis and Tomo like to wait to find out.

I will be happily busy helping them and seeing the rest of the Minnesota Family.

Will try to post again, when and if I have time.

Thanks for coming along for the ride.  It was quite the adventure; as always