The Great Adventure of 2021 has concluded, covering twenty-one
days and fifteen states. I did no writing (some research was accomplished), so this
week’s post will be an accounting of the highlights. Not that you care, or
should, but I like thinking back on them and I need a topic.
Date: Tuesday July 13
Woke up in: Laurel MD
Highlights: Closed the last of my parents’ accounts. Dinner
at Primanti Brothers; dessert at Glen’s frozen custard, the best in the world.
Went to sleep in: Harmar PA
Date: Wednesday July 14
Highlights: A driving day. Hooked up with Culver’s burgers
and custard. Both are very good and will be even more appreciated over the next
several days.
Went to sleep in: Madison WI
Date: Thursday July 15
Highlights: Visited Spam museum in Austin MN. Dinner at the
Rusty Spur, the only functioning restaurant in town.
Went to sleep in: Murdo SD
Date: Friday, July 16
Highlights: Visited an authentic 1880s town. Tried to get
lunch at three different places before settling for beef jerky and energy bars
in our room.
Went to sleep in: Murdo SD
Date: Saturday, July 17
Highlights: The Badlands and Custer State Park; bighorn
sheep and buffalo. Drove out of Badlands on longest gravel road in North
America. The dust may still be settling.
Went to sleep in: Custer SD
Date: Sunday July 18
Highlights: Drove past Devils Tower. (Line was too long to
get in.) Took three tries to find a place open for lunch.
Went to sleep in: Gardiner MT
Date: Monday, July 19
Highlights: Yellowstone. Saw hundreds of buffalo, some close
enough to touch. Lost an argument with a picnic table at Sheepeater Cliff
picnic area; swore vengeance.
Went to sleep in: Yellowstone Park, then Gardiner MT
Date: Tuesday, July 20
Highlights: Yellowstone again. Even more buffalo. Later we
watched an elk grazing on the main street of Gardinar. Returned to scene of yesterday’s
altercation to find the table already occupied, so I’m having mine cold.
Went to sleep in: Cody WY
Date: Wednesday, July 21
Highlights: Buffalo Bill Museum of the West. Rodeo in the
evening.
Went to sleep in: Coy WY
Date: Thursday, July 22
Highlights: Dinner with former co-workers.
Went to sleep in: Fort Collins CO
Date: Friday, July 23
Highlights: Hung out with my brother’s family. Outstanding bison
parmigiana at Café Jordano.
Went to sleep in: Lakewood CO
Date: Saturday, July 24
Highlights: Delivered family heirloom to niece’s new condo.
Cook out at my brother’s included some wicked cornhole games.
Went to sleep in: Lakewood CO
Date: Sunday, July 25
Highlights: Family time. Dinner at the 49th State
in Denver.
Went to sleep in: Lakewood CO
Date: Monday, July 26
Highlights: Driving day. Heavy rain caused a brief waiting
period.
Went to sleep in: Abilene KS
Date: Tuesday, July 27
Highlights: All Abilene attractions closed, though it didn’t
appear we were missing much. Dinner at an excellent microbrewery tap room in
Hamilton.
Went to sleep in: Hamilton MO
Date: Wednesday, July 28
Highlights: The Quilting Capitol of the World. The Beloved
Spouse™ ravaged the town while I hung around the library and ice cream shop.
Dinner in the tap room again.
Went to sleep in: Hamilton MO
Date: Thursday, July 29
Highlights: See entry for July 28. Dinner at the tap room
again again.
Went to sleep in: Hamilton MO
Date: Friday, July 30
Highlights: Lunch in St. Louis with my trumpet teacher from New
England Conservatory and his friend.
Went to sleep in: Louisville KY
Date: Saturday, July 31
Highlights: Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum. Drinks
with Chad Williamson and the lovely Alice Blevins at the one bar in Louisville
Jimmy Hannah hasn’t gotten Chad banned from.
Went to sleep in: Georgetown KY
Date: Sunday August 1
Highlights: Kentucky Horse Park. Found what must be the
southernmost Culver’s for custard.
Went to sleep in: Georgetown KY
Date: Monday, August 2
Highlights: Driving day.
Went to sleep in: My own bed.
Total driving distance: 5,090.5 miles at 32.0 miles per
gallon.
A wonderful vacation. Not perfect: restaurant issues due to
lack of staffing, extremely hot weather in places, the altercation with the
picnic table and its aftermath. I’d do it again even if I knew all of the above
would happen.
Many thinks to my brother’s family (Stu, Cris, Aspen, and
Hailey); Charlie Schluter and Mary; my former co-workers at USDA; Chad
Williamson and Alice Blevins; and various new acquaintances, including, but not
limited to: Vinnie at the Rusty Spur; all the folks at the Sheepeater Cliff
picnic area (If I had your names you’d get cards), Mari of Mari’s Bed &
Breakfast, both librarians in Hamilton, and, last but not least, Toni, Amanda,
and all the staff at the Levi Gallagher & Sons Brewery in Hamilton.
This trip was so much fun, I enjoyed toting up the bills
because of the memories they evoked.
1 comment:
Quite a road trip, Dana. Lotta miles. We hit just one destination, and there observed a Cuban protest in front of the UN; read the performers’ names on the sidewalk plaques outside the Apollo Theater; and attended a special event in Central Park.
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