Monday, July 5, 2010

The Roadtrip back to Illinois, June 30 -July 2, 2010


On Wednesday morning it was time to get on the road again.  We had time for a couple of pictures before we left, but, someone (who shall remain nameless) wasn't ready for Prime Time yet!  So, above is Dad and Uncle Bruce and below is a good family friend of Bruce and Suz, Carol Maynard.  She stopped and visited my booth so often during the Arts Festival I almost put her to work.  But, now that I think about it, she gave so many testimonials about the soap while she sat with us that I probably owe her a paycheck! 


On the drive out of Tooele we got a shot north of the city proper, but, you can get an idea of the views we were treated to each day.  From Bruce and Suz's kitchen we had this kind of view on two sides (and from the front of the house) and from the other side was the Great Salt Lake!



As usual we didn't have the camera ready for the view coming out of Salt Lake, but, the picture taken from a scenic view in Park City gives you a glimpse.   You can just make out some  of the ski runs from this view.  Wouldn't it have been fun to be there in 2002 when Bode Miller won his two medals???


Besides the mountain, foothills, wind turbines and the antelope, the other main feature we were intrigued by coming out and going home were the snow fences along the way.  And not just the puny ones you are likely to see in the midwest--these were monsters.  Several lines of them and very, very tall.  I wish we had a shot that would show the perspective.  It really made you think twice about attempting this drive in the wintertime.  And it underscored the reason for all the interstate closure gates at different exits along Nebraska and Wyoming. 



The final treat on the second day of driving was a long time coming.  Bruce had recommended we stop in the farming town of Kearney, Nebraska--which honestly reminded me more of a college town!!!  So, we decided to push and make it for lunch.  We drove around looking for a cute place for lunch and finally found the Tru Cafe in downtown Kearney.  It had good food, cold ice tea and even a little shopping spot--perfect for  Mom and me.  Then I decided to take  Mom out to the monument we passed while she was sleeping--one I had never heard of before--The Platte River Archway.  It was beautiful and maybe on another trip we can spend more time there.  I was trying to get a picture of the gorgeous metal sculpture on the top, but, the afternoon sun was killing the shots.



So, we finally made it to Rockford about 4 p.m. on Friday.  We tried to run the vehicle through a carwash, but, either I REALLY suck trying to do a carwash or the  carwash REALLY sucked...because the vehicle  had to be washed once by Dad and then run through a different carwash the next day! 

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