From There to Here

Blase, Rex, and I attended Grandma's funeral yesterday.  We also drove home yesterday.  Here's our trip notes.

I restarted the mileage in Sturgis, so we drove to Papa's house before we started home.

Mile 19.2 - Karen yawns for the first time.

Mile 40.8 - We had to stop near Owl Butte for Rex to pee.

Mile 46.7 - The mini-van hits 196,196 miles.

Mile 61.4 - Karen wishes there was better music on the radio.

Mile 62.0 - Road kill - deer

Mile 71.4 - Paul yawns with in rush hour traffic in Austin, TX.  He called me to see how things were going.  The call was lost due to lack of cell coverage shortly after this.

Mile 76.5 - We honked our horn at Uncle Robert and Aunt JoDee's house as we drove by.

Mile 105.7 - Stopped in Faith, SD for food and bathroom breaks.  We also saw Aunt Tracy and Justin Ingalls in the gas station.  We visited with them for a few minutes.

Mile 118.1 - I finished eating my cheeseburger.

Mile 121.2 - I finally found a good radio station.

Mile 132.0 - Road kill - unknown

Mile 149.1 - Blase blew a huge bubble with his gum.  (Mom keep track of that!)

Mile 170.1 - We saw 8 deer in a field near a small pond.

Mile 184.2 - I saw a hawk on a telephone pole just as Rex opens his pop with fizzed everywhere.  He learned a valuable lesson about NOT shaking his pop in the van with his mom driving.

Mile 190 - We drove by a fire that appeared to have burned multiple acres and structure.  There were burnt telephone poles, fence posts on both sides of the road, and a big pile of something I couldn't identify.  The firefighters had managed to save someone's house in the middle of all of burnt land.  The fire had recently been put out, like less than an hour as the fire crews were still monitoring the hot spots.  God bless those firefighters and all firefighters.

Mile 200.7 - I realized and it sank in that there will be no more violin songs for Grandma, no more visits with her on vacation, no more birthday cards to or from her, no more asking Dad how Grandma was doing.  I think the emptiness became reality at this mile.  It only lasted a few intense seconds.

Mile 201.4 - We crossed the Missouri River.

Mile 208.7 - We drove by an abandoned house with part of the upstairs wall missing.  If you looked inside the house you can see a closet full of clothes still hanging up in this abandoned house.  Strange.

Mile 220.1 - We stopped in Gettysburg, SD to fill up and use the bathroom.  We have managed to get 23.4 miles to the gallon at this point.

Mile 235.4 - Rex asks me why I'm going to sleep on the way home.  Yes, I giggled.

Mile 245.6 - I saw a fox in the ditch.

Mile 263.9 - The boys convinced me to turn around for a historical marker.  We had stopped for at least 2 before that on our trip.  This marker was about the 6th governor of South Dakota.

Mile 275.8 - Pretty much dark now.

Mile 283.6 - I just realized I could use my brights.  Sigh.

Mile 290.0 - We were saying a rosary and Rex reminds Blase that he is suppose to keep me awake.  (We are still praying out loud during all of this.) Blase then asks me if I am sleeping to which I reply no.  He quickly adds that he just wanted to know if he should kick my chair.  He was instructed by his dad before the trip to kick my chair if I started to fall asleep.  Then just as we were leaving Papa's my mom told Blase the same thing.  Could I have been praying out loud in my sleep?  Yes, I giggled, again.

Mile 321 - I used to peppermint essential oil to help me keep focused.  I was feeling VERY tired by this point.  I was convinced I should stay in Watertown for the night.  I ended up visiting with my brother for a bit and that helped keep me awake.  By the end of that phone call I was sure I could make it home.

Mile 455.7 - In North Dakota.  You should see my notes at this point.  I'm writing in the dark, quick notes that would not make sense to anyone else.  I'm also writing downhill or uphill.  You may think this was silly of me, but honestly keeping these notes helped me to stay awake.  I was always on the lookout for something that was interesting.  Obviously there was nothing of interest between miles 321 and 455.

Mile 462.8 - I ended a call with my mom to let her know that I was going to drive all the way home instead of staying in Watertown.  It was getting late enough that I wanted to make sure they knew I was doing good and was awake enough to make it home.

Mile 509.4 - I keep thinking over and over again - "ARE WE HOME YET!?!?!"

Mile 516.9 - HOME.  Finally.  The mini-van's mileage at this point - 196,666.