Sundan, October 11, 2026, Salt Lake City to North Platte, Nebraska
Today we awoke at 6 and were on the road by 7. It was pouring rain, something poor Hugh had to contend with his first 2 hours of driving. When I took over after 2 hours it was just sprinkling and before long the sun came out. I listened to Emma M Lion in my hearing aids while Hugh slept. When my 2 hours were up we swapped and then began listening to the new Daniel Silva book Ransom. This continued the rest of the day until we reached North Platte Nebraska. This was our home for the evening and we checked in to the Hilton Tru before heading to Centennial Park to walk along the river. We got in a brisk walk of over 2 miles which energized and refreshed us. We then headed to Pals Brewery for dinner. Hugh had a craft beer and I had a glass of Riesling. We split a Jalapeño Popper Pizza and played trivia to finish unwinding! It was a long day but not very hard driving as most was on the interstate. It was off to bed when we arrived back at the hotel.
Monday, October 12, 2026, North Platte, Nebraska
This morning we got up at 7:30 and left the hotel after breakfast. We drove to downtown and walked around the canteen district before heading to the Golden Spike Tower and Bailey Yard. This tower is an eight-story attraction offering panoramic views of Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, the world's largest rail classification yard. The 7th floor features an open-air observation deck with ambient rail yard sounds, while the 8th floor provides an enclosed 360-degree viewing area with interactive kiosks and retired railroad employee commentary. The young man who sold us our tickets was so friendly and told us some history before we even made the elevator ride to the 8 floor. We spent over an hour just reading the comments and admiring the immensity of the yard. As we were leaving the young man manning the shop told us to stop by Cody Park to see the Challenger engine. We made the drive over and we could see it through the fence although the park is closed for the season. From here it was get gas, clean windshield, and start our drive toward Sioux Falls SD. We thought we would arrive around 4:30 when we left but our trip took a downward turn as we continued on our way. We were on small roads with varying speed limits, road construction, and detours. It was a long hard day and we finally arrived in Sioux Falls around 6:35pm. We checked in to our hotel and then made our way downtown to the Falls Park. The weather here is quite different from what we had yesterday. It is 53 and overcast with a strong wind. We donned our down jackets before making our way to the observation areas along the falls. We got some great photos and then headed to Phillips street which is one of the main areas of town. This looks like a great place to explore tomorrow when things are open.We parked and strolled along doing some window shopping before we reach Blarney Stone Pub. We stopped and had a great long dinner as we had skipped lunch. It was a great evening and back at the hotel we each enjoyed a soak in the tub!’ Good night!
· Today's pictures
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Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Sioux City, South Dakota
This morning we slept in a bit and showered before heading to breakfast. Packing was easy as we only had our toiletries to put in. We drove downtown Sioux Falls and started our walking tour of the city! We were on Phillips Avenue which was our second stop in the tour so we explored it and also did the sculpture walk at the same time. The sculpture is changed each year so it remains interesting even if you live here. We also saw the Arc of Dreams sculpture that we saw from the falls last evening. Our next stop was the Washington Art complex and it was huge! From there we saw the original Carnegie Library constructed in 1903. Today it is the town hall. A lot of the structures are built from pink quartzite and in the sunshine they glow. Even some of the streets are paved with the pink! From here we walked up a long hill to the Pettigrew home and Museum. It was not open but we read the history. Built in 1889, the Queen Anne-style home is located in the Cathedral Historic District and has been carefully preserved to maintain its 19th-century charm. Pettigrew, a key figure in South Dakota’s statehood and development, was an avid collector of historical artifacts. After his passing in 1926, he donated his home and collection to the city, ensuring that future generations could experience the history and culture of the region. We continued on in the historic district past beautiful private homes that maintain their Victorian heritage. Our last stop on the hill was the absolutely beautiful Cathedral of St Joseph. This magnificent cathedral was built in 1915 and completely restored in 2011. The cathedral’s Romanesque and French Renaissance-inspired architecture is nothing short of breathtaking. Constructed from Sioux quartzite, its detailed stained-glass windows, ornate moldings, and awe-inspiring ceiling frescoes tell biblical stories such as the Nativity and the Annunciation. One of the cathedral’s most remarkable features is its mighty pipe organ, boasting 3,293 pipes. Sitting in the pew you would think you were in a European cathedral. As we headed to our last stop we headed down the hill towards town but had to walk a roundabout way due to construction! The United States Court House was completed between 1892 and 1895, serving as both a post office on the entry level and a courthouse on the second floor. The Romanesque style is evident in its grand arches, rough-hewn stone finishes, and solid, heavy massing, making it one of the most imposing and historically significant buildings in downtown Sioux Falls. From this location we made a mad dash back to our car as our meter was about to run out. We drove out of town and proceeded on our way to Galena, Illinois. It was not a hard drive and we enjoyed listening to Nelson Demilles last book, Tin Man. We arrived in Galena and checked into our hotel. We then drove downtown for dinner at the Galena Taphouse. The food was great but we were tired so we did not linger too long. Back at the hotel we indulged in a soak in our private hot tub!! Then goodnight was all she wrote!!
· Sioux Falls pictures
· Falls Park pictures
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Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Galena, Illinois & LeClaire, Iowa
This morning we got up and out of the hotel ready to take on Galena. Roughly 85% of the city sits within a historic district filled with 19th-century Federal, Greek Revival, and Italianate brick buildings that house boutique shops, art galleries, and restaurants. It is often referred to as "the town that time forgot". We parked the car at the top of the highest street and walked down to the Main Street. As we were getting out of the car we talked to the Episcopal priest of the church we were parked in front of. She was very friendly and wished us a good day of exploring. Down on Main St we window shopped and then made our way across the bridge to Grant Park. We saw the home of Ulysses Grant and the statue and plaque honoring his wife who was a real progressive woman for her time. We continued our walk and saw two beautiful old mansions, Dowling House and Belevedere mansion. We saw the Galena train depot which is now the visitors center. We made our way back across the river and walked the entirety of Main Street. It was close to 2 when we had seen everything on our list. We headed out of town listening to our book. We arrived around 3:30 in Le Claire Illinois. This was close to where we were staying so we stopped and explored this city on the Mississippi River. It was very small but we checked it out from one end to the other. One of the highlights was seeing the original Antiques Archeology, of American Picker fame. We were a little disappointed that most things closed at 4. When we had seen the area we headed to East Moline Illinois where our hotel was located. It was a short drive and once we checked in we went to dinner at Jennie’s Boxcar and had a great meal. It was early when we arrived back at the hotel. We decided to go to the 9th floor bar over looking the river. We had a glass of wine and a beer. I journaled and then we looked at all of our photos! At bed time we headed to the room! Night night!
· Galena pictures
· LeClaire pictures
· Antique Archiology pictures
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Thursday, October 15, 2026, Louisville, Kentucky
Today we awoke to a dark and rainy day! This made us a bit sad as we had a long day of driving with several stops planned along the way! We packed up the little we had unpacked and after a great breakfast we headed out. We rotated driving every 2 hours and traffic was not bad. The weather did not improve as we headed into Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois. We had planned to take a long walk in Champaign, Illinois to see the university but weather did not cooperate. As we left this area the traffic and the road construction picked up and soon we found our eta was 45 minutes later. As we came into Louisville the weather worsened and the temp went up. We arrived at Trey and Elyse’s to rain and hot and muggy temps. We quickly unloaded the car and settled in. Hudson was in bed with a migraine and Cooper with a bad cold. Trey and Elyse were great and we had a lovely dinner . We sat and talked for a while and Hudson made a brief appearance. Then it was off to bed for all of us.
Friday, October 16, 2026, Bardstown, Kentucky
After a great nights sleep we were up and ready for a fun day! The boys were at school and the 4 of us headed out to explore Bardstown. It was about a 45 minute drive and the weather had not improved from yesterday except it was cold!! The temp was in the low 50’s all day and it sprinkled off and on. We were a bit concerned about the football game tonight but hopeful it would improve. Our first stop was the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History. The museum preserves many stories from the past, but it is important to know that both the building and the collection have a story of their own. Spaulding Hall is the largest building in Bardstown Kentucky, except for the distilleries. It began in 1826 as a college and Seminary, holding both classrooms and dormitories for the priests. During the Civil War, the “Sisters of Charity” used the building as a Confederate war hospital, and in the last year of the war, it held both Confederate and Union troops. After the war it served as an orphanage for children displaced by the war. In 1911 it became Saint Jo Prep which was a world renowned boys prep school. The school operated until 1968 when it was forced to close. Oscar Getz, Owner of Barton Distillery, was an avid collector of whiskey history paraphernalia. He would visit the many distilleries which failed to survive prohibition to collect artifacts for his collection. His extensive collection was on display at the Barton Distillery for all to see. When he died his wife wanted his legacy preserved so she bought the hall and it has operated as a nonprofit ever since. It was fascinating to us as we did not know anything about this industry. From the museum we went to Preservation Distillery and farm for a bourbon tasting. I was not sure about this because I have never tried bourbon. The building was lovely and we were surprised at how expensive the bourbon was with the bottles starting at $129. We sat down for our tasting and we had 6 glasses to try. Each glass had only a sip but they were potent. Not being bourbon drinkers none of us were extremely discriminating but we quickly realized there were major differences. Our guide told us to blow out through our mouth or nose after swallowing to rid our selves of the Kentucky Hug or the throat burn that came with some of the brew. It helped and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Will I become a bourbon drinker…I don’t think so!! From here we went to a lovely lunch and sat and talked for a long time as our next stop was not scheduled for a bit. Our next stop was My Old Kentucky Home State Park, the inspiration for Stephen Fosters My Old Kentucky Home. Built between 1812 and 1818 as part of a 1,300-acre plantation, the mansion served as a prominent gathering place for politicians and dignitaries under United States Senator John Rowan. Approximately 75% of the furnishings inside the historic home are original to the Rowan family, offering an authentic look into 19th-century life. Today it was set up to show a family in mourning and the etiquette they would follow. It was an amazing tour and our 2 guides were in costume and character and it really made the experience special! From there we went for coffee before heading to Willett distillery’s restaurant for a light dinner. By the time we arrived the rain had stopped and the sky was a bit lighter giving us hope for the game later. We closed the restaurant down and headed to the football game. We bundled up and arrived in time for the national anthem. After settling into the small visitors stands the game started and the team we were playing scored first. KCD seemed a little off their game in the first half and went into the locker room behind by 7. The second half was a different story. KCD looked more like themselves and ended the game ahead by 14. It was celebration time! Cooper was in good spirits on the ride home even though he did not play as much as last week!! Back at the house we all headed to bed!!
· Bourbon Museum pictures
· Bourbon Tasting pictures
· Old Kentucky Home pictures
· KCD Football pictures
· Louisville pictures
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Saturday, October 17, 2026, Louisville, Ky
This morning everyone but Elyse slept in. She went to teach her refit class and arrived back as everyone else was settled in drinking their coffee. Trey fixed eggs for those who wanted them and it was football Saturday for most of the day. It was cloudy and a bit chilly outside so everyone was happy to snuggle in the den. Trey was disheartened when Georgia scored 2 touchdowns quickly but soon perked up as Auburn fought back. At the end of the afternoon Treys family were the only happy people in the home. Alabama lost big to Tennessee and Georgia defeated themselves. We showered and dressed for an evening at one of Trey and Elyse’s favorite restaurants. The 4 of us had a lovely grown up evening while Hudson went for food for he and Cooper. Perfect ending to a disappointing football day!!
Sunday, October 18, 2026, Louisville, KY
Today was sleep in day and everyone took advantage. Once we were up we jumped into making 100 pb&j sandwiches for the bags Elyse provided for the homeless. It was messy but very satisfying. Once the bags were assembled Trey and Cooper delivered them to the church. We were hungry from smelling the peanut butter so we raided the fridge for all the leftovers. We talked and watch some tv and Hudson and I played some geography games. He is amazing with all his knowledge and I just sat and admired his skills. Later in the afternoon after work projects and homework was completed Trey, Cooper, Hugh and I walked over the pedestrian bridge to Ohio with our cameras. We were all making shots from different angles. We met a DJ making promotional photos and we got some photos with him. He was a large man dressed like Rick Flair the wrestler with lots and lots of bling! We walk around Jefferson on the Ohio side before we made the trek back. We had a delicious dinner of Marry Me Chicken and we felt bad that no one ate the dessert. Hugh and I packed the car so we could get an early start in the am.
· Today's pictures
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Monday, October 19, 2026, Franklin, Tennessee & Muscle Shoals, Alabama
We were up early today in hopes of seeing the boys before they left for school. We missed Cooper but got to see Hudson for a little while before he drove off! We talked with Trey and Elyse while we had coffee and then we hit the road! We made a stop in Franklin TN on the way. The downtown features a nationally recognized 15-to-16-block historic downtown area with 19th-century architecture, unique local shops, and acclaimed eateries. We had lunch at a cute bakery cafe! We walked the whole area and went into a lot of really cute home goods shops. Back on the road we had a non eventful rest of our trip. We arrived at Dennis’s in time to have a snack and get hugs from Zach and Addy before we had to leave for Zach’s soccer game. We yelled until we were hoarse and they finally pulled off the victory. We all went back to the house for delicious chili and lots of roughhousing and squealing! It is so much fun to come here and get such a great welcome! We stayed up and talked for a while then it was off to bed for us. Hugh is coming down with a sore throat so it means the cough is not far behind.
· Franklin, Tennessee pictures
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Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Muscle Shoals, Alabama
This morning we slept in a bit because the kids would not be here… school for Zach and the pumpkin patch for Addi. We had coffee and went for a walk while Dennis ran errands and Diana worked. We all had snacks for lunch and soon it was time to for Ducky and Dennis to pick up Zach. He was so excited that Ducky would come! When they arrived back Addi was playing house with me in the living room and we had about 10 babies to feed and rock. We all went outside to play in the playhouse, ride scooters and bikes and show off a wiggle scooter that we had never seen. We had an early dinner of barbecue and baked potatoes. Soon it was time for Zach’s soccer team picture and another game. Zach’s team came alive for this game and Zach scored a goal! Steve and Shawn came to the game and we got to catch up. Steph took the kids home and the 4 of us watched some basketball and talked until bed time.
· Muscle Shoals pictures
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Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Muscle Shoals, AL to Tyler, Texas
This morning we got up early and saw the kids before they had to head to school. We followed them out and started the long drive to Tyler Texas. It was just swapping drivers, and getting gas with a windshield clean and a potty break for over 10 hours. We arrived at our hotel tired and hungry. Once we checked in we decided to walk to a Thai restaurant about mile away. The walk took us on a hiking trail and helped us stretch out our hips and backs. Dinner was great and we walked on the street back as the trail was too dark. We took warm baths and sure enough Hugh had an awful cough and felt bad. Not a great nights sleep!
Thursday, October 22, 2026, Tyler Texas
This morning we had our breakfast and headed out early so we had time to spend at the Tyler Memorial rose Garden and Museum. This world-famous Rose Garden features 14 acres, thousands of rose bushes, and more than 300 varieties of roses & 600 beds. Special areas of interest include the Idea Garden, Heritage Garden, and camellia and day lily collections. We had missed the rose Festival by several days and we found the garden to be lovely but just passed its optimum beauty. We walked the whole garden and enjoyed the quiet as there was only one other couple there. Workers were redoing some of the beds but that was no bother. After we finished the gardens we went into the museum. This is an attraction that preserves and displays the story of Tyler’s rose growing industry and pageantry of the Texas Rose Festival since 1933. The gowns alone are worth the price of admission. From the museum we made the short drive to downtown. The new courthouse was the star and we just walked around trying to avoid all the road work, closed streets, and construction. Hugh was not feeling his best, yep, he has a cold and cough, so we started the trip home. As on other days we swapped out driving every 2 hours and late afternoon found ourselves in Amarillo. We had planned to spend the night here but decide to drive another hour to make tomorrows drive a bit shorter. We stopped for dinner and arrived in Tucumcari, NM in time for hot baths and bed.
· Tyler Rose Garden pictures
· Tyler Rose Museum pictures
· Tyler Texas pictures
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Friday, October 23, 2026, Tucumcari, NM to Four Corners & to Salt Lake City
Today we started out with the idea to see The Four corners Monument and spend the night in Moab, UT. We drove on interstate to start with and then it was on Indian reservation for a long stretch. When we arrived at The Four corners Monument it was closed even though the website says open until 5pm. There were 4 cars waiting but there was no-one around. It was mid-afternoon and we made the decision to keep driving and have dinner in Moab and then drive home. We had a great meal and the drive from Moab was easy, no construction and not very much traffic. We arrived home around 11;30 and only unpacked what we needed . Hot tub baths and then sleep in our own bed!
· Four Corners pictures
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