Day 32 - Westward Ho

Just like Willy Nelson, 'We're on the Road Again'. After a decent coffee in the room from our travelling Nespresso machine, some granola, fruit and yogurt, we slipped away on the first long day of the drive home. 

After a few dips and dodges, we got on to I90 heading west. The car navigation said to go long, 336 miles - the longest of our entire trip. Although it was the first day of the Memorial Day weekend, the traffic was not too bad. Once we left the Mad City metropolis, the campers and cars veered off the exits to nearby lakes, and even the larger trucks started to thin out. A perfect day for listening to tunes and singing our hearts out. After crossing the Mississippi River and a driver switch, we returned to the Amor Towles audiobook The Lincoln Highway and the car became very quiet as we both fell into the story. In nothing flat, the Sioux Falls exit was upon us and we settled into La Quinta Suites splendor.

We added to the license plate count - Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arizona Navajo Nation, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Caddo Nation, Oklahoma Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma Chocktaw Nation, Oklahoma Osage Nation, Oklahoma Peoria Nation, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee. Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the US Government. And from Oh Canada - British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec. And from Mexico - Ciudad de Mexico, Sonora.

Still missing Delaware, Maine, and Rhode Island. C'mon folks, we're running out of days!

Mileage: 433

As we hit the great plains, it is time for a book by our friend David Laskin. He has woven the story of a harrowing prairie snowstorm that hit the pioneering families of the Dakotas and Minnesota in 1888. The title The Children's Blizzard daunted me, and the book sat by my bedside for two years before I finally opened its pages. I did not want those children to die! David's description of the storm itself is riveting and his description of the immigrant families who came to settle the land is memorable. As we drive through the countryside on a sunny May day, it is hard to imagine the ferocity of winter storms and the devastation they can bring.

Yup, this was our view for the six hours of driving we had today. Time for a road song, this one recommended by Ken, a colleague of Roy's: I Am the Highway by Audioslave.

FavOor-ites: Audioslave-I am the highway (live@pinkpop 2003) - YouTube