The Chronicles of Captain Ahab and Captain Crunch: Day 3

Today's itinerary: All the way across Nebraska, to Wyoming.

This morning we woke up to a lovely day in Lincoln, Nebraska. We started our morning the way that everyone should, eating a pretty good (and free) breakfast buffet surrounded by some fantastically tacky USA pride decor: flags, fake flowers, eagles, you name it. After we packed up all our goods we stopped across the street, so that I could look over the edge and see more Nebraska.


It really was beautiful!


It's all about my hair looking totally awesome! Hehe. Love my roomie!


I had to get a picture of this place when we stopped for gas! I tried to get Kasey to sit on the gorilla for the picture, but for some reason, she didn't want to! Hm.

The drive across Nebraska was a straight shot, one side to the other right down one road. We have actually only really driven on two main roads, so it has been pretty smooth (short of all the construction).


Seriously Wanita! 297 Miles!!


So, I had to get a picture of this because my sister lived in a city called Kearny (pronounced the same). We have also seen multiple Utica's and Buffalo's. It is funny how there are so many repeat city names!

Nebraska is certainly a city of corn and farming. It is crazy. We went on and on for miles with acres and acres of corn growing. One cool thing that I did see was a rainbow right in one of the sprinklers! We also saw a yellow crop dusting plane, which was really neat. I have never seen anything like that before. Very fun!

After a while, Kasey and I were ready to pull in for lunch and Kasey picked the perfect pull-off: North Platte, NE! We started off in a cute little place called Penny's Diner. It was exactly the kind of place you would want to stop on one of these trips! After that, we visited Fort Cody a free museum dedicated to Buffalo Bill! It was super fun!


Penny's Diner


Gotta love that, right next to the grill. Well, the whole place was right next to the grill, lol.


I had a buffalo burger (in honor of Buffalo Bill). Did you know that buffalo meat tastes just like beef only half the calories and one quarter the fat! Mmmm.


Look at that view for lunch. Perfect!


Of course, the Trading Post :-)




This was a great sign!

After browsing around, we headed back on the road. There wasn't a whole lot going on, but it really was beautiful. While I am exhausted, the drive really is very peaceful.





We had a really full day, and at the end of it, we finally made it to Wyoming.


It really is God's country. I wish that you could see the size of this ginormous Blessed Mother and the smaller stations of the cross surrounding her! Hysterical. Grandma would have loved this!


Hooray.

The problem is that once we hit Wyoming we got into a huge storm. I was so scared! Because the land is so flat, the wind was insane. I was blowing all over the road. I could feel the trailer hydr-planing, which was not fun at all. I was freaking out and praying to every person that I know is watching over me. Just as I was about to lose my cool... a tumbleweed rolled across the road in front of me! It was almost in slow-motion, totally old-fashioned country western movie-style rolling tumbleweed. I had to just stop and laugh. I even said, out loud, "Was that a tumbleweed?" Needless to say, I took that as a sign to get myself together and get through the storm. And, I did (so did Kasey).


Check out that rear-view picture of what I just got through! Craziness!


So, now I am sitting in front of this Sweet television in the hotel and relaxing! The bed is perfect and I am not even going to start on how awesome the shower was. I think I am mostly going to get some sleep. I am exhausted and tomorrow brings more travels for me and my co-captain.

James Robert, be safe and please hurry home! I love you.

always,
Jamie

The Chronicles of Captain Ahab and Captain Crunch: Day 2

Today's itinerary: Wake up in Indiana, travel through the "I" states: Illinois and Iowa, arrive in Nebraska.

Today was actually a longer day than yesterday. Our actual driving time was nine and a half hours. It was a beautiful day today! The weather was perfect and I went for the windows down today and saved on the gas. I was particularly excited this morning because the first song that came on the radio was one of the three songs that I have picked out for James and my first dance!! Must be a good sign!




Really pretty bridge.

We drove through Illinois pretty quickly. It was very pretty. We had a really good start going, so we pushed right through. The countryside was really pretty and the roads weren't too busy. There was a great stretch of road where there were little sunflowers sprouting right on the side of the road! We had some lunch and travelled into the next part of our trip.



Iowa had a few interesting sights to see. For one thing, this state is particularly earth friendly. So friendly, in fact, that the better gas was actually cheaper! This was the first time that I got to get the cheaper gas. It was nice, too, because I was getting good mileage already. The other really cool thing that we saw were fields and fields of wind turbines. They were amazing! I have never seen anything like this in person before, so I was happy to hit a little traffic and get a couple pictures.


Gotta love the world's largest truck stop! 800 parking spaces! Wow :-)


It is hard to see in the picture, but this is my favorite site thus far! It was amazing!

After getting stuck in some traffic, I was feeling a little nervous being so far away from Kasey. We didn't have radio contact or anything, so I just had to look out for her and try to catch up! Once I finally did see her up ahead she was about a mile away and there was no way I was catching her at the pace I was going. So... I decided to just nail it! It was SO fun! I went from 2,000 RPMs straight passed 3,000 and I was rocketing! It was cool! I had a total vision of the trailer going right into the air and flying behind me. Power. I am a whole new woman now :-) I caught up in like ten seconds or less!


You can't pay for something like this! Gorgeous!



Once we got here to Nebraska I was done! It was an exhausting trip! We were going up hill the entire time, so my leg was in major pain with all the extra weight!


I am glad to have a great travel companion!

Kasey and I found that there was a great restaurant in the hotel, so we decided that we would eat in there. It turned out to be delicious and we enjoyed a relaxing meal. Our waiter, Elden, made a few yummy suggestions and pretended that everything was a Nebraska specialty!




One suggestion was actually a specialty and that was the Dorothy Lynch dressing. It was delish!


Kasey got boring Ranch dressing!


They called these Nebraska Hash Browns. They were both yummy and convenient!


My sandwich was amazing!


Kasey's was, too!


This is me, you do not want to get in the middle of this!

I feel world's away already, but I am in love with this adventure! Tomorrow will be another day of new discoveries. I look forward to seeing everything that I can see and getting to another state. Today was our longest day of travel, so I look forward to a shorter and more relaxed drive.

Sweet Sailor, be safe and please hurry home. I have to go sleep! Dream Sweet!

Everyone (except Kasey): I miss you!!

always,
Jamie

The Chronicles of Captain Ahab and Captain Crunch: Day 1

Today's itinerary: Leave New York, through Pennsylvania, through Ohio, arrive Indiana.

I know that something that Kasey and I have in common are the hysterical reactions that we got from people when we told them that we are driving to California from New York! The sigh of relief that someone else was coming along was similar as well! After two years of building up to it, the time has come! I can't believe that I am going to drive across the country and I can't believe that James and I are finally going to be walking distance from each other! I think that Kasey and I have gotted a great deal closer in the two years that we have lived together and that is going to continue. Our next big adventure is this trip across the country to start the next chapters in each of our books! I am so glad that I have her by my side (well, in front of me, lol).

Sadly, my computer is giving me a hard time, so I don't have any pictures to share yet of the first leg of this journey. Kasey and I are soundly resting at a Sleep Inn in South Bend, Indiana. We got out of town with a lot of great omens including lots of love, a couple rainbows, and come driving courtesy from fellow travellers. We saw some wildlife and a 100 foot Indian who looked to be "Hailing Hitler"... flat hand, straight out in front! Weird! Driving along, via our radio signal, we had a little chat with some travelling bass fishermen and heard about a campsite that we could stay at if the people that were supposed to stay there didn't hurry up! All in all, it has been smooth sailing! The Durango is taking gas like I eat Chester's Puffcorn! No one mention to James the amount of money that has gone into his tank! Lol. I think that I have done pretty well with the trailer. I am a whole new driver! I can do anything! For now, I think that I am going to get some sleep before Wanita (the GPS) has to try to negotiate the round-abouts again tomorrow morning. I miss Syracuse already. We had such a great time there. I can't believe that two years is over already!

As for the Sailor, it is all for you, Sweet Man! I miss you tremendously and I can't wait to have you home! I love you, Sweet Pea!

always,
Jamie

Here are some great shots from the Day 1:


We hate goodbyes!


But we do Love Kris!


We are ready to hit the road...


Don't mess with me! I've got my mace!


My very nice parking job.


As per Aunt Christa's request Kasey is following her star!


Cool looking.


Thank goodness for a place to sleep! Nine hours of driving today.


I look super pooped! I was!

The End if Today is the Beginning of Tomorrow.

I can't believe that I am about to move myself to San Diego, California! I honestly never thought that I would make a move like this! I am very excited to get this show on the road though. Kasey and I will be travelling in two cars together all the way to Salt Lake City, Utah. She got a job in Sacramento, CA, which is to the north, so we are going to split up and do the last day on our own. Hopefully, James and I will be up to see her new digs in a couple weeks. If James can get a little time off, we will drive up Route 1 and see Kasey as well as my Aunt Janice and my wonderful friend Katie Rae.

Well, at this point, I am down two weeks of school (one to go). I missed the kids while I was in Myrtle Beach and time seems to be moving pretty quickly now that I am back. During the first week back we got one new little boy and enjoyed getting back into the swing of things with the other kids (we only have about ten this summer). It was fun to be back with my friends and my kids. Because Kasey turned in the keys to our apartment, we are living with Aunt Christa now, so that is very different. She must be a saint for taking us on with all of our stuff thrown all over the place! I have a messy and cosy little room that is perfect for these last three weeks. Kasey finished up her job and is just getting herself ready for the road (she has been taking care of a few things on my list, too, thanks again Kase!).

On Friday night, July 10, Kasey's family (on her dad's side) had a going away dinner for her. I went too, and it was very delicious. They have four little kids and a brand new playset, so we all had a fun time. They have a great house that looks like it came directly out of a Pottery Barn catalog from many angles. I had already been missing my mom, but not to worry, she got into Syracuse on Friday night because of the big family party that the weekend had in store.

July 11, 2009 brought around a great seventies themed party for our family reunion. The reason for the seventies theme... four of my Aunts and Uncles turned seventy this year!! Wow! That is pretty impressive. Here are some pictures of the fun!


Roomies celebrating the spirit!


Looks like Eric was ready for some fun, too!


Rachel used nine boxes of cake to make this work of art! I am definitely bringing her on to make me some kind of beautiful cake! This thing is amazing!


Sisters. Grace, Chelsea, and Rachel. This is a great shot!


One of the seventy-year-olds... not Kasey, but Uncle Bud. He will be 70 on July 29. Kasey made those cool shirts! She rocks!


We had a lot of family come all the way in from Colorado! I love it!


I love my Mom! She is the best!


The birthday folks.


Even the cake was tie-dye!


Look at the boys all grown up! And Ryan is getting married!


Kasey enjoyed one or two cheese balls...


My cousin's little girl! Isn't she the most beautiful thing?!

Monday, July 13, 2009, was nice because we ended up having my goodbye lunch from work and my Mom was still in town so she got to come along. It was really yummy (at Zebb's) and my ladies made me this great picture out of a collage of pictures that the kids did during the school year. It is so precious. I love it! I am going to miss them! After lunch my Mom and I did a few errands, including sending in the application for the apartment that I am hoping James and I will be living in. AND we ordered my wedding dress!!!! Hooray! I am very excited to have ordered it and by the end of the year it will be in! I am so excited!




I love my team!

On Tuesday, July 14, 2009, my little third cousin (from the baby shower blog entry) was born! Little Cayden Edward. He is so sweet and with a head full of hair! I can't wait to meet him. All of my congratulations go to my cousin, Kelly (the new grandma) and Cayden's Mom and Dad, Melissa and Sean!!

On the passed Sunday (the 12th) my sister's mission was supposed to go up to space. Because there was bad weather, it didn't get to go up. The good news is that it went up on Wednesday, July 15, 2009, instead. I am so incredibly proud of Jolyn! I can't believe that in less than a year she is the lead on her mission headed to outerspace! She is brilliant! I love her to pieces. Check out the video of the launch. It was flawless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DNljVcs6Dc

After all of the events of the week, I am exhausted. I have been marking things off my list left and right, but it still feels like the list is never ending. My biggest mission is selling my car. I would really love to be able to get that done before heading out NEXT Saturday (I can't believe it). In good news, James pulled into port again this week. I am so excited to be able to talk to him a little more. I was excited to be able to tell him about the apartment and the plans that I have been making for travelling. I miss him so much and I am so excited to get on the road and get him back!

I wish the world a wonderful weekend!

Be so safe James Robert and hurry your butt home!

always,
Jamie