Before we knew it our time in San Antonio was up and it was time to move on. We said our farewells to our wonderful host, Ana, and we were on our way.
I definitely felt an element of sadness and wistfulness that took me by surprise. A part of me didn’t want to leave, even though I was anxious to get the journey started and move on. I suppose I just didn’t anticipate San Antonio holding such a huge spot in my heart. I know that it was our first ever destination on our ongoing adventure, but San Antonio was good to us and I will always be grateful for our memories there. Of course we are traveling with the furbabies too, so we didn’t make it out of Texas the first day of travel, but I did snap a few pics along the way:
We had a pretty good night at our first stop in Lubbock, TX. None of the animals were too fussed about being uprooted (yet again), but we did laugh at Flerken who was just happy to be sitting in a window looking at all the new stuff around her. She is the best of the cats as far as traveling goes. She doesn’t seem to mind the upheaval at all.
There wasn’t much else to see before we crossed into Oklahoma, but the wide open spaces were still available. Ha!
We finally crossed into Oklahoma and I was excited because I was going to be able to stop and see one of my best friends, Deana, who happens to live near a town we were driving through.
Deana and I met in Hawaii and our two eldest children were born only a few months apart. We spent a lot of time together (daily isn’t too much of a stretch) and when we parted and went separate ways there was a huge hole left in my heart. Of course life got in the way and we didn’t get to spend time together while our kids were small (ironically her daughter and my son are also the same age), but we’ve managed to see each other twice in the last few years and hope we can make this a habit. Anyway- on this particular trip- I got to meet Deana’s grandson!! He is beautiful as expected. ❤️ (for privacy- I will not be posting photos of the little guy)
We met for lunch and tried to get everything we wanted to say in before it was time to part ways. David generously stayed with the animals, so that I could soak up as much time as possible with my friend before we had to say goodbye. We had lunch at Pub on the bricks- I had a fantastic BBQ burger- and got to spend an hour and a half chatting and enjoying time Well spent with loved ones.
While we were at lunch, Deana’s husband (also named David) mentioned that they used to live in Meade, Kansas and that we should stop in and see the Dalton Gang hideout if we had time. Of course I knew we’d make time! My husband always does so much for me, it’s a small thing to visit some historical spots along the way. I said my goodbyes to Deana and we headed out toward Kansas to find the Dalton Gang hideout!
It wasn’t long before we stopped for the night in Dodge City- home of the original Boot Hill made famous through western lore and also the town where Wyatt Earp 1st made his name out west. Now I’m not a Wyatt Earp fan, but I do appreciate me some Doc Holliday and this town is where he set up his dental practice and developed a friendship with Wyatt Earp.
The rest of the trip through Kansas was uneventful. it wasn’t long before we were headed into Nebraska!
We we’re a little nervous crossing into Nebraska to be honest. The last two times we were in the state, it tried to kill us (once with a tornado and the second time with a blizzard), but the weather was promising so we cautiously ventured onward. I have to say that we were pleasantly surprised- there were many hills and pretty spots along the way. Nebraska definitely redeemed itself this time around.
We stopped in North Platte for the night and got everyone settled. Little did we know that Piper would spend almost the entire night crying and meowing and making everyone’s night unbearable. Apparently she had enough and was happy to let everyone in on her misery:
Frodo, on the other hand is a great travel buddy. He’s just happy to be where we are, though he was pretty sad every time he realized he had to get back into his car seat. His favorite time was “watching outside” with Dad- he was fascinated by all the cars going by.
It only took about 2 1/2 hours to get to South Dakota. This was good for us as we needed a little extra pep in our step. First thing we saw when we crossed the state line was SNOW. We were so excited. I mentioned on a previous blog that David and I make a point to be on the phone with each other when we cross state lines or want to share in a moment together. We didn’t really disconnect once we got into South Dakota. We just kept getting more and more excited as we got closer to our destination.
We did stop at Wall Drug. I mean, it is sort of a requirement. The history of this place alone is pretty interesting (www.walldrug.com) If you have the chance- you have to stop.
After we grabbed a burger (and a REALLY good doughnut) we headed toward the black hills and our home for the next 6 months.
We made it!! Stay tuned for more adventures as we explore South Dakota!
So
Nebraska
Comments