Used to be, our American highway map had three colors for the road 'system'. Now, this is half a century ago so bear with me. There were Red roads (the Interstate... Eisenhower roads), there were Blue highways (State roadways...made 'obsolete' by the I-system) and lastly Black...just plain ole local routes with some crazy-ass numbers like 1678 or N7492... what? must be local reference). We will not bring in the USFS roads in the federal wilderness lands).
After spending so much time on the rest of our trip to mostly go off the beaten track, it is hard to succumb to the Eisenhower system which was designed to move tanks and artillery where needed ASAP, worked out great for MacDonalds. Way back when we started this escapade I went on a tirade about tractor-trailer trucks...the big rigs. And here there are front and center on our return. In places like rural Kansas any straight road becomes a highway.... you can see telephone poles (200 feet apart) go into infinity before you. Out the drivers window is flat agricultural, this time of year with nothing on it...dirt. That dirt goes a million miles to the side. I was thinking, doing nothing but keep the truck in between the lines on cruise, what it would be like for a combine or tractor driver going 48 miles doing 40 feet wide swath, then reversing and going back on the next row. At 16 miles an hour thats three hours going one way. So a little math says your day is not too challenging. Now they are challenged with the task of what to do during the self steer computerize machine with AC and video/Internet. One could classes on-line and get out of that machine to do more rewarding stuff! Robots can do that now and so they should. We were meant for higher thought if we have sustenance.
So yes it happened. I got in the pilot seat and was on the forever road .... highway (blue) 54, from New Mexico to Illinois. Luann's stellar route planning to avoid the "slab"..Maybe if you have nothing to do because you are snowed in, get onto Goggle maps and plan a route and be sure to go to Options... and choose avoid Interstates. You might be given a similar route or from our experience you may get one that ends at a deserted runway with a chirpy announcement: "you've arrived last your destination!"..... huh.
Real travelers use paper maps, good ones. Most of the time it is all about iPhone and Google maps... but for planning try using those splendid apps and you will throw your phone through the window. It is stupid...the app... so all it knows is to suggest what it thinks you should know by an algorithm based on the mathematically, most probably desired outcome.... guess what it is most probably not me. Get that up to date quality atlas and a hi-lighter. Crack a beer and start sussing it out with the Mrs. It will remain only a most probable route so being open to instant change is a must.
It appears that our timing for the interstate-snowstorm wave is working out. We are in-between two major west to east systems that allow us to land the day after a real heavy snow dump on our home.( currently listed as 10"and then 11"more the next day added to the 16" (?) currently on the ground). There will be much to deal with on return but on the evening of return it will be nothing more than light the stove fire and look around.
So here we went. From the Valley of the Gods UT (having to leave and the road we were on is red clay... and it was to rain.... (sign says don't try to enter if wet), we headed toward Taos on 64 up over a pass that closed the day before and we saw why. At the top of the pass over 9,000 feet the snow was easily 6 ft deep and the drifts crossed the road at 2 feet deep, but it was open and thereafter we descended to about 12 miles west of Taos. In a flash there was a Carson National Forest ranger station and we pulled in as the ranger Melissa was lowering the American flag... and what a wonderful person..."well come on in, yes we are closing but not for you! How can I help...wait let me turn down Elton John... we are technically closed. Were you from?"... oh my ... and a whole lot more but she said boon-docks and I smiled, she said "oh I know a great place, like to rabbit hunt there, BLM land...." and she explained how to go on route to Taos.
At first, and with all such dispersed camping... it seems questionable ... 'brass' on the ground and in this case a femur from an Elk... then there was that half a hoof from a horse with the shoe attached... but it proved to be a perfect wind sheltered pop up. (better than a couple hundred for a motel in groovy Taos). We left early as it was 32 degrees on down to Taos for a great breakfast burrito at Mikes. A long windy road 64 over the mountain east of Taos to the flat lands, Apache land. (arrived with 1/2 gallon fuel light on and a pray being said) at the town after 90 miles without a single house.
Can't stop, after the mindset of heading home starts with this weather window to keep front and center. No dallying for a nice hike as it is now (if not slab) fast lane. We are still avoiding the interstates but still, the state roads are 75 mph thankfully fairly empty. The wind that normally tailwinds you to heights of 22 mpg lasted one day. That weird winter storm has caused havoc with where the wind comes from. Today was 30 mph 90ยบ to the truck... my mileage went down from 22 to 15.5 mpg and the drive is work keeping the truck straight especially with the oncoming big rigs. That wind is good.. so good for our grid. Kansas has literally hundreds if not over a thousand windmills flying at crazy speed producing energy from the almost endless wind from a flat and I mean flat State.
We found refuge in an old roadside motel... that has seen better days but we were happy enough after a long day. Egg sandwiches to go from the truck stop (chuckwagon) restaurant across the way. Oh yea. Lucy had a hard day. From big rig noise to the smell of a Kansas meat rendering factory along a very active train track (250 cars)... she was DONE. "Take me home now!" My heart breaks but what is there to do but go forward ....even with us both taking turns holding her on our laps for hours trying to calm her shakes. I get it... too much input after so little... she is maxed.
We landed today after crossing Kansas (7 hours)... yes flatter than flat all the way to Missouri (pronounced Misurah). A profoundly prophetic experience ensued. We entered the city limits of Kansas City (you name the state), I turn on the USB drive music selection and what starts playing.... honest to gawd... Melvin Taylor (Dirty Pool) Kansas City here I Come!! Yes... it just lifted us up (not Lucy).. and on we went through crazy city roadways, only to be spit out heading northeast up to Cameron Missouri. A great old fashioned but newly renovated 1 story motel, where you park in front of your room... clean and sparkly.. even a wonderful parklike area to walk/decompress Lucy. Safe again. Here is where I type now.
Three more 7 hour days driving (= 8 on the road)... to home. Hopefully 8.5 hours to Logansport, Indiana route 24. Then another 7-8 hour day to east of Erie PA (still off the interstate). From there to Buckland on a 7-8 hour day with mostly I-90. We will arrive after the storm we have been avoiding cross country, which just dumped 40+" of snow on top of the foot on the ground. The wonderful snowplow person has promised I will be able get up top the house on the day after the storm. I thought ahead to put the tractor in one of the garage bays so that I can come out bucket loader first to clear. There is a monster mountain of snowbank to remove from in front of the garage but we will have as much time as needed...! Wood stove re-kindled and roaring... no need for those fossil fuels keeping the home safe while gone. Back to ...oh yea! the end of winter and Spring on the way!!
3/13/23
We are in Logansport, IN with is back top eastern time....it's snowing but mostly just squalls. We went further today (8 hours) and a time change plus daylights savings change the day before.. so lost 3 hours in 2 days! Hoping to get between Erie, PA and Buffalo, NY tomorrow evening so that we can do the last 7 hours Wednesday. Been a long time away. It seems longer this time 10 1/2 weeks (AK was 10) by far. Must be the age thing and the stress of a month on Mexico roads and having the dog Lucy along..adds to a lot of other decisions.
Oklahoma is not OK.. On into Kansas. Lordry that state is a kicker. How far can you see? Think on that... how far can you see in Kansas? All cultivated. It goes on forever...again photos are dumb... just can not grog ..if you starti=ed walking straight out from the road for a couple days. Think what the first white settlers thought about that! Holy Moly. Walking. A somebody in Kansas got their thinking hat on. Hey... wind.... a lot of wind... 24/7. Windmills = $$$$ ! Great to see the AG land get a value added with the wind turbines. There are thousands of them that stretch out as far as the horizon.
A photo or two to follow of the home arrival. (I have seen numerous 'varmints" in the security video feed. wonder where they are?). I know one thing. Nothing will be better to watch than Lucy, realizing she is back to nirvana... her water bowl, her dog door out to the great acreage run!, a couch with her name on it... she has been a 'tided to the bumper" dog for nearly 11 weeks. She deserves a big cookie.
a slight addendum...
We are in a hotel in Buffalo NY.. strangely I saw a sushi restaurant and ordered take-out on route to our LAST motel (when I picked up the sticks I realized we had sushi on the first night out!... a definite 'sign'). The house has no electricity and has 40" of new snow on our old glaciated 16"...work ahead, Tra-la it's off to ride the tractor!!
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