Roadtrip to KS: How to find your way home...again...

On Sunday morning, we woke up too early. We had to drive the entire way back in one shot. It was too bad we weren't joining the remainder of the family at Wendy's house, but we needed to both be at work on Monday morning.

We got on the road at 8:00 and when we hit the Nebraska border we actually thought we were doing pretty good. We stopped in Ansley, Nebraska for lunch. There weren't many options but the Main Street Cafe was open and the special wasn't too bad; fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, a bun, and dessert, which was bread pudding for $9.50. Matt decided to go with the Philly Cheese Steak, which was "new" on the menu, he thought he'd be bold with their progressive add.

We filled up before we left town at Custer's Last Stop, which made us both raise a eyebrow, especially after driving through Montana the week before. Maybe it wasn't the same Custer that we had in mind?

It was a little after noon when we came through South Dakota. I finally got my sign picture. South Dakota wasn't much to see or drive through on the two-lane highway. I think I slept, ate sunflower seeds, and looked randomly out the window. Matt drove. Unlike the last trip, he did take 100% of the wheel this time. He handled South Dakota better than he did Kansas as Kansas irritated him...the two lane roads, the slow drivers, the lack of radio stations in specific relation to baseball games, and the amount of anti-choice billboards that peppered the side of the road.

We hit North Dakota around suppertime. We'd previously ate in Pierre which was a horrible experience and we'd never go back there. Taco Bell has better standards than that or at least I thought they did.

We only had one hiccup with the GPS in the car. It happened around Linton, ND. Sean (the voice of the car) wanted us to make a right, we decided to book it straight for 94. Sean turned down the road and went without us. All the way to the University of Mary at 79 miles per hour.

We got home before sundown, which allowed us to see the kitties, look at the garden and take a deep breath. As of now, there are no other big official trips planned. Talks...but no plans. And I'm good on road trips for awhile.

somewhere in the middle of South Dakota on Day 1:
MJR: Did you take the Rand McNally off the roof?
ALR: No, I didn't know you put it on there.
MJR: Do you think it's still up there?
ALR: Are you serious right now? You just bought that thing. You hadn't even used it.
MJR: Well, maybe it had enough weight that it stayed there.
It didn't.

Day 2:
MJR: We need to stop off somewhere and grab a Nebraska map.
ALR: Why don't you check out your Rand.

MJR: Ohhh! A Kansas Visitor Center, I bet they have a map.
ALR opens mouth.
MJR: I know, I know, Where's my Rand McNally...blahblah

Day 4: On the way home.
MJR: I think we'll fill with gas here.
ALR looks over: You have over half a tank.
ALR: You just want to get a map don't you.
MJR: Yes.
ALR: Had to leave the Rand on the roof of the car.

When we returned home. It wasn't in the driveway on the streets, we think we may have seen it on Expressway, but we didn't want to stop to verify for sure.