In this installment, Mr. Karen and I finally get home from our summer vacation.

Monday, August 21: Woke up to a view of picturesque Wisconsin farmland (see below), went to the cheese shop conveniently located close to the hotel, then got back on the road. The best pies in each state list has been updated since we started our Tour de Pie back in 2018, so we went a bit out of our way to stop at the new Minnesota winner in Blaine before pushing on to get to Fargo, North Dakota for the night.

 
Tuesday, August 22: We took our time getting out of Fargo, checking out at the hotel and then walking to a brunch spot for a meal then walking more to the place with purportedly the best pie in North Dakota (not the same as the pie we drove out to the middle of nowhere to get in 2018). Unfortunately, they were out of pie on this day, so we settled for a key lime not quite cheesecake thingy and a berry galette. I enjoyed looking at the buildings on the walk back to our car, especially the former Dakota Business College that still had the Gregg Shorthand School sign hanging on. We drove and drove the rest of the day to get to Billings, Montana.

 
Wednesday, August 23: We kept our lolligagging to a minumum on on this day because we wanted to get home, which we did a bit after dark, having made a stop in town to get groceries so we could just hole up and settle back into our regular routine once we made it back. The few photos I took this day were either from the passenger seat of the car, like the Montana landscape below, or at gas/rest stops.

 
Thursday, August 24: In between unpacking from the trip and other chores, Mr. Karen and I walked down to the village to see how far the construction projects there had gotten while we were away and rode the lift to the top since the days to do that this season are dwindling.

 
Friday, August 25: Got so busy getting back to regular life I only took one photo around dusk when I remembered I hadn’t snapped anything yet. Nice to have this view out the front window.

 
Saturday, August 26: Took a walk around the neighborhood. Saw all the ongoing construction, with houses and condos going up where huckleberry bushes used to grow. Tried not to focus on that but instead enjoy the late season wildflowers.

 
Sunday, August 27: Went to meet up with some friends at a park in town and enjoyed the late summer sun.

 

*****
On this date in 2009 to 2022: No journal entries
2008: Fun Run
2007: No entry
2006: Western Weekend
2002 to 2005: No entries