After our excursion into America’s Heartland, I was homeward bound. I stopped and visited some friends in Tennessee. They live in Tennessee’s version of Florida’s Villages. Conspiracy theories abound here, as I parked my trailer under a Trump flag! I was in the presence of the Global Elite, and they didn’t even realize who they were. It was a truly surrealistic experience.
Tellico Lake Floating with the Christian Nationalists. Bless their hearts!
We did have a nice visit to the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, followed by a long, slow drive into Cades Cove. This early settlement was absorbed unwillingly into the National Parkβmore seeds of discontent for the Federal Government.
ποΈ Wisconsin’s Driftless region is the best place I visited. I would live there except for the winters. It looks like the perfect place to raise a child like Theo!
I have an increased appreciation for farming and the farmer π§βπΎ, especially the work ethic and commitment. I can understand a bit better how this contrasts with the urban environment.
If I feel something is too much from here on out, I will reconsider my decision. Hiking four hours and 1600 steps in the Bat Cave was not a good move. I ended up suffering the rest of the trip and having a less enjoyable time overall. However, I can live with pain if I have to, it seems. Maybe that is another perk of growing old.
π³
5,000 miles ~ 31 nights ~ Six stops ~ Another Excellent Adventure!
Final Thoughts
Are We Home Yet?
Ad in Georgia on I-95
Free from the tyranny of The Godless Hordes coming to get you this Fall!
When I got home, I parked out front, opened up the house, and ate some lunch. I returned outside to find this ticket. I guess this helps pay for those Ads in Georgia.
In 2023, I visited Palm Springs, which became famous about 100 years ago for its natural hot springs with mysterious restorative powers. Hot Springs, Arkansas, has been famous for its rejuvenating waters for nearly two centuries! Many different bathhouses were built offering luxurious spa treatments that somehow look like a method of torture today!
Various devices have been used since the early days of Hot Springs. I don’t even want to know what the firehoses are about π€£.
The area was established before the concept of a national Park was founded. As such, the whole town is, more or less, a National Park. Hot Springs itself is in the middle of many lakes that provide recreationβalmost sort of an early spot to travel to to see the natural wonders of nature.
Hot Springs Arkansas
Other than that, the town is basically a tourist trap. Much like a ski town you would find elsewhere. However, the architecture and history are quite interesting.
There were once over twenty different bathhouses in the area, including nine on Bathhouse Row, where I visited. The buildings are mostly repurposed now, although two still operate. The area around these is very touristy, as are the outlying areas. Water Parks, roller coasters, and a giant concert hall with all your favorite country and western performers play in America’s Heartland.
Public Well at Hot Spring National Park
At one end of the row of bathhouses was a public well. I talked to a guy who was filling jugs to make coffee. Another guy related a story about a family loading up a 55-gallon drum! Apparently, they used it for almost everything!
After leaving North Dakota, we spent six days traveling leisurely southward through the region west of the Mississippi. We drove around 200 miles per day on average and drove the back roads as much as possible to get a better feel for the state and area
South Dakota
South Dakota – Puppy Dogs Beware!
We stayed that evening in Sioux Falls. We heard the falls looked like tiny Niagra Falls, so we had to take a look. The park at the falls provided a most excellent sunrise walk!
Big Sioux River in Sioux Falls
The Big Sioux River was above flood stage. I saw other places further south where the rivers had swollen their banks.
Flooding in South Dakota
Nebraska
Nebraska Makes Fifty
When I worked for Hewlett-Packard, my first job involved supporting marketing and sales activities in the Midwest. We had just introduced Tsunami, a 2-channel digital signal analyzer that proved to be a big hit for mechanical testing. I spent several weeks visiting many of the sales offices in the region. I made it to all the states except one: Nebraska. I did land at the airport in Omaha and change planes, but I always remember I never actually made it there.
Nebraska Makes Fifty
I must say I liked the little I saw driving through the Winnebago Indian Reservation there. It seemed like it had a nice vibe.
Swedish Church in Oakland, Nebraska. It was interesting how the different European cultures persisted after settlement in the last half of the 1800s, another consequence of the inheritance laws in Europe at the time.
I stayed too far away to see Omaha and the next night outside Kansas City. They were both quite a bit bigger, which made for an interesting and sometimes frustrating excursion.
Missouri
Missouri
Northern Missouri had some nice areas, like Lake Winnebago. This name appeared at various points so far in the slide south. It is associated with the Ho-Chunk people who were forcibly resettled in many of the states along our route.
Missouri Crop Fields
The northern part of Missouri resembled the rolling hills and crop fields of Nebraska. As I moved further south, it became less developed, at least along the route I chose.
Lake Winnebago Missouri
As we drove further south, the landscape changed to resemble the South. Many churches and the Ten Commandments started appearing on billboards. It was not a great vibe compared to the earlier part of the trip. We were now in the Ozarks.
The Ozarks
The Ozarks in Missouri
The Ozarks have always had an interesting connotation to me. My Mom had religious survivalist friends who lived here and took her money for bullshit supplements. It seemed to be a hotbed of addiction when meth became popular. It’s sort of a white trash state in my mind.
Despite my astounding prejudice, I found a certain beauty here. It’s pretty much the same as any place in the rural south. It’s sort of an ‘unchanged by time’ vibe.
Fort Smith, Arkansas, was a strategic fort on the Missouri River in the 1800s. It played a big role in suppressing the Indian uprising and the infamous ‘Trail of Tears’ relocation of the indigenous people to Oklahoma. Most of the structure you see here was a prison.
The final drive into Hot Springs was quite nice. We climbed to around 1500 feet and saw some great visits. As we got closer to the Ozark lakes, more vacation rentals and boats started appearing. We were headed for one of the playgrounds of this part of the country.
Over two years ago, I planned to visit Wisconsin to check in on 6-month-old Theo. However, my knee had other plans after needing a major overhaul. With that under my belt, we came up with Excellent Adventure 2024 to visit them and, as an added bonus, my sister-in-law Myhra’s brother Richard and his wife LaRae at their home/farm /woodshop literally in the middle of (nearly) Nowhere, North Dakota.
Wisconsin Driftless Farm Country
Theo lives with his Mom, Dr. Kari, and Dad, Carl, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I visited here a little over three years ago when Clan Tubridy gathered with Clan Bringe to celebrate Theo’s upcoming birth. This area, unaffected by the glaciers at the end of the ice age, is beautiful beyond words: rolling hills, windy farm roads, picturesque small towns, and lots, and lots, of farms.
The Bringe Farm: Mary Jo, Uncle Alex (aka Stewie), and Dad Carl. Theo is busy pushing the buttons!
Theo is two and a half years old and a sweet, inquisitive, and well-behaved little dude. We had many adventures in the three days I was there! On the first day, we visited Armand and Mary Jo at the Bringe homestead. Their oldest son, Alex (aka Stewie), would let some of his cattle out onto a new pasture.
Who Let the Cows Out?
We got to watch. It was very cool and somewhat surprising that some of the cattle were apparently afraid of Theo! Later, Theo rode in various tractors – John Deere Green Tractors – with Grandpa and Uncle Stewie! We hung out at the farm before heading back home for the day.
Country Farm Breakfast
Country Farm Breakfast
The next day, Kari joined in, and we had a treat that really made the whole trip. In the morning, we went to a Country Farm Breakfast. These are held at different farms in the area and supported by the various farming associations, youth organizations, and the community as a whole.
Country Farm Breakfast is an organic dairy farm with Jersey milk cattle near Harmony, Wisconsin.
This was hosted at an organic dairy farm. I got to see the cows and talk about milking with one of the experts.
There was a good turnout despite the mud. Yep – it was raining, and on a farm, that means mud! Despite (or perhaps because of) the weather, everyone was having a fucking blast as near as I could tell. I loved watching old and young families and seeing how big a part of their kids are. Humbling. If I were raising a young family, it would be hereβa beautiful sight. Theo’s grandparents and uncle were there with people they had known their whole lives.
Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Center
Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Center
We then drove around in more of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. The people of Norway (including the Bringes) settled here and brought their heritage with them. In this case, a Norwegian homestead is now called Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Centerβour next stop.
It was a celebration day for them, too! We watched a Maypole dance, a young girl churning butter, and traditional Norwegian handicrafts. Theo especially enjoyed the blacksmith’s fire π₯.
A Troll along the path at the Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Center
I saw a Muskrat in a nearby lakeβmore or less a giant swimming rat. There were trails for both hiking and riding. Many volunteers were there, demonstrating and discussing the history of the craft and partaking in various crafts. At one point, traditional feats of strength like the Hammer Throw were demonstrated. It was big fun!
The Circus
Cirque Italia
Theo at the Circus
After a quick nap back home, we headed out for the Circus! We saw a traveling circus called Cirque Italia. A group of about one dozen performers from all over the world performed for us, including aerial acts, juggling, balancing, dance, a light show, andβof courseβa clown. It was more big fun! I was exhausted and passed out upon arrival home!
The La Crosse Queen
In the late 1800s, travel by paddlewheeler was the norm for people living along the Mississippi. Families would travel to visit friends and relatives and to shop. Our boat, although no longer a wood-burning engine, was from a long line of these boats.
La Cross Queen Riverboat Ride
A trip on the river had been on my bucket list for a while: a paddle boat tour of the Mississippi. And for an extra bonus, the river was at flood stage! It made for quite a sight, especially as we approached the dam to the north of La Crosse. Thro’s grandparents went, too, and I enjoyed Armand’s deep knowledge of commerce on the Mississippi.
Drive to North Dakota
Later that afternoon, we hooked up once again and made our way northwest into Minnesota.
After an uneventful overnight outside Minneapolis, we made it to our second stop somewhere in southeastern North Dakota.
North Dakota Farmlands
Wimer Farm, North Dakota
Rick’s wife, Myhra, is from North Dakota. One of her brothers, Richard, lives on a farm near the town of Gwinner. His wife LaRae worked as a heavy machinery operator at the nearby Bobcat factory. They raise two daughters and have now retired. They are both woodworkers! They have a good-sized garden, and I watched them dig potatoes for the evening meal.
Taters! What’s Taters, Precious? PO-TA-TOES – you can boil ’em, mash ’em, and stick ’em in a stew!
When I first learned woodworking, I read about it and assumed that many farmers were woodworkers. Their shop reminded me of another friend’s acquaintance in Maine, whom I visited in 2022. He was a canoe restorer.
One of Richard’s Band Saw Boxes. The drawer recesses are cut using a bandsaw. He also turned different wood burls into bowls and other shapes.
Richard has made some stunning bandsaw boxes and turned pieces. They had machinery in several buildings and pieces of wood lying everywhere! He was very generous and gave me a few choice pieces, including a live-edge slab.
LaRae’s lair, where she practices the art of quilting. She organizes tours in the region for friends to visit different quilting stores in the Midwest.
LaRae goes in for bigger stuff like cabinetry. She is also an accomplished quilter and had quite the setup in their basement. She was very sharp, and we had a lot of similar interests. She reminded me so much of my friend Laura, whom we will visit on this trip.
She introduced me to a new regional saying:
Opherphun
(Oh-For-Fun)
Richard let me drive his Bobcat – Opherphun! Jake hopped on, and we had a good time driving it to the end of the road. He took me to a nearby farming area where I got to climb in a huge John Deere tractor. We met up with a guy he used to work with spraying his crops. We spoke to him for a while. While talking about his 16-year-old son, he used the expression:
Uff Da!
My trip was complete! I actually heard a local use the word. It was priceless, as was the opportunity to meet all these beautiful people in this part of America.
I was sitting in a giant green tractor in a cornfield somewhere in southeast North Dakotaβthe Heartland.
I think I am beginning to understand nowβhardworking people who love the land. May I be forever humbled.
We reached the top of the roller coaster! Now, we slide south from North Dakota to Arkansas! In the process, I will add the final state to my list of visited states βNebraska. I stopped once at the airport, but that didn’t count. Also, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahomaβright smack through Tornado country!
The next three days were spent leisurely heading north through Illinois, using a combination of Interstates and backroads to see the local scenery. And what, pray tell, did we see? Fields of Corn!
Heartland Illinois
In several areas, we saw quite extensive wind farms.
Wind farms in the heartland
Our first night was on the Illinois River near Peoria. The campground was in an area with extensive earthworks on Upper Peoria Lake. I’m not sure what that was about.
Upper Peoria Lake on the Illinois River
Upper Peoria Lake
The next day, we drove north through Ronald Reagan’s boyhood home in Dixon, Illinois. This whole area feels nondescript. It’s very odd.
Boyhood home of Ronnie Raygun
The Rock River in Dixon, Illinois
The scenery got more interesting after that, with small rolling hills and more Fields of Corn. There were also fields of Soybeans, but they were not nearly as impressive π€£.
Illinois River
We stayed overnight in northern Illinois and experienced our first hard rain of the trip. It continued to rain during our visit to Wisconsin.
Somewhere in Wisconsin
Our goal for the last day was to drive the Great River Road of southern Wisconsin.
We headed for Prarie du Chen and began the trip northwards. This is where Armand (Carl’s Father-in-Law) hauls his grain from his farm in Viroqua to be loaded on barges and taken downriver.
Might Mississippi near flood stage
The Mississippi was nearing flood stage, making for spectacular vistas as we slowly made our way northwards.
Wisconsin Great River Road
One can only imagine a raft of lumber 270 feet wide and 1550 feet long being moved down the mighty river. It must have been an impressive sight!
La Crosse
Our journey through this part of the heartland was complete! Now, we will spend time with one of the two families living in the heartland as we reach nephew Carl and his wife, Dr Kari, and the Tubridy pride-and-joy, Theodore!
A statue of Seaman, the Newfoundland dog, accompanied Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition, which started in Saint Louis.
Saint Louis played a pivotal role in forming the new United States. Originally founded by the French, it traded back and forth with Spain before becoming part of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. From there, it evolved into a nexus for expansion to the West. Best known, perhaps, was the expedition of Lewis and Clark, commissioned by Thomas Jefferson following the purchase.
We woke and left early to catch the sunrise at Gateway Arch. I had toured the Arch itself many years ago while on a business trip. I remember it being quite an experience, and I had no desire to do it again.
Gateway Arch in front of downtown St Louis
When we are in a new area, I always try to find a park where Jake and I can catch the sunrise. We made it downtown and came to the stark realization that there was no giant parking lot like every other National Park! However, there are nice hotels beside it with expensive hourly parking. I paid more for a one-hour ticket than the trip to the Botanical Garden later in the morning.
Jake on the stairs of the Gateway Arch
It was all worth it when we got thereβall by ourselves, more or less. We walked around the Arch. It truly is a magnificent sight and engineering achievement. I am frankly amazed it looks so goodβa testimony to its designer.
Lewis, Clark & Seaman the dog – perhaps the most famous of all American explorers
We were happy to find a beautiful bronze statue of Lewis, Clark, and their faithful dog, Seaman, on the waterfront. A Newfoundland dog, he survived the trip and was renowned for the service he provided the two Captains on their journey in the early 1800s.
The US Courthouse
Sunrise on the Mississippi River
Missouri Botanical Gardens
Missouri Botanical Garden – Water plants with Climatron for tropical plants in the background.
Kari went to Medical School in St Louis. She recommended the Botanical Gardens. With Jake safely back at the trailer, I ventured into St Louis for a visit.
Missouri Botanical Garden
The museum dates back to 1859 and has a collection of preserved plants (a herbarium) with over 6.6 million specimens. It occupies 79 acres in an area southwest of the Gateway Arch.
Missouri Botanical Gardens – Rose Garden
I was impressed by the very well-kept gardens, meticulously labeled and tended to by a seeming army of volunteers and workers. In fact, there were more of them early in the morning than actual visitors! Like the earlier visit, I felt like I had the place to myself.
Missouri Botanical Garden – Japanese Gardens
The Japanese gardens were very large, occupying over 25 acres. The Climatarium held a vast collection of tropical plants in an amazing setting. The flowers were full in bloom and beautiful.
One of my all-time musicians is Pat Metheny. He hails from Missouri. I love his song (Cross The) Heartland. For some reason, when I think of crossing the heartland, I think of endless fields of corn.
The trip to St Louis went north through Kentucky and crossed into Indiana near Evansville. None of that was too attractive, and Evansville was another of many towns where the old infrastructure was being replaced in real time.
Ohio River between Illinois and Indiana
This eventually led to Illinois when we crossed the Ohio River. We stayed right across the river at Grayville, which was surrounded by fields of Corn.
Grayville KOAJake was admiring the Fields of Corn.
The campground was a bit unusual. It looked like it was trying to be a bigger deal than it was. But they had a great restaurant, and I treated myself to a Midwest hamburger from cows raised on all that corn. Delicious!
Grayville KOA – It looked like they tried to make this more of an attraction than it actually was π€£
The next morning we drove a bit north through beautiful farmland. Corn everywhere. A lot of dairy farms.
We made it to the campground mid afternoon. It was hot and a dip in the swimming pool was great!
After three days of traveling, our first stop was in the ‘Cavelands’ of Kentucky. This area north of Bowling Green has more known cave systems than anywhere else in the world π. The largest is Mammoth Caves National Park. The area has a rich history of explorers and entrepreneurs looking for ways to capitalize on Mother Nature. It is also a beautiful horse country with rolling hills of green grass.
Horse Cave
Horse Cave KOA – Glamping, Camping & RVs (for the rest of us)
We stayed about 30 minutes from the national park at a campground in Horse Cave. As the sign says, it features camping and glampingβroughing it in style. They had an assortment of Tee Pees, Tree Houses, Covered Wagons, Cabins, and RV sites. There were lots for kids to do, including a slide and a giant jumping balloon.
Mammoth Cave is the most extensive mapped cave system in the world. The geological formations that enable this are a limestone layer (with the caves) underneath a sandstone layer (like a roof). This makes for a very stable formation.
Tourist guide printed in the late 1800s. The caves attracted international attention.
It has a fascinating history dating back over 5,000 years. Native Americans lived in and around the caves where many artifacts, including a mummy, were found!
The caves became an international tourist attraction in the 1800s. Ranger Eric told us that tourists from New York came in their Sunday finest to view the muddy caves. Remains of their meals can be found scattered throughout the caves.
In the early 1900s, the infamous “Kentucky Cave Wars’ resulted in shysters and conmen vying for the tourist trade. It seemed locals would go to no length to get the tourist dollars.
The rich Kentuckians decided to take matters into their own hands and prepare the way for it to become a national park. This process was especially contentious because it involved imminent domain. Thousands of people were unhappily relocated. (See the previous post on the Tennessee River Valeyβno wonder people in this part of the country distrust the Federal Government.)
It finally became a National Park in the 1940s.
The total distance explored to date is more than 426 miles. The depth of the caves below the surface is between 400 and 800 feet. Explorers in the 1900s were able to determine the likelihood of a cave passage from surface features. These early surveys were hidden from general knowledge for fear of the caves not belonging to the landowners.
I was not disappointed when I embarked on the 4-hour Grand Tour. The tour truly lived up to its name, offering a grand experience of the cave system’s many facets. Ranger Eric’s expertise and engaging, folksy style of explaining the history and formations added a delightful layer to the experience.
A short bus ride leads you to the entrance for the 4-hour tour. The temperatures were cool but not cold, with an ever-so-slight breeze.
Despite my initial concerns about my 69-year-old knees and back, I found the route surprisingly manageable. The well-packed dirt, concrete pathways, and sturdy handrails made the journey a breeze. It was a testament to the cave system’s accessibility, reassuring me that physical limitations need not hinder such a grand adventure.
The first part of the tour winds through a passage created by flowing water.
The journey was indeed challenging, but the well-timed rest stops (two with bathrooms) provided a much-needed respite. The real thrill, however, was in the intriguing cave formations, particularly Boone’s Passageway. Its narrow spots and low ceilings added a unique and thrilling element to the adventure, making it an experience like no other.
The four miles were divided into three segments. The first was relatively open and level. The second took you through a tall and narrow section. The third featured towering staircases and areas where water formed stalagmites.
All in all, it was a stunning but exhausting experience! I felt a bit better meeting Bob at the end of the journey. He’s 80 years old and was my hero for the day!
Friday was a day off for shopping and recovering from the 4-mile walk. I was very sore and desperately missed my hot tub. Tomorrow, we raise anchor and head for St. LouisβGateway to the West.
After a slight delay due to a major Oh-Shit, the Starship Excellent Adventure launches on the fourth installment of Jake & Eddie’s Excellent Adventure!
First Stop – Krystal
Many years ago, when I was but a pup, there was a Krystal Hamburger store in Cocoa Beach. The Krystal Experience, as I like to call it, is burned into my engrams. Originally, there was a counter where you could order food. Our mailman would eat breakfast there. You see, back in the 1960s, Krystal was well-known for their waffles!
He was a tank driver in the military. He told us how he would file down slugs and use them to buy cigarettes (I tried it later with no luck)! When we had our car accident at Third and Orlando, our car hit his Volkswagen Beetle and pushed it into the storefront of a cafe that was there (no one was hurt). These memories seem like a dream now. Maybe I made the whole thing up!
60+ Years of Krystal
Regardless, I always loved their crappy, grease-soaked hamburgers dripping with onions, mustard, and pickle slices on a square, fluffy white bread roll. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it ~ indeed. It’s been my tradition when traveling the lower part of Georgia to always get me a sackful! Yum π.
Jake’s collection of puppys for the trip! Dino (from 2021) and Red (from 2022). Sluggo (from 2023) not shown. Plus his fav’s Santa Chop!
Cordele ~ Georgia
After a completely uneventful, mind-numbing drive north on I-75, we arrive at our first stop in bumfuck, Georgia. It thunderstormed all afternoon βοΈ.
We left early, heading towards the dreaded Atlanta, the semi-truck capital of the South. After a short race on the USA’s largest raceway (aka I-285), we headed west on I-20 towards Birmingham. Then we took the backroads through northwestern Georgia, passing through Rome, to finally arrive at our next stop.
Leave It To Beaver
All Hail Mighty Beaver
In the book I recently read, Termination Shock, one of the main characters, T.R., is an oil billionaire who made his money off building enormous gas stations with dozens of pumps and a giant store to help travelers get rid of those cumbersome wads of cash (or more likely debit cards). He repents his sins of contributing to global heating now that his hometown, Houston, quickly going underwater by building a contraption to shoot sulfur into the upper atmosphere to cool the planet down.
All Hail Mighty Beaver. May the Beaver never go hungry! How fucking embarrassing is this stupid sign? For Spaghetti-Monster sake you mindless nitwits!
While this might just be a story, the gas stations are real – and called Buc-ees. Their mascot is a Beaver. Go figure.
Lookout $$$ Mountain
Lookout Mountain KOA
Our stop for the evening was near Trenton, Georgia. It is a very nice campground secluded in the rolling hills near the Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee state lines.
Lookout Mountain KOA campground
Lookout Mountain area – beautiful views but hard to find because of all the damn trees π²π€£.
We took a frustrating drive through Lookout Mountain, looking for some views of the sunrise the following day. The only good view was on a section of the road up the ridgeway with no places to stop! We finally got to Rock City, expecting to see the views. They are there. They cost $31.
In the morning, we head from Chattanooga towards Nashville and then up to Mammoth Caves.
Tennessee Valley Rest Area – a river that is now a lake.
Whenever I see the Tennessee River reservoirs made during the 1930s by damming the river, I always think of the fantastic Coen Brothers movie Oh Brother Where Art Thou? Over 100,000 people were displaced when the dams were built. In the movie, the valley is flooded right before the trio – Pete, Delmar, and leader Ulysses Everett McGill – are to be hanged, thereby saving the proverbial day! Classic!
Booze It and Lose It in Tennessee!
I generally try to avoid going through the city. My RV safe navigator told me to give it a try. What the hell – what could possibly happen?
Power Lines with Nashville in the background. More crumbling infrastructure. Yee-haw!
I managed to get through with a moderate amount of frustration. One guy honked and gave me a thumbs-up, and another flipped me off for pulling in front of him π.
Guns and Ammo – Lots of signs like this. Hell, yes, I need more guns and ammo! Gotta get me a Libtard! Others told me I was going to burn in Hellβmore performative warfare on display.
We arrive in the early afternoon. The campground is on the hill overlooking the Interstate on one side and this one on the other:
Horse Cave – looking west
One out of two isn’t bad at all!
Tomorrow: Jake gets to stay home while I explore Mammoth Caves.
35 nights ~ 4600 Miles ~ Mammoth Cave & Natural Hot Springs National Parks ~ Family & Friends
I originally planned to visit Nephew Carl and his family in Wisconsin in 2022. My knee surgery threw a monkey wrench into that plan. We will visit them on this trip, drive through America’s Heartland, and visit some “bucket list” National Parks.
Gradually Northwest to the Heartland
We will start our trip by visiting the Horton family cemeteries in the western part of Virginia. My father’s mother came from early English immigrants who saw the American Revolution and the Civil War. Evidence shows that the family name can be traced to a landowner, Horton, in the 12th Century. They lived near Cumberland Gap – home to Daniel Boone and very early childhood memories of reenactments by the fireside.
We will visit childhood friends who settled on a beautiful TVA reservoir outside Knoxville, Tennessee. We stopped there two years ago on Excellent Adventure 2022.
A tour group gathers in Star Chamber on the Violet City Lantern Tour at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.
From there, Mammoth Caves National Park (outside Bowling Green, Kentucky) will be our first of two National Park visits.
We then head towards the mighty Mississippi River at St Louis. We’ll stay two nights there before starting the trip north, following the river as best we can, before arriving in La Crosse, Wisconsin. This will take us through Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
The Heartland
I have always associated the heartland with Scandinavian origins. I spent some time there in the 1980s and loved their style!
We also look forward to seeing nephew Carl, Dr. Kari Bringe, and the “Norwegian to the Core” Bringe Family. They are my perfect vision of America’s Heartland as a multi-generational (successful) farm family.
Clan Tubridy & Clan Bringe – Fall 2021 – La Crosse, Wisconsin
Driving through Minnesota, our next stop will be in North Dakota. We will visit Sister-In-Law Myrha’s brother and sister-in-law in the middle of a wheat field! I met them once many years ago. They are woodworkers, and I would love to see their setup in the Heartland. It also gives me an excuse to drive all the way from the farmland of the Mississippi River valley to the Great Plains before they drop southwards.
The Road to Nowhere
Drive to Nowhere
I saw a route on a map that listed 10 great drives. The Drive to Nowhere was one, following a route just west of our chosen route! They say this is the truest path through America’s Heartland.
It will take five days to reach our next National Park stop, Hot Springs National Park, outside Little Rock. Along the way, we will stop in Sioux City, SD; Omaha, NB; Kansas City, KS; Joplin, MO; and Sallisaw, OK.
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.
At the end of this journey, I will complete the milestone of visiting all 50 states at some point in my nearly 70 years on this beautiful planet I have come to love so much. The only state missing was Nebraska! I landed there once to catch another flight, but I don’t count airport only stops!
The Road Home
From there, we wind our way home, stopping in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama before returning to our little beach shack on the ocean.
