The Long Drive Home

How is it that the drive home is so much longer than the drive to Utah? I'm sure there are a multitude of reasons. We leave fresh and excited, thinking of all of the adventures that await us. We drive back home exhausted, and this year, sick. Last year the drive home did take longer. Because Jason was still a relatively unexperienced driver (with 2 years of experience but still driving with a permit) I decided it would be prudent to spend 5 days driving home instead of 4. This year we drove home in 3.5 days to try to squeeze in a little extra time at my brother's house in Kentucky. It was exhausting. But I am getting ahead of myself.

After our two extra days in Utah (we'll look at them as bonus days with our friends) we left Logan on Wednesday morning. First we went by to say goodbye to my dad & Ramona. I thought that I knew the shortcut to get from my dad's house to Logan Canyon, but I must have been off somewhere. I ended up in the middle of Utah State University campus right as classes were changing. I sat, and sat, and sat, and sat. It did not make me have warm and fuzzy feelings about all of those USU students.

Finally we got off of the campus and drove through the canyon, which is always very scenic. We passed the exit for Tony Grove and waved sadly, thinking of the fun we'd had and the hike not taken. :(

I love driving out of Logan Canyon and seeing Bear Lake in front of us. But then the questions start in my mind. How on earth can we send a man to the moon and yet not know how deep Bear Lake is? Surely someone can figure it out with a couple of strings and Google Earth.

We got gas and I stopped for a famous raspberry shake at La Beau's. It would have been more enjoyable if I hadn't had to wait about 20 minutes for it. When I finally went up and asked if my shake was ever going to be ready, they realized they had handed it to the guy who ordered ahead of me with the rest of his order! I still can't believe he ate my shake.

I was talking to Russ on the phone while I was waiting, whining about it taking so long. Rachel walked by me right as I hypothesized to Russ that they probably had to milk the cow before they could make my shake. She turned around, startled, and said "they have a cow in that building???" I just love my literal kids.

The shake was very delicious. I gave all of the sick kids a bite, and then shared the rest with Jason. It was much better than the raspberry shake I had last year (the day before Cindy Lynn's wedding) at Utah State. Or maybe I was just much calmer this year.

We left Bear Lake with Jason driving and me ready for a nap. I woke up just in time to see this priceless sign somewhere in Wyoming.

It is a relief to know that.

Actually I kind of like Wyoming. I like Eastern Wyoming because it has interesting mountains and rocks. I like it that now Wyoming has lots of windmills to see. They are particularly lovely in the evening, but I love to see how small they seem and then how huge they are when you get closer.

Last year we saw windmill arms (?) being transported twice. They were unbelievably large--they had to use 2 semi flatbeds to transport them. I'd hoped we might see one again this year, but no luck.

I was also fascinated by the green part of Wyoming. What's with all of the green layers? Has Wyoming corroded? Is there a partnership with Oz that I haven't heard about? Whatever the reason, it was definitely green there--much more than shows in the picture.

We did skip one of our usual stops--my tummy was still full of raspberry shake and I was sure that the little kids, who were still coughing like crazy, didn't need huge cones. And then I saw this sign and was righteously indignant and glad that we were not stopping.

They've doubled the price of their cones! They used to be a steal at 25 cents. Now they're just a bargain.

Here are a few more of the sights that entertained me along the way. Oil donkeys. And a big thanks to Josh for telling me that that's what they're called, which makes total sense.

I always enjoy driving under this museum. We may never stop and go into it (remember my people vs. places dilemma?) but it's neat to see.

I also enjoy seeing the names of places. Some places are easy to figure out. All of the "villes" and "burgs" fit into this category. But sometimes I see places and cannot figure out why on earth anyone would have ever named them that.

Why would someone call a place Amazonia? Do you think they were inordinately proud of their women? Or had uncommonly large women?? And Knob Noster. Let me tell you how happy I am to not be living in a place called Knob Noster.

Occasionally I see a sign that seems to call to me.

And every time we drive through Missiouri I'm curious about Emma. Located about 55 miles from Independence, MO, I wonder if it's named for Emma Smith. I think I'll have to try to do a little research about this. Or maybe I will just ask friend Janet, who lived for several years in central Missouri.

One thing I saw all along my trip that just delighted me was this:

All along the roads, highways, and interstates, in residential areas and in remote southern Utah, were these sunflowers. I just loved them. Sometime after crossing the Mississippi I noticed that I wasn't seeing them anymore, and I was sad.


The arch, as always, was stunning to see. I really appreciate that they put the interstate right alongside it so that you get a great view for several minutes.

One person commented to me on my trip that they enjoyed driving across one part of the country but not the other half. Not me. With the relatively small exceptions of the area between Moab & Spanish Fork Canyon, (what a waste land!) and then between Bear Lake and I-80 in Wyoming, I think it's all interesting. Ok, maybe Nebraska is a little monotonous too. But the rest is great. I love crossing the rivers and seeing the bridges. I love driving along Nebraska Highway 2 towards Interstate 29 and seeing the pioneer markers along the road, and knowing that this is where the pioneers walked. When I get to I-29, which is down in a flat river bottoms kind of area, and see the low cliff all along the interstate, I wonder how hard it was for the pioneers to get their wagons down those cliffs.

I love seeing the farmland along the way, with the beautiful farm houses and the silos and barns. (Although I do prefer the rolling hills farmland to the flat.) I love seeing the little towns with their big church steeples showing from miles away.


I even love seeing the farm equipment drive by us on the road, provided it's going fast enough! (This picture does not do a good job of showing how HUGE this tractor was!)

We always love driving in Kentucky--both because it's beautiful and there are lots of horses, (here at the Retired Thoroughbred Farm)



And because it means we get to hang out with our cousins for a while. Sadly our visit with our Kentucky cousins was what got cut because of our sick days in Utah, so we have promised to go back and see them some other time.

After all of the driving, this is perhaps the most welcome sight of all. We know when we see it that we'll be home within a couple of hours. The little kids are excited to see Russ, and I'm excited to see Russ and to collapse into bed.

What an adventure it was!