Epic Cross Country Road Trip

It's been a really long time since I posted anything here.  

My niece lives in Bellingham, WA and is planning to move back to the East coast.  If we want to visit her, we need to do it within the next year or so.  At first I picture flying out, visiting Marissa and Fred and flying home.  Nick suggested we drive.  And so it begins.

We make plans. We order loads of stuff that is delivered by Amazon.  We try out the new tent in the front yard.  We do a trial packing of the car while things are empty.  Looks like it will all fit!

August 1:  Day 1 (Sunday)  Nick's last day of work at Clemson was July 30.  We pack the car on Saturday so we're ready to head out first thing in the morning.  Our destination for the day is Padukah, KY and to get there in time to visit the quilt museum.  

We get to Nashville for lunch.  Nick has done some research and there is a White Duck taco place in downtown Nashville.  We've eaten at one in Greenville, SC and it was excellent.  The pork belly and watermelon taco is out of this world!

We get to Padukah about 3:00.  Plenty of time for the quilt museum.  Two exhibits are particularly interesting.  One on quilts commemorating 9/11 and the other quilts inspired by COVID-19.  There is also an exhibit of rotated pieces that are owned by the museum.

We are camping in a state park across the river in Illinois.  The weather is pleasant and we enjoy a walk around in the park.  It was the site of a fort for several years.  Seemed like it was a pretty placid place by the time the fort was buiilt and in many ways was more of a trading post than a fort.

Day 2  Monday 

It is a relatively short drive to Champaigne, IL to visit Nick's brother and wife (Ed and Dawn).  Southern Illinois is flat, flat, flat with lots of corn.  

When we arrive at their house, Ed is at work and Dawn is there to greet us with open arms.  We go to one of their favorite places for an outdoor lunch.  With COVID, we're all more comfortable eating outside.  After lunch, Dawn and I take a walk around the neighborhood.  There is a nice stream nearby which is our destination.  

Dawn has made a nice dinner for us.  We talk around the table,  catching up and then retire to the living room where we watch some of the Olympics.

Gee, I didn't take many pictures!  Not even a picture of the two brothers!

Day 3  Tuesday 

We get an early start.  Dawn has just gotten off some of her on-line teaching and Ed is ready to head to work.  Destination for today is Pella, IA.  We have a campsite reserved below Red Rock Dam. 

We realize that we'll be going near Amana around lunch time.  We must stop!  I call my friend, Steve Bray, who lives in Cedar Rapids which is about 30 minutes away.  He can meet us for lunch!  We enjoy a great German, family style lunch.  Oink!  And of course we have to have pie too!  Rhubarb for me.

On to Pella.  My friend, Connie Whalley Vos, is in a meeting until 4.  Plenty of time to stop in Jaarsma Bakery and the meat market.  I load up on almond logs and puff pillows.  There is a new chocolate shop in town.  Have to check that out.  We buy some chocolates for thank you gifts for people along the way.  Not too many as they will be living in a hot car.  At the meat market, I get some cheese with cumin seeds, Pella bologna and some beef jerky.  Sure would love to get more but don't know how I would keep it.  

Connie's meeting is over and we meet in the park, talk, laugh, reminice. We are to meet up with Cathy Hinga Haustein for dinner.  So, our time with Connie flies by.  Always good to leave when we want more.  

It is good to see Cathy and Bruce!  They invite us to stay at their house rather than set-up camp.  Sounds good!  Don't know that we want to do that after dinner and some beers.  Last time I had seen Bruce (a year ago) he was getting over chemo and not feeling well.  It was so good to see the old Bruce again!  

After dinner, Cathy, Nick and I take a walk around the old wooden shoe park.  They have added some historical signs about the old log cabin that was discovered hiding under an outer shell of modern siding. 

As I walk into Cathy's breezeway, there is a pillow that is a twin of my computer bag!  Yes!  No wonder we're such long time friends.

Yet another goodbye, wanting more!

Day 4 Wednesday

Destination - Minneapolis to visit my friend, Susan Bring.

We can't just drive to Minneapolis.  People to see along the way!  We meet my highschool friends Ann Renskers and Bob Rowenhorst, (who now are Mr and Mrs.) for brunch at a pancake place.  I haven't seen them since before we had kids!  But we easily pick right back up.  Way too soon, it's time to hit the road again.  They sign my travel tablecloth and we remember times that they signed my mother's holiday table cloth. 

 Next stop is at my cousin, Joyce's house.  She is out in the yeard tending flowers when we get there.  I think that is a pretty common place for her to be.  Darryl is making some chocolate cookies for us.  What a nice greeting!  We sit on their deck, looking at the State Park and Rice Lake.  What a nice backyard bonus!  So busy talking, I didn't take any pictures.  But I did remember to have them sign the tablecloth!

And I did take a picture of one of Piet Jager's paintings that she had hanging on the wall.

Another too soon goodbye!

Destination of the day - Susan's place.  She lives in a co-op housing place which is perfect for her.  She gives us a tour of the big, old common house.  Someone is outside building a playscape.  There is such great comraderie among the members.  Because of COVID, we don't have a communal meal.  One of the other members invites us to sleep in her guest room which is up in the attic area of the building.  It is  wonderful treehouse place.  Where was my camera?????

Susan grills some burgers and has already made some lucious sides of baked beans, fruit salad and cole slaw.  She knows me well.  She made rhubarb pie for dessert.