Monday, September 11: On the road all day, from Butte to Casper, Wyoming. We got off the interstate for about half the day to see different scenery than we usually see. We even got to the Wind River Canyon (below) while it was still light out.

 
Tuesday, September 12: Mr. Karen and I are often, maybe even usually, among the last guests to check out from hotels (in part because we’re often among the last to check in the night before). Due to early breakfast closing times (like 9 or 9:30), we sometimes go to breakfast just after we wake up and then return to the room to shower and otherwise get ready for the day. Our motel in Casper did not approve of that sort of thing; we returned from breakfast to find all the bed linens had been stripped and our used towels taken despite the do not disturb sign still being on our door. Not a great start to the day but it got better. We rolled into Denver in plenty of time to catch the Cubs play the Rockies in Denver. Unfortunately they lost, but it was still nice to see them, and it was Pete Crow-Armstrong’s first major league start so that was special. Post-game, we drove a bit to a hotel in Limon, Colorado.

 
Wednesday, September 13: Another day of driving, again avoiding interstates when we could. That proved a bit frustrating when we got stuck on a one lane each way road behind a truck moving a wind turbine blade but eventually we were able to pass. As we had the day before, we found that Love’s appears to be opening mini truck stops in a lot of small towns. I was tempted by this pair of stuffed octopi (octopodes?) but left them in the store to entertain other folks. We stopped for the night in Decatur, Texas.

 
Thursday, September 14: Drove to our hotel in the Houston area, then dressed in our “cocktail casual” clothes to attend the rehearsal dinner for the cousin’s wedding around which we planned this trip. The dinner was held in a fancy resort, which we weren’t staying in due to missing the window to get in the group block (it closed while we were on our midwest/UK/cruise/cross country trip) and not wanting to pay the rack rates there. It worked out fine.

 
Friday, September 15: The big day for the happy couple.

 
Saturday, September 16: Started the day with breakfast with a big family group. Spent the rest of the day driving to Little Rock, Arkansas to start the next phase of our trip.

 
Sunday, September 17: Since we weren’t in a huge hurry, we had a leisurely dinner at a local place famous for “throwed rolls”. If you think that sounds like they throw bread to customers, you’re correct. Fortunately, they also bring rolls around on a cart and will just put them on your plate. Made it to Effingham, Illinois for the night.

 

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On this date in 2019 to 2022: No journal entries
2018: Family RV Road Trip
2012 to 2017: No entries
2014: Early October Update
2012 & 2013: No entries
2011: Report Card Monday, 10.03
2009 & 2010: No entries
2008: Beast of Burden
2003 to 2007: No entries
2002: Nothing Doin’