Tuesday, December 27, 2016

First Day on the Road

December 27, 2016

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Come on Daddy, I’ve been waiting all year to go back to my home town of Yuma, Arizona.

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Here we are all packed and ready to go.  It is almost 10 A.M. and we have 325 miles to travel today before we can rest.  The weather is just perfect for driving.  A little breezy, but the temperature is around 32 and the sun is shining bright.

As usual, I am nervous, but hopefully, once I get a few miles under my belt, I will calm down and start enjoying the journey.  Our plans are to stay at the Walmart in Lebanon, Missouri tonight.  This is the same place we stayed on our journey last winter.

This is the best shot I could get as we rolled across the Mississippi River heading west.  I hate this section of the highway as we go through East St. Louis.  There are so many connecting roads, so close together, I get confused.  For the second time in our travels through here, I turned off the interstate and went down into the city streets.  Luckily, I was able to go straight back up at the stop light at the bottom of the hill.  I was lucky.  Could have been horrible, if I had gotten caught in city traffic.

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Took a lunch break at a rest stop near Rolla, Missouri in the Ozark hills.

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Finally, we rolled into the Walmart parking lot and checked in for the night, just as the sun was reaching for the ground.  The weather is cool, but  not a cloud in the sky and no wind.  This first day has been hard on me.  Not used to driving for six hours.  I don’t have the umph I used to have.

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See you later.

8 comments:

  1. I know what you mean by the nervousness and if I was traveling along I would be a classic example of nerves gone wild. I admire all you solo travelers and often wonder how you do it alone. Having gone through St. Louis 3 or 4 times in our earlier years we avoid that whole route now. Some large cities are easy to get through but St. Louis is not one of them. Great to see that picture of Yuma looking out the rig's door.

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    1. I keep thinking I will take I-270 toward Kansas City, but I never do. Speaking of cities to go through, read tonight's blog of Oklahoma City. I think it is second to St. Louis.

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  2. I appreciate your honesty and hopefully the first day was the toughest ! Yuma makes a good friend and co-pilot. Travel Safe .

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    1. Even though today was horrible, I feel better at the end of the day for some reason. I hope that is a good sign.

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  3. Hi Doug! Hope you have another great day of traveling today! We missed you already last night at Puff's birthday dinner. Enjoy your drive! I love you! And I love the pic of Yuma sticking his head out the MH door...looks like he's ready to head back west!

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    1. Hi Sarah. I don't think Yuma likes to travel in the MH. He sits beside me all day panting. I think he just wants to hurry up and get there.

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  4. Hoefully,the nerves will pass soon. Just getting through St. Louis is an adventure in itself! Fergie is a little lonely, I think. She wonders where Yuma is, even if, she won't admit it! 😊 Hope day 2 is a good one!

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    1. I bet Fergie will love to not have Yuma around bothering her all the time. Glad day two is over with. Another bad day, but, I do feel better this evening. Love you.

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