Homeward Bound: Leg 2

Trixie ran out of TP this morning.

 

Packed up, fueled up and left Nebraska City. We then headed east, back into Iowa, and then turned northward onto I-29.

We stopped at Camping World in Council Bluffs, IA, to replace the GPS tablet that I damaged. It had fallen to the floor once too many times, cracking the touchscreen.

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Then, we did some shopping at a mall in Council Bluffs, as well as got lunch.

We got back onto I-29 North and made it to North Sioux City, South Dakota. We settled into a site at a KOA. This is Marla’s first visit to South Dakota and my second.

Tomorrow, we will journey to Pipestone National Monument in Minnesota. This will be our first visit to Minnesota.

Eclipse 2017: Leg 5

Tillie got me up at 6 AM CDT for walkies.

I secured a site for two days in Onawa, IA.

We packed up and left Oxford, IA, around 10:30 AM CDT, and saw this sign as we exited the campground.

File Aug 18, 10 01 28 PM

We had to stop at the next exit on I-80 because Tillie had dropped her bone outside her crate. Resolved that issue and pressed onward. Stopped at a rest area just east of Des Moines for a break.

In Des Moines, we stopped at a Price Chopper supermarket for groceries and lunch. Then we stopped at a Pet Smart, 4 miles later, for pet supplies (we love our dogs).

We got back on I-80 and continued to travel west. Along the way, we traveled through two large wind farms. This one is near Walnut, IA, where we stopped for fuel and a break.

File Aug 18, 10 01 01 PM

Toby Two got carsick, so we needed another doggy bed. I found a place in Council Bluffs to buy them and we diverted there. Did I mention how much we love our dogs?

We then proceeded northbound on I-29 and made one more rest stop. We arrived at our campsite for the weekend in Onawa, IA at 7:45 PM CDT.

After we got set up, we got the TV tuned, and the news was covering a severe thunderstorm with tornado vortex signatures (TVS) and hen egg size hail (I love Iowa). The storms were well to our northeast so no worries at our campsite.

File Aug 18, 10 00 43 PM

We plan to stay in Onawa until Sunday to recharge, relax and do some housekeeping Our pups need a break as well.

I tried to find a site around Des Moines but The Iowa State Fair, and an LPGA golf tournament, were in progress so all the campgrounds within an hours drive were booked. Our current site is less than 3 hours from our eclipse site, and we will travel there on Sunday.

Forecast at the time of the eclipse at our site is still calling for mostly sunny.

Eclipse 2017: Leg 4

Left the campground near Joliet, IL, before lunch. Went to a nearby Pet Smart for supplies. Got lunch from a Steak and Shake. Then we proceeded west on I-80. Stopped at a rest area and observed a plot of restored prairie.

Crossed The Mississippi River near The Quad Cities, and reached a campground near Oxford, Iowa, just west of Iowa City. Stopped for fuel before arriving. Can’t beat the prices.

File Aug 17, 9 57 28 PM

We need to find a place to stay for the weekend tomorrow.