We definitely didn't escape the cold when we left Utah! Sunday morning, we got up early and were on the road before the sun came up. Our goal was to get into Wyoming where we'd picked out a spot that we could go to church along our route. We were welcomed into a ward that probably doesn't get many visitors and enjoyed the meeting there. Then, we made lunch in the parking lot and Daddy-o took a work call while Peanut and I went for a little walk to explore the cold, icy/snowy landscape nearby.
And then we kept on driving. Nothing fun planned, just trying to get us as far along as we could. We'd talked it over in UT and with the extra night there, and goals to be in NC for Thanksgiving, we decided to drop our plans to visit any national parks that we could get to reasonably on a shorter trip and just drive to the eastern half of the country. So, another long drive day.
Our first day of cooking in the van went well. We all get to help, although sometimes it feels like too many cooks in the [very] small kitchen. But if we can divide it up so some people are prepping at the table, we can get a meal together pretty quickly.
I'm loving our table. It isn't quite as sturdy as I'd like, but I love how it can fold up smaller and still stay attached.
When we stopped for the night, we found a free campsite at Oliver Reservoir in Nebraska, and woke up to a nice view of the lake. And then, after a quick breakfast, we were off again.
We had another long day of driving, but made it to Omaha NE and the Winter Quarters visitors center for our church, which highlights the groups of pioneers who stopped here on their move to UT.
We got to see the exhibits about the town they set up here during their stay, and I learned about some ancestors who died there, the Turleys.
We went to find the grave marker in the cemetery next door next to the temple.
We had a few minutes to walk around and then. . .
We had to drop Daddy-o at the airport. He had been juggling phone calls from work for the past few days because the solar grid he'd set up at our remote lot wasn't working for some reason and they had to come up with workarounds using a generator at night and praying for sun every day to get them through until Daddy-o could get the parts to redo the whole system.
We always knew that he might have to fly back if some emergency popped up at work, but we really didn't think that it would happen in the first week that we were gone, but he needed to get back so when the shops opened Tuesday morning, he could be there and see if he could rebuild a solar battery system in one day. Good thing he learned so much working on our van!
And so, Peanut and I were on our own for a few nights. We drove across the border into Iowa where we stayed at a campground in Waubonsie State Park. First night that we paid to sleep, but it was only $12--it barely counts. And I felt a little better staying somewhere with bathrooms and a few other people around. We're still so new at this, we're learning what feels doable and safe.
