Recent Road Trip #1

While our holidays were quiet and simple, we did manage to fit in two weekend road-trips that we thoroughly enjoyed. The first one was the weekend before Christmas. Our destination was my parents’ house in Arkansas to pick up our daughter who had gone home with them after Thanksgiving. It’s a 12-hour drive one-way, so we originally planned to drive down on Saturday and come home on Sunday. However, Lyle arranged to take Friday off, so we extended our trip to Missouri for a quick visit with his mother as well.

We left on Thursday evening when Lyle got home from work and drove about 5 hours. We spent that night in Hays, Kansas. I have to say, following I-70 across eastern Colorado and western Kansas has got to be one of the most boring stretches of highway in the whole country.Granted, I haven’t been on every highway in the country, but I’m just sayin’.Lyle drove. I crocheted. (Working on a Christmas-y variation of the Spice of Life afghan.) We talked. And listened to the radio. And talked. We love long drives. Even if the scenery is boring.

After a quick stop in El Dorado, Kansas for lunch with Lyle’s brother’s family…

Oh, wait! I hafta show you the baby picture! Me with my darling littlest great-nephew:

This is my aunt Karla-since she lives in Colorado it’s her first time to meet baby Jacob! So sweet!

A photo posted by Kendra V (@kendramichellev) on Dec 18, 2015 at 12:33pm PST

Okay. Thank you for indulging me.

Now… as I was saying… after lunch we headed for the Ozarks.It was a 2-lane highway and much more scenic than the prairie Interstate. Even with the winter barrenness I enjoyed the soft light and rolling hills. So different from Colorado.

We spent that night in Osage Beach, Missouri.
Early the next morning we headed for Rolla to have breakfast with Mom Cook. We enjoyed the spectacular sunrise as we wended our way through the woods.
We had lunch at Sonic in West Plains, where we had many a date in the mid-1980s. Sonic has actually moved since our dating days. But close enough. We were married in West Plains 30 years ago.

We spent Saturday night at my parents’ house near Mulberry, Arkansas. My uncle and aunt got in late that night for a visit as well, so it was fun to see them.
We appreciated an even more spectacular sunrise as we were loading the car Sunday morning.

Road Trip Stats:

Time away: 3 nights, 3 days

States: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma

Relatives seen: 25

Miles: 2,125