The Plan and How It Came About

I have never claimed to be a writer but I want to document some of these adventures. I write a lot like a talk... with run-on sentences! I am awful with punctuation and usually have my daughter proof read all my official documents.

So how does a 6,000 mile 26 day trip become a reality? This really all started back in 2013, we decided to take a long birthday trip. We headed out for a 3 week trip, going south first to Gulf Shores then heading west from there... stopping at every TJ Maxx along the way.  That story later.

We stopped along the way and only had one reservation at the Emily Morgan in San Antonio.

On this trip our one mission was to find a matching wall hanging for the two I had already found in Illinois.  I had LIVE and LAUGH and we were looking for the matching LOVE. As we walked in each TJ Maxx we would tell anyone we asked about this sign that "We are looking for LOVE". So we did find the sign in a TJ Maxx in Louisiana.  So much fun shopping and we didn't pick up too much extra stuff.

This trip included: Going to Gulf Shores, across Mississippi and Louisiana to Houston, Texas. Then on to San Antonio and up through Fort Worth.

We cut that trip short because I was ready to be home to my grandchildren.

 

Check out this You Tube video for more pictures of our trip.

 

 

 

The next trip we decided to take was in August of 2014. This trip had a destination of Philadelphia, PA, for Bob's Vietnam, 8th Battalion of the 4th Artillery, Reunion.

Bob had been in every state in the nation up until then, except Vermont. So our plan was to get him to Vermont.  Best way to get to Vermont from Illinois? Through Canada!! Since I had never been to Canada we were checking this off my list also.

So we headed to Niagara Falls, came out of Canada in New York State, and headed across to Vermont. Of course these were marking off my states also! So we got to Vermont and on our hunt list for this trip was an antique nightstand for Bob. While traveling through Vermont on Route 9...(by the way the most beautiful drive in the summertime) we came upon this beautiful town, Wilmington,  with quilt shops, an old grocery store, flea markets, etc. We stopped and spent some time walking the picturesque town. After getting back in the car we came upon a flea market and decided to stop to see if we could find a night stand. No such luck... get back in the car drive a mile and I yell "STOP" at the antique store.  This whole time Bob is telling me we need to get back on the road so we can find a place to sleep eventually. This is where we find his nightstand. The cutest little white table that I didn't even need to refinish. So, we get back in the car and head down the road. Just a few miles up the road we come to a 180 degree outlook and souvenir shop. Of course we had to stop! After a few minutes there we headed east to New Hampshire to check that off my list and then headed south. I still have Maine in the east to visit, but we ended up visiting all the other states including Massachusetts, Connecticut and we went to NYC for a couple days.

We had the best time on this trip and decided this is a great way to travel.

Our travel time in 2015 was spent in Florida for our son, Joe, and his wife, Dayna's wedding.

So when the announcement was made that Bob's Veteran Reunion would be in New Mexico, we started the planning. I have not been in most of the Western states. I have flown to Nevada and California and we used to travel to the far west Missouri border as a child so I have been in Kansas. I haven't even been to Nebraska... what's up with that? My plan... after this trip I will only have 5 states left to see...Maine, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska.

So here we are... heading on a 6,000 mile, 26 day road trip.  We have 19 days to get to New Mexico, via, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. Oh the sites we will see. Stay tuned for our adventures, pictures and videos!

 

 

Check out our You Tube video for more pictures of this trip.