The Libators go Corner to Corner: Fast Track to Kansas City and More Friends.

The main goal of this trip is to spend time in Florida, on Key West. So instead of our more typical slower pace, we are moving fast through the center of the country with two brief pauses until we reach the other corner. The first fast leg ends with a two-night stay in Kansas City so we can briefly visit with friends from Russ' time in graduate school. This stop and a visit to a luthier in Tennessee constitute the breaks from travel mode. We left Prosser and moved west and south until we reached I-80 north of Salt Lake City, and then moved mostly straight west to KC. We stopped for only one night at each camp site, either a Harvest Host, a state park, BLM dispersed camping or a RV park. I like to stay in a park every 4-6 days to get full hook ups and reload the trailer consumables.

Roll on, Columbia, roll on.

Little Creek Campground (Harvest Host), Caldwell, ID.

Cedar really liked this spot surrounded by cornfields and an irrigation ditch.

The Snake River by the Boathouse in Burley, ID (Harvest Host).

Great views backed up to the Snake River.

Sunset over the Snake.

White Mountain Road Dispersed Camping over Green River, Wyoming.

This spot is a favorite. Unbeatable views.

We were all alone on the ridge.

A fun way to mark our passage at Cheyenne RV Resort.

We had full hook ups here and took advantage.

Sandy Channel State Resource Area, Elm Creek, Nebraska.

Sandy Channel was a state park. Again we were the only ones there.

Cedar liked the view (especially the bunnies).

Dinner with friends in Kansas City (Overland Park).

Views of downtown Kansas City.

 

We crossed the Columbia River at Umatilla, Oregon. We've driven these roads many times over the years, traveling back and forth to Russ' family in New Mexico. Watching the miles accumulate, I reflected on the nature of memory and time as we pass the same places on this journey. It's a palimpsest of memory, each new visit overlaying the older ones, not erasing them, but adding additional layers of memories. Heraclitus (a Greek philosopher) said that "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." It's attributed to him, anyway. I feel this is true traveling the same roads repeatedly. The road has changed, and I have changed more. As we pass through again, I live the current moment, but also have flashes of past trips in that exact location. There are some pictures I have taken again and again (The Ashgrove plant is one of these). I remember traveling these highways as a young woman, alone in my truck, excited and optimistic, seeing these places for the first time. I miss that young woman sometimes, but she is still me, or at least a part of who I am now.

 

The Columbia River.

From the bridge.

I missed the welcome to Oregon sign.

Gas in Umatilla.

I've climbed these smokestacks.

From the ridge south of Pendleton. We skipped the view point this time.

Open range.

Ashgrove Cement.

At the rest stop, someone left a message.

It's a dry year.

The Snake River.

I try to take a picture of every state's welcome sign.

The corn was a nice privacy screen.

We were the only ones there. This was a Harvest Host.

It rained earlier and the ground was soft.

Cedar loved it. He's a farm cat at heart.

The irrigation ditch.

I like this part of southern Idaho.

Our camp spot on the Snake River.

The train tracks run behind Russ on that rise.

This was a Harvest Host, and dinner was excellent.

Great atmosphere.

Perfect views, and a caramel apple cider hot toddy.

It was so nice to drink something warm.

Russ was tired after a long day's drive.

Yum.

Sunset over the Snake.

I drive very occasionally.

Welcome to Utah.

Snow in the mountains.

It's always nice to see the red sandstone again.

 

Generally speaking, southern Idaho is my least favorite section of our typical trip to New Mexico, but there is beauty here, too. Both of our camping spots in Idaho were Harvest Hosts this time. It got very cold at night, especially as the wind was really blowing along the Snake river. The Boathouse was a good Harvest Host even though it was cold and we had to use our propane heater, because we got to have a lovely dinner, and we only had one not-very-close neighbor.

Welcome to Wyoming.

I love the wind turbines.

They are like graceful dancers.

It rained a little on our way up the White Mountain road.

Camp site on the top of the ridge overlooking the town of Green River, WY.

Cedar likes when we don't have loud traffic nearby.

A walk before dinner.

The ominous clouds and the golden grass.

The light was magical.

Mesa in the distance.

Threatening.

A warm welcome home.

Across the Green River valley.

The train is visible on the valley floor.

Russ commands the heights.

Golden valley and dark skies.

Home.

Sunset.

Eggs for breakfast. I only have a gas stove when we don't have an electric hook up.

The fog filled the valley and crested at the ridge.

It felt like the we were alone in the world.

The White Mountain Dispersed Camping Area is my all-time favorite BLM site. We've only been there once before, right after COVID lockdown when we were on our way home. There are supposed to be  wild horses in the area, but we've never seen them there (only two visits). Our friends that we met in Prosser have seen horses at this location when they camped here, though. The views over the Green River valley are magical, and this time, the morning fog came up the ridge to our camp, sometimes covering us, but mostly settled in the valley. It felt like we were floating above the world.

Driving east across Wyoming.

Some nice fall color here.

Old school wind power (the pumps now use solar panels).

Pronghorn. This might be my best photo of one with my phone.

The new wind power.

WA 💜 Libators. A fun graffiti project at Cheyenne RV.

A better perspective of the whole project. Like a guestbook, but better.

Finally, another welcome sign.

We stopped for lunch at a historical marker.

A nice place for lunch without all the trucks to bother Cedar.

Big sky with a few yards.

Hay ready for storage. We saw lots of Prairie Dogs in Nebraska, too. No photos, though.

Cedar likes our camp at Sandy Channels State Park.

We were the only campers at this park on this night.

All the little lakes (ponds?) were lovely reflectors.

Bunnies!

We went for a walk around the loop trails to look at all the lakes.

Biggest lake, best reflection. It was stocked with fish.

Dinner during sunset.

Good night, sunshine.

Sandy Channels State Park in Nebraska was fantastic. Some highway noise, but we were otherwise alone. I had to print out a state parks pass for Nebraska to stay here for $14 a night. It felt like the best bargain of the trip so far. The drive starts to feel repetitive after days of crossing desert, high plains, and farmland. We did get lucky with a pretty consistent tailwind when the wind was blowing, and some time with no wind at all. It seems like this part of the country is empty, it's just us alone with the sky. I feel insignificant. I feel magnificent. I played Bon Iver's song Holocene and listened to infinity.

Cornfields forever.

Lowering clouds.

This was some sort of monument, but also contained a shopping center inside.

Crossing the Missouri River.

A brief visit to Iowa.

More Missouri River.

I think this was a power plant.

We saw lots of trains.

We crossed the Missouri again.

Welcome to Missouri.

More of the Missouri.

This river is beautiful.

Welcome to Kansas.

Sunset over Overland Park, KS.

A home meal with friends in Kansas City.

After dinner.

It's the best part of travel. Visiting with friends and family.

Our two nights in Kansas City (technically we stayed in Merriam, Kansas) gave us one evening with Russ' friends from grad school, and one day to get some chores done and to do some sightseeing of things we missed the last time we were here. I did the laundry and the food shopping to replenish some fresh items. We also went to the WWI Monument and Museum; we had to blast through the exhibits because, after a day of getting the chores done, we left the fun until late. We also drove past the Kansas Federal Reserve Building that was next to the monument. I was glad to see it, too, but the WWI Monument was amazing, with great views of downtown KC.

This place is always busy. We were here last year and had to return.

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Muffin and an Oatmilk Latte.

Urban Prairie Coffee. So so good.

The pumpkin display at Hen House Market.

The pumpkin display in some random yard. Dedication to the theme.

Driving into downtown KC. Graffiti.

Superman... Super KC?

This building photo is for my mom.

The WWI Monument.

A sphinx covered by its wings.

Kansas City.

Selfie with KC.

KC from the WWI Monument Tower.

Selfie with KC below.

Looking up the elevator gap.

Looking up the Monument.

Sphinx butt (I have a photo like this from Egypt).

Door to the WWI Memorial.

The tile around the door was impressive.

Reflections on the war to end all wars.

Museum.

It was a nice collection.

All sorts of artifacts and documents.

The poppy display was under the main floor.

The floor was glass and the ceiling was glass, too.

A nice place to see if you are in KC.

The tall grass was blowing in the wind.

KC has a lot of public art.

The Kansas City Federal Reserve. I couldn't resist.

The Monument stands alone on the hill.

Dinner at District: The Pourhouse Kitchen.

It was a good drink.

I really enjoyed are flash visit to the WWI Monument and Museum. It would have been nice to spend more time there. I feel that way about our two nights in Kansas City... it would have been nice to spend more time there. It's getting tiring to keep pushing for miles every day. Taking a couple of days in one place to reset ourselves is helpful.