STATS

Motor Home total miles traveled...11,141

Jeep total miles traveled...2,646

Trip total miles traveled...13,780

Motor Home total gal of diesel fuel used...1,321.4

Jeep total gal gasoline used...150.5

Trip total gal fuel used...1,471.9

Motor Home trip average MPG...8.43

Jeep trip average MPG...17.58

Total trip fuel cost...$6,340.24

Highest diesel per gal...$5.729 in Leavenworth, IN on  08/09/2011

Lowest diesel per gal..$3.699 in Rapid City, SD on 05/26/2011

Highest gasoline per gal..$5.399 in Casper, WY on 08/05/2011

Lowest gasoline per gal...$3.399 in Churchville, VA on 08/22/2011

Costliest fill-up...$513.66 in White Horse,Yukon Territory Canada on 06/08/2011

                 

DAY 81: WE'RE HOME

At the rest area east of the the second I-64 toll plaza in WV we said our goodbyes to Bonnie and Ben; from there they would take I-77 home and it seemed strange to be traveling alone for the first time in more than 80 days.  We arrived home about four this afternoon after an uneventful trip from Lexington, KY.  Tomorrow we start the tasks of unloading and clean-up, and we're not looking forward to the several days hard work.  Luckily though, when we got home it was in the low 80's and the forecast is for the 80's again tomorrow before the heavy rain this weekend.

In a week or so I plan to post a trip summary and stats such as MPG, fuel cost, etc.  It was a great trip and we all want to do it again.

GOD BLESS AMERICA WHERE WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE THE WORLD HE MADE

DAY 80: THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK

Today was a beautiful day in Kentucky and we took advantage of the sunshine by visiting the Kentucky Horse Park.  The Horse Park is a huge complex with large barns, museums, show rings, famous horses, mares w/foals, etc.  Below are some of what we enjoyed:

RIDER DRESSED AS ANNIE OAKLEY ON AN AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE

COWGIRL ON A BEAUTIFUL PALOMINO

IRISH PONY

THE SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE IS THE RE-CREATION OF THE MEDIEVAL KNIGHT'S CHARGER

DID YOU KNOW THE LEGEND OF A HORSESHOE OVER THE DOOR?

BONNIE TAKING PICTURE OF MINIATURE HARNESS RACING HORSE

RETIRED RACE HORSE

FAMOUS BAY HORSE "CIGAR" HAD A 16-RACE WIN STREAK IN 1994-96 AND IN HIS CAREER HE WON ALMOST $10 MILLION.  IN 1997 HE WAS SYNDICATED FOR $25 MILLION AND RETIRED TO STUD IN KENTUCKY.  AS IT TURNED OUT NONE OF THE MARES HE SERVICED GOT WITH FOAL, AND AN INSURANCE COMPANY IN ITALY PAID A $25 MILLION INSURANCE CLAIM.

DAY 79: INDIANA & TO THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK

We didn't have but about 165 miles to travel today and were in no hurry to leave the campground at Lynnville; so we didn't get-on-the-road until 11 a.m.  We traveled east on I-64 through Louisville, KY and the traffic was heavy, but we had no problem.  We arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington by mid-afternoon and got settled in their campground.  Bonnie, Ben, Nancy and I had a nice dinner at O'Charlies Restaurant.  We're planning to visit the Horse Park tomorrow and the weather is supposed to be nice again as it was today.

THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK CAMPGROUND IS REALLY NICE, WITH LARGE SITES AND MANICURED GRASS JUST LIKE THE HORSES ENJOY

BEN, BONNIE (W/RYDER ON HER LAP) & NANCY RELAX IN THE SHADE

DAY 78: MISSOURI , ILLINOIS & INDIANA

This morning it was overcast when we left the campground and fueled at the Pilot Truck Stop in Higgensville, MO.  As we headed east on I-70 toward St. Louis it remained cloudy; my favorite kind of travel day.  The traffic was heavy as we passed through St. Louis and saw the "Arch."  On the eastern side of St. Louis we picked-up I-64 and soon after we stopped at a rest area and ate lunch.  After we crossed into Illinois we were surprised when we saw a wild turkey beside the interstate, and the turkey didn't seem at all concerned by the traffic.  At 3 p.m. we stopped for the day and we're spending the night at a small government RV Park & Fish Camp in Lynnville, Indiana. 

MARTIN LUTHER KING BRIDGE ACROSS THE MISSOURI RIVER IN ST. LOUIS

LYNNVILLE LAKE BOAT RAMP

THERE MUST BE SOME LARGE BASS IN THE LAKE

DAY 77: A DAY OF REST IN MISSOURI

On Sunday after four days of hard travel we decided to stay put in Higginsville, MO and rest-up.  Nancy and I attended services at the First Baptist Church of Higginsville this morning where we were warmly welcomed. After church we drove to Warrensburg where we had a nice lunch at a little restaurant downtown.  We returned to the campground and Nancy was doing laundry and I was just "chill'n" when at about 3 p.m. a violent thunderstorm hit the area.  First there were very ominous looking black clouds and then strong winds (later reported to be up to 95 mph) and finally the rain.  The wind and "sideways" rain continued for more than an hour before the storm moved off.  Other than some downed tree limbs and some erosion there didn't seem to be much damage, at least not in the campground.

THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF HIGGINSVILLE

DAY 76: NEBRASKA, KANSAS & INTO MISSOURI

Today was another travel day and we left north Platte, Nebraska at 8 a.m. and headed east on I-80.  At 10 a.m. when we stopped for fuel at the Pilot Truck Center in Wood River, NE and it was already a hot 86 degrees.  We exited I-80 onto NE-77, then NE-2 planning to turn onto KS-29 but found the route closed because of flooding of the Missouri River.  We had to detour onto NE-75 which took us quite a distance out-of-our-way in order to connect with Rt 36 and eventually Rt 29 further east.  We finally found a grocery store lot in Auburn, NE where we could stop for a late lunch.  The traffic through Kansas City was very heavy and we were grateful that it wasn't a work day during rush hour.  It was almost 6 p.m. and 95 degrees when we arrived at the Great Escape RV Park in Higginsville, MO.  We traveled 483 miles today and a total of 1,775 miles in the last four days.

I-80 PASSES UNDER THE GREAT PLATTE RIVER ROAD ARCHWAY MONUMENT