Road Trip 2013: Final stretch. Fort Collins to Gouverneur

Friday 9/27 to Monday 9/30:  1,784 miles and we camped three nights at:

• Grand Island, Nebraska KOA
• Steve Randall's drive way, Eldridge, Iowa
• Sandusky, Ohio KOA

We decided to make the run from Fort Collins to Gouverneur in a straight four day stretch.  While this ins't the ideal way to travel, it allowed us to spend as much time in the west as possible before making the sprint home.

Friday the 27th:  Grand Island, Nebraska

Fort Collins, Colorado to Grand Island, Nebraska

Grand Island KOA

We had breakfast with Stan and Betsy, and were on the road by 9:00.  After driving in the mountains the previous day, today verged on boring because the landscape is so flat.  Corn and soybean fields as far as you can see are the name of the game in this part of the country.

Saturday the 28th:  Eldridge, Iowa

Grand Island, Nebraska to Eldridge, Iowa

Steve Randall's drive way, Eldridge, Iowa

The drive today from Grand Island to Eldridge was wet.  A slow rain storm was moving from west to east.  I think the storm was traveling about as fast as we were, because we were in it all day.  It was extremely windy as well, so the driving was ugly.  Not fun!  My High School friend, Steve Randall, lives just off Interstate 80 in Eldridge, Iowa, so that turned out to be a convenient stop for an overnight.

Steve, Judy and I went out to dinner at the Faithful Pilot Cafe in Le Claire, Iowa.  The restaurant is located on the Mississippi River, and Steve had reserved window seats.  We got to see barges being moved on the river.  Dinner was pricey, but phenomenal.  We had a great evening out.

Sunday the 29th:  Sandusky, Ohio

Eldridge, Iowa to Sandusky, Ohio

We left Steve's house about 9:00 Sunday morning.  The weather was partly sunny and just a bit cool.  As for the landscape for today, well......just think corn and soybeans as far as you can see.  There was not much combine activity yet.  Harvesting was just beginning.  We did see a couple of HUGE ethanol manufacturing facilitates that use corn.  Judy and I ended up staying at a KOA in Sandusky, Ohio for the final night of the road trip.  Monday is the final stretch.

Monday the 30th:  Home, Gouverneur, NY

Sandusky, Ohio to Gouverneur, New York

Back at the homestead.

So, to sum up the 2013 Road Trip:

• Total miles:                7,855
• Gallons of fuel:             682
• Avg. MPG:                   11.5
• States visited                   18
• Days on the road:           40
• Memories:              PRICELESS!!!!