SUNDAY, SEPT 28

SUNDAY, SEPT 28:

     Drove nearly 12 hours today, a little less than 550 miles.  Started out really cool and foggy, and very, very windy.  Bill had to stop a couple of times and secure the kayaks.  He finally ended up turning them right-side up so that the wind wouldn’t catch them underneath.  Now, it just better not rain!!

     Stopped for our last night in a little town about 40 miles south of Sioux City IA.   A very nice family-run place.  Called On-Yur-Way.     They realize that Iowa doesn’t have a lot of allure for travelers, but their marketing strategy is to lure those of us who are “on our way” to/from  Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, or Alaska.  They knew exactly how many miles it was to St. Louis – they’ve been asked and looked it up several times!

     We’re definitely back in the Mid-west.  Heavily warm and humid as we stepped out of the truck at 7:00 – didn’t we just travel 11,000 miles to get AWAY from that??  But the sound of the crickets or katydids was welcome . . . very surprising, this late in the season.  But then so is the 85 degrees predicted for St. Louis tomorrow!

     Seems almost surreal to go to sleep tonight knowing that it will be our last in our cozy home on wheels for a while.  We’ve been used to the rhythms of being travelers and tourists for 14+ weeks . . . now we’ll transition to other rhythms.  We’ve done this transition twice before (with long trips), and it seems with ease.  But I always have a little hesitation and anxiety as I anticipate the change, wondering how long it will take us to adjust.  I shouldn’t be concerned.

     Once again, we are enormously grateful for the tremendous opportunity we had this summer to see so much of our country.  We never cease to be amazed at the diversity of magnificent beauty we have here in North America . ..  just on this trip, we got to experience such an abundance . . . glaciers, impossibly clear lakes, majestic mountains, man’s artistry in everything from gardens to city architecture.  And to get to walk in the steps of so much history was thrilling . . . in some ways, this trip could be dubbed  “Retracing Lewis & Clark’s Journey.”  And we got to meet so many of the nicest, friendliest people we’d ever hope to meet anywhere.  For anyone who’s becoming cynical and jaded about people’s generosity of spirit, they ought to venture out and travel across our land.  And not in first-class hotels!  And of course, getting to spend time with family – immediate and extended – was a treasure.

      Struck by all that we got to experience this summer, I’m reminded of the Scripture which declares that it’s “the living God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”  And not only this trip (as well as our previous ones). We’re both often struck with awe and overwhelming gratitude for these retirement years we’re able to spend together.  A few years ago, neither of us could have foreseen nor imagined that we’d be given the means to retire when we did, and then to be able to indulge our passion for travel.  To use one of Bill’s favorite phrases, it’s almost an “embarrassment of riches.”  Thank you, Gracious Heavenly Father.