Travelin' Man Western Road Trip
Travelogue
Prologue
Call it what you will, wanderlust, cabin fever or new-found reservoir of testosterone, by the time June 6th came around I was chomping at the bit to get going on this 17 day road trip.
The lure was a combination of things: I’ve never been to Salt Lake City – and without being too accountable as I look at a US map, I claim that Salt Lake City is the only important city in America that I had not visited (and in the same manner that my father used to cover his tracks when we asked him a question that he couldn’t answer he’d say “I do know everything…everything important!”, the key word is “important”).
Another reason…friendships – my friend of 45 years, Paul, was to be in Vegas on business and my high school friend from 49 years ago, Mark Masterton, with whom I’ve recently became reacquainted for the first time since 1963, lives in Nebraska.
And a third reason – weather. This past winter was simply unacceptable in terms of cold, clouds, snow, and duration. I wanted to see if there was someplace in the west or southwest that would declare itself as a part of our destiny, as an escape from the winter. I had contacted realtors in Vegas and Prescott –and-Phoenix Arizona.
And not the least reason: Rosco. Rosco and I simply needed to make this trip together. He’s been begging me, in his own way. I know we enjoy one another’s company and I knew we’d look good together. Here’s a photo of me and Rosco as we left our Naperville driveway:
Travelogue
Prologue
Call it what you will, wanderlust, cabin fever or new-found reservoir of testosterone, by the time June 6th came around I was chomping at the bit to get going on this 17 day road trip.
The lure was a combination of things: I’ve never been to Salt Lake City – and without being too accountable as I look at a US map, I claim that Salt Lake City is the only important city in America that I had not visited (and in the same manner that my father used to cover his tracks when we asked him a question that he couldn’t answer he’d say “I do know everything…everything important!”, the key word is “important”).
Another reason…friendships – my friend of 45 years, Paul, was to be in Vegas on business and my high school friend from 49 years ago, Mark Masterton, with whom I’ve recently became reacquainted for the first time since 1963, lives in Nebraska.
And a third reason – weather. This past winter was simply unacceptable in terms of cold, clouds, snow, and duration. I wanted to see if there was someplace in the west or southwest that would declare itself as a part of our destiny, as an escape from the winter. I had contacted realtors in Vegas and Prescott –and-Phoenix Arizona.
And not the least reason: Rosco. Rosco and I simply needed to make this trip together. He’s been begging me, in his own way. I know we enjoy one another’s company and I knew we’d look good together. Here’s a photo of me and Rosco as we left our Naperville driveway:
As with other travelogues I’ve put together in the past, you are not responsible for reading this. I originally make notes for my own record-keeping of my travels; a diary of sorts. Then, when I sent the notes out to others, I was encouraged to share my experiences…so I will. But like those Christmas letters some people put together to bring us up to date with all the fabulous accomplishments of the family we hardly know…please just toss this instead of cursing the author…me.
Okay then…before we get to the day-by-day diary entries I’ll save some time by saying that Days 1 and 2 were basically the same as I drove through Illinois then Iowa then Nebraska, then reversed on days 16 and 17. Illinois is flat. Grassy farmland on both sides of the highway. That’s my best description of Illinois. Iowa…is prettier with rolling hills and lush greenery. Nebraska – flat again; more farmland; a bit of interesting terrain in the western part of the state, which I’ll describe later.
Along that route there were fascinating varieties of green shades, herds of cows with calves, stands of deciduous trees that, I suppose, serve as snow fences in the winter; little streams here and there with short bridges in appropriate places. Farm land is everywhere…yet there are few farmhouses; I guess each farm contains very large acreage. The farm houses have steep roofs with groups of silos, traditionally shaped. Here and there I saw signs for bible study and calls for me to attend church.
My next road trip in this direction will entail airplane flights to/from Denver. That’s where the view starts to get interesting…and it’ll save four days of relative monotony.
