Day 17

When I woke up this morning, Bigfoot was sound asleep, even though I had heard his alarm go off. He had “snoozed” it and went back to sleep. When I woke him up, he was quite alarmed about the time and jumped up and we left. We were sleeping at the Hillshire Farm plant in New London Wisconsin. We did my favorite thing today……drove on rural highways instead of major interstates and got to see some very pretty places in Wisconsin. Gorgeous flowers, Amish homes, quaint little towns (one called Wild Rose), and lots and lots of green. Aunt Bet is right, Wisconsin is very lovely.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Around Black River Falls Wisconsin

We crossed the Mississippi River from Wisconsin to Minnesota. The river was very pretty and so was Minnesota. As we were traveling along in Minnesota on I-90, I saw a billboard that said 16,500 square feet of SPAM with a SPAM can. I was intrigued, so I Googled Minnesota SPAM and found the neatest website called www.roadsideamerica.com. There I found that there is a SPAM museum in Austin Minnesota. I read all about it and we passed by it, but of course, we did not get to stop. I keep forgetting we are truckers and not tourists, which stinks. I was not quick enough to get a picture of the SPAM billboard, but then again, who knew to be on the lookout for SPAM museum advertisement.

Mississippi River in Minnesota

Mississippi River in Minnesota

Welcome to Minnesota

Mississippi River in Minnesota

Minnesota, just out of Wisconsin

We are still moving and we have made it as far as Kansas City. I think we are going to stop in Oklahoma somewhere after while. It is time now for me to go back to sleep!

Day 16

Bigfoot made our delivery in Eau Claire while I was sleeping and we headed back to the same Flying J where we have been staying in Black River Falls. It is raining today, so we won’t have the same nice experience there that we had yesterday. We ate pizza for breakfast and sat in the truck. I worked and read and Bigfoot played games. It stopped raining in the early afternoon so we walked over to the Deer Creek gift shop and wandered around. It was very cute with LOTS to look at. We went back to the truck and I worked until bedtime.

We got another load and I am very excited about it. We finally get to go in a different direction. We pick up in New London Wisconsin and deliver in Tolleson Arizona. It’s about time!!! I went to sleep and Bigfoot headed us toward our pick up location. Hopefully tomorrow will bring something interesting to look at.

Day 15

During the night, Bigfoot started driving and made our delivery in Darien Wisconsin while I was still asleep and then we drove on to Black River Falls Wisconsin. It was a much prettier area that I have seen of Wisconsin previously. We stopped at a Flying J truck stop that looks like a lodge. It has a cute little gift and cheese shop. The day was absolutely gorgeous. Extremely cool and sunny. Bigfoot went to sleep and me and Sparkle went on a nice little walk and then I decided to sit at a picnic table up by the truck stop store and read my book. Of course, Sparkle was the official greeter to everybody who walked by. Some ignored her, but most spoke and several even stopped and visited for a while. One couple even went to get their blue merle Sheltie, Smokey, and brought him over for a meet and greet. They were very cute together. I did not get much reading done, but we got lots of fresh air and sunshine, which we both needed badly. Bigfoot got up, I worked some, and we ate dinner, and then I worked some more. I read a little before I passed out. We are going to leave around 3:00 a.m. to go to Eau Claire Wisconsin for the second stop on our delivery. Next stop..........who knows!!!

Day 14

We did not get much sleep last night after our fun night with Kathy and having to get up very early this morning to go pick up our trailer and head over to pick up our load that goes to Wisconsin. Of course, I continued to sleep for a little while and by the time I woke up, we were already back at the truck stop in Richfield to weigh the truck. We left Ohio headed for Wisconsin. It was an uneventful day except for terrible rain and lightning for part of the trip.

Unfortunately, we got into Chicago at just about rush hour and it seemed like it took FOREVER to get through there. The only good part of that was that moving so slow, I was able to get some good photos of the city. We went right past downtown. We passed the sign pointing us to Harpo Studios, but I only got a too blurry picture. I am sure Oprah will be sorry she missed us. Maybe next time, O.

We made it to a truck stop just outside of Chicago. I was getting a little work done and looked out the window to see that God had sent me another gift………another gorgeous night sky.

Bigfoot is asleep and I am going to visit with my friends the vampires and werewolves of the Twilight saga for a little while and then head off to beddy bye myself.

Here comes Chick-a-go!

Sparkle is very excited about going to the Windy City. She wants to see Oprah.

It is a pretty city.......from here.

Another angle.

And another.........

The Sears Tower.

This is the subway platform......the Metra they call it.

And here is the Metra.

Cool.

Isn't this just gorgeous.

Magnificent.

Day 13

It's Monday night and we have had just the MOST awesome day. We made it to Richfield Ohio for our delivery and came back to a truck stop we had been to before. We discovered that we are only about 40 minutes from my dear wonderful friend, Kathy. She made plans to drive up this afternoon and then we rode with her back down to her house in Canton. We picked up Mexican food from Chipotle's and went to her house and ate and lounged and laughed and talked. It was so incredibly good to be with her. Her apartment is awesome with lots of horsey western decor and pictures from her ranch travels and from our horseback riding days. Since we have been to this area several times before, I am very much hoping that we will come here again and can work out another visit. We had such a good time and it was a real treat to see her and see her adorable apartment.

Thanks for the great time, Kathy. I love you!

This is really in Big Springs Nebraska. I forgot I took it.

Bigfoot reading.

Sparkle in the hole.

KATHY'S HERE!!!!

Bigfoot found Kathy's hat in the backseat.

This is the yard right outside Kathy's office window at her apartment.

Great friends.

We had such a good time.

Bigfoot and Sparkle had trouble making themselves at home.

The Football bridge in Canton.

Day 11 and 12

The past two days have extremely boring. We drove during the night and slept/worked/read/sat at truck stops all day. First in Big Springs Nebraska and then the Iowa 80, which is always a treat. We shopped but did not purchase.........it's just a fun place to wander around in.

We did stop Sunday morning at a WalMart for an emergency trip. I finished the second book in the Twilight series and HAD to get the others so I could keep up. Thankfully they had the last two, so I got them both and will be able to finish the saga. I am enjoying them WAY more than I ever thought I would, especially since I did not really enjoy the movie that much. The books are a lot better. We will be in Streetsboro Ohio in the morning and hopefully we will get another load right away.

Day 10

It's Friday and we made it to the truck stop in Springville, a Flying J right at the base of the mountains. It was a lovely, sunny warm day so me and Sparkle got out again and went on a nice walk down a rock road/path. I took pictures and she enjoyed the fresh air. I stopped for a split second to photograph a sunflower and looked down and she had plopped down. I guess she is getting out of shape from all this riding!

I worked a while and talked on the phone a while. It was nice to just look out the window and see such lovely views all around.

For supper, we went south of the border! I made refried beans with fiesta cheese, a little milk, and salsa, melted all that together, topped with more cheese and my favorite, Taco Bell hot sauce. Served up with tortilla chips warmed on the dash!! I even thought I heard a Mariachi band in the background. OLE!!!!

We left Springville late afternoon and were coming through Wyoming as the sun was going down and the sky was SO beautiful with all shades of pinks and purples and blues. I did my best to capture it, but the pictures are a little blurry and somethings you can only appreciate with your own eyes. But, they turned out pretty anyway.

Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin…………We should make it to Nebraska on this stretch.

Springville Utah

Springville Utah

Springville Utah

This is the path Sparkle and I went walking on.

See our truck? Lovely view to wake up to, huh?

A pretty little flower from our walk.

Pretty purple thistle.

Parley's Canyon, Utah

Smile!

Frown!

A beautiful sky in Wyoming........

A beautiful sky in Wyoming........

A beautiful sky in Wyoming........

A beautiful sky in Wyoming........

Happy Birthday, Belle. I love you and miss you!

Day 9

So nice to wake up to see mountains. We are in Laramie Wyoming for the day. All around were mountains, and directly in front of the truck, way in the distance, you could even see snow caps. I was never in a position good enough to photograph from that angle, though. I worked very little and read a lot and napped a little. Me and Sparkle got out and walked around a while, taking in the scenery. It was very warm and sunny today, so it was a nice day to be outside.

We got load information for our next load. We pick up in Springville Utah and go right back the way we came, down I-80, to Streetsboro Ohio. Boring scenery that we have seen just about every trip, but at least it is a lot of miles, which is crucial at this point.

Bigfoot got up mid afternoon and we left there while there was still plenty of daylight, so I got lots of pictures coming through Wyoming. Unfortunately, most of them were a bit blurry. I posted the best ones I got. I am very excited……..Utah is next. I really like Utah, but sadly we will be coming in to it in the dark and I will miss seeing Parley’s Canyon coming in from the east.

We stopped at the Salt Lake terminal and Bigfoot had some minor maintenance done on the truck and then we took showers at 3:00 in the morning. From there, Springville. We did get to dump the bum trailer and get a preloaded one from the Nestle plant. Thank goodness. I have seen all I am going to see tonight. I am going to look at the back of my eyelids for a while.

Truck stop view!

The view from the truck stop.......see our truck?

The view from the front of the truck stop.

I-80 leaving the truck stop, Laramie Wyoming.

I-80 coming through Wyoming.

I-80 coming through Wyoming.

Pretty pink clouds.

I liked this rock formation with the pink clouds.

I-80 coming through Wyoming.

Isn't this pretty?