DES MOINES IOWA TO LANSING MICHIGAN—A LONG DRIVING DAY BUT WE’RE ONLY 300 MILES FROM HOME NOW:))

SUNRISE ON I-80 THIS MORNING


Southerly winds not as strong this morning so our east bound journey went a bit smoother.  I figured the winds knew it was Sunday and decided to back off  a tad and relax.  I figure Sunday is always the best travel day of the week followed by Saturday.

CROSSING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER THIS MORNING SOUTH OF DAVENPORT IOWA


SURE IS ONE MIGHTY WIDE RIVER ALRIGHT



ONCE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI WE WERE IMMEDIATELY IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
Had ourselves on the move by 7:30  a.m. Ontario time and made our way back to I-80 north of us along deserted streets which just 12 hours before were choked with the late Saturday afternoon hustle and bustle of local traffic.  Once back on I-80 we weren’t long in leaving Des Moines Iowa far behind us.

A reasonably mild morning when we started our day but when we finished our day 10 hours later it was cold, cold, cold!!  Traffic eastbound on I-80 was thankfully lite and I was glad to see the landscape finally begin to flatten out the further east we went.  I don’t remember those Midwest hills and long grades bothering me before but this year for some reason they really had me ticked off as did a lot of poor road conditions.  Bumpity bumpity bump bang bump!!

IF YOU CAN SEE PAST THE BUGS ON THE WINDSHIELD THERE ARE 2 GOLF CARTS ON THE LINKS THIS MORNING SOMEWHERE WEST OF DAVENPORT IOWA
Chicago traffic began heating up about 30 miles west of the city and quickly got hotter the closer we got to town.  By 1:30 this afternoon we were pretty much into the soup and were both surprised at how much traffic there was even for a Sunday.  We plowed our way through the churning morass of metal madness though and nobody even got hurt.  Well not that we’re aware of anyway.

EAST ON I-80 INTO CHICAGO



WE SURE RAN INTO A LOT OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION ALONG THE WAY
My goal today was to land us in the Lansing Michigan Cracker Barrel parking lot and that is exactly where this post is originating from tonight.  The past few years we have generally made this Lansing Cracker Barrel our last night on the road before crossing the border the following day.  This morning I just wanted to get us here no matter how long it took or how many miles we had to drive.  Yes it was a long day but at least now we are poised for the last 300 kil. (196 miles) slog of our journey.

YES YOU CAN SURE TELL WE WERE IN CRACKER BARREL AGAIN ALRIGHT

WE HAD THEIR SUNDAY SPECIAL WHICH WAS VEGGIES, MASHED POTATOS AND GRAVY WITH A COUPLE BIG PIECES OF FRIED CHICKEN

GOT A KICK OUT OF THESE KIDS AT THE NEXT TABLE ENGROSSED IN THEIR SMART PHONES

OUR LAST CRACKER BARREL STOP OF THE SEASON

TOO COLD FOR A GAME OF CHECKERS OUTSIDE TODAY
With a little or a whole lotta luck we will be across the border in the morning and well within the hour drinking our first Tim Horton coffees.  Along with our coffee’s we’ll be chowing us down a couple big old apple fritter donuts as well.   It’s an annual ‘coming home’ tradition with us. 

Chances are we will not be spending another night in the Motorhome until possibly next October and the way we feel tonight that is quite alright.  Only a fellow Snow Birder might understand the saying, ‘the best part of going away is coming home’.  It wasn’t that many years ago that I would have vehemently disagreed with that but not anymore.  No Sireeeee Toto, there’s no place like home:))

WE GENERALLY GET THIS VERY SAME CRACKER BARREL SPOT WHENEVER HERE


GROANER’S CORNER:((  It's scary when you start making the same noises as your coffee maker.
A Sunday school teacher asked her little children, as they were on the way to church service, “And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?” One bright little girl replied, “Because people are sleeping.”
Who invented King Arthur's round table?  Sir Cumference
A wife and husband both talked in their sleep. She loved auctions; his hobby was golf.  The other night, as they slept, the golfer yelled, "Fore!"  His wife yelled back, "Four and a quarter !"