BEGINNING TO FEEL LIKE PAUL AND MARTI DAHL

PEORIA, IL TO  ALTOONA, IOWA TO SIOUX FALLS, S.D

After a stop at our granddaughter Megan's  and daughter Holly's homes, we officially started our journey.  It was two-twenty by then.  Nothing like an early start, is there!  We had a little problem......maybe a few little problems.  

It was raining and loading the Miata onto the trailer was difficult.  The tailgate / ramp is metal mesh and the wet tires would spin at the highest part of the ramp.  I tried three times and lost my nerve.  I let John have the honor.  He accomplished the loading on the second try.  

Then, I twisted the ratchet straps for securing the back of the car to the trailer.  I created a lovely mess.  John to the rescue once again.  What a man.  

But that is not the end of the saga.  John managed to catch some of the front strap cover his his ratchet and had to pry the cover out of the jammed ratchet.  Thus, our late start.  

Last but not least needed to secure a water garden skimmer and water fall box to the trailer.  These items are being delivered to our daughter, Jojo.  We will drop these off at her home in Sun City, California.  She has dug her water garden and is waiting for these features.  


OK, problems solved and we were on the way.  We left Murphy in Indiana.  

The troupes settled down for our ride to Sioux Falls.  Olivia helped "dad" navigate.  For us,  no leisurely drive on this trip.  We are beginning to feel like Paul and Marti.
For Olivia, as you can see, is was a relaxing trip.

Noah took the trip in stride.  He was totally bored already.  What do you do when you are bored?  You sleep, of course!  


We spent Sunday night as a guest of the Wal Mart in East Peoria, IL.  It was remarkably quiet and we were snug as bugs despite it being mighty cold temperature of eighteen degrees outside.  

Tuesday morning found us awake before daylight. (Paul and Marti style) The time change will get you every time!  We had breakfast and were out of there like bandits after a bank robbery.

It felt good to put Illinois behind us and to cross the Mississippi River into Iowa.  Ahh, we are making progress.  Soon the highway flattened out and we saw cornfields, more cornfields, and more cornfields.  We whizzed by the exit to John Wayne's birthplace and later left the Bridges of Madison County in our dust.

The lanes of the interstate seemed to be more narrow than in Indiana and Illinois.  Big rigs passed us as we held the speed to about sixty-three mph.   
One rig tried to remove the mirrors on John's side!  All I could do was hold my breath.  I have no idea what was on that trailer, but it was mighty big.  And there were three of them. 


 The last two left us much more room than the first.  Thank goodness.  My heart can't stand so much excitement.  

I did not realize that Iowa has more and larger fields of corn than Indiana.  

Corn fields, wind farms, straight highways graced our tour through   

Iowa.  
As you can see though, the sky and clouds were beautiful.  

We did notice a method of farming not used in Indiana.  Wind farms are throughout Indiana,


 but the terracing of the hills in the fields is a new concept for us.  What a great way to reduce erosion.  

We spent Monday night in Altoona, Iowa in the parking lot of the Bass Pro Shop with a few other big rigs.  

Following the path of the Dahl's Tuesday, we completed our trek through Iowa and entered South Dakota.  The journey north brought colder temperatures.  As we entered Sioux Falls, we were greeted with about two inches of that fluffy white stuff we want to put way behind us.  


The traveling basil and tomato plants look outside at the winter wonderland outside our front window.  I am sure they are talking about how happy they are to be inside and not freezing to death.  

Right now we have many blooms and three tomatoes on that little plant we purchased last October at the Farmer's Market in Greenwood, IN.  

We are off to become official residents of South Dakota.  More to come.  Thanks for stopping by.

The rest of this trek

Stay warm out there, be safe and God Bless!