Minnesota-Iowa-Missouri-Kansas

Ready to go: 7:12 in the Goodrich alley

Geography has never been my strong suit. I struggle with simple directions, remembering turns, distinguishing east from west except on a bright morning or cloudless evening. I certainly had no idea when I mapped out the 625 miles or so to Wichita that the journey could be so long and ... I hate to say it ... a little boring.

I really wonder how I got ready for trips in the pre-retirement days, when I'd usually work a full day before leaving on vacation. I spent yesterday doing laundry, cleaning for the house sitter\cat caregiver (son Chris), and packing. This morning, I got up shortly after 5:00 a.m. and performed the usual last-minute tasks, like making coffee and cleaning the litter box. I was soon sweating profusely and skipped sweeping the floor, deciding that "enough is enough".

But oh, what a beautiful morning! The mist rose out of the water at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, breathtakingly lovely. We drove past the rich green farmland of southern Minnesota and suddenly we were in Iowa by 9:35. The wind farms, on both sides of I-35, extended as far as the eye can see, made me worry about migrating birds that will soon be using the Mississippi River flyway on their southern journey.

A bridge of Madison county, Iowa

We stopped for gas in St. Charles, Iowa, and I discovered the location of the Bridges of Madison County! We decided one of the bridges was a good place to have lunch in the now 90+ degree weather, and I was very happy that I'd taken the time to make a turkey sandwich before departure.

Same bridge, different point of view

The rest of the day consisted of pressing through the heat, soon up over 100 degrees F, getting past Kansas City over the lunch hour and driving south through Missouri, where the effects of drought became more evident with every passing mile.

We intended to spend the night at a Hampton Inn just off Wichita exit 50. We missed a turn and ended up a the Holiday Inn, where the scotch tastes just as good and the bed seems comfortable. Tonight we'll review tomorrow's journey to Albuquerque, New Mexico.