The Ford Barn - Great Plains Road Trip

I fell in love with road trips as a kid living in Utah and traveling to Arkansas every summer to spend the summer there where my mother was from. Dad tried to take different routes and see different things each trip. Many of the trips were across the plains of Colorado and Kansas. There are many simple memorabilia that I remember seeing as a child that always brings back those fond memories. Here are some of them.

Here is the map of our trip:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psjx8zvwzs.jpg

And the link to the interactive map: https://goo.gl/maps/ZGFcJcwmo3M2

And the VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Jhcs4ols4lU

First stop on the trip was the beautiful old pioneer LDS Temple in Vernal, Utah.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psqhkvz7rg.jpg

As you can see, it was very nice and sunny and warm in Vernal - 80°. I had always remembered the plains being hot and humid (of course, we always drove them in the summer) so I didn't even bring a long sleeved shirt, much less a sweater, jacket, or coat. I was sorry the next morning after staying in Georgetown, CO for the night. It was 30° in the morning with rain and snow frozen on the car.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psextpwc02.jpg

We had fairly continuous rain for the next couple of days until we reached Missouri.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pswahhpu28.jpg

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/NqiL9blwoKc

Abandoned motel at Deer Trail, CO:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pslsx9kdtl.jpg

Abandoned old wood frame prairie home at Last Chance, CO:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psgny5iwgo.jpg

The "Prairie Sentinels" (silos) at Cope, CO:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pskgpv1c9a.jpg

Two of my very favorites, the windmills and water towers. I even bought a windmill in Nebraska many years ago and put it up in my back yard it brought back such fond memories.

Cope, CO

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psfnioqtts.jpg

Maxwell, NB where I bought a windmill many years ago to put up in my back yard

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...ps211ficgs.jpg

McDonald, KS:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psfnhrhxw7.jpg

One of the favorite times of any road trip, snuggling up with little Lady in the dive motel at night, Bellville, KS.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psi0ythh4f.jpg

Kansas Longhorns, Donifan, KS:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psnpmilsai.jpg

Atchison, KS of Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad fame:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1hjk3zem.jpg

My destination/turn around point. Christus statue at the LDS visitor's center in Indepencence, MO.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pspdjuk139.jpg

Driving into the sun at the end of the day I had to rig an extra sun visor of a map jammed between my traffic light viewer and windshield to block the reflection off the hood, Kimball, NB.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psp6nxbnsd.jpg

Prairie sunset, another fond memory, Country Club Village, MO:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pssxdnuysv.jpg

Cruising stance, Keystone, NB:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pshqslg8eq.jpg

A most historical spot on the old Lincoln Highway, then US 30, now I-80 in Wyoming, Laramie:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psnnquhrl4.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psp0vbfkcu.jpg

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...pskx7u0xpx.jpg

That's it. Total 2,188 miles in 5 days. Probably the last road trip for the foreseeable future. I'm way past the end of my bucket list and will have to recycle trips with grandkids to do more.

Previous road trips:

Yosemite, King's Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks in September 2017: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229907

Pacific coast from San Francisco to the Olympic Peninsula in July 2017: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=224808

Southern Utah and Northern Arizona in March 2017: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216069

Western Utah Desert in the snow in December 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211692

Mt. Whitney and Death Valley in November 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=209009

Teton National Park in September 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=205574

Alaska in May 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=196219

Moki Dugway in April 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193764

Four rivers in Idaho and Montana in March 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190776

Red Canyon, Utah February 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188740

California Highway 1 November 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=182600

Great Basin National Park and City of Rocks October 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181134

Pike's Peak September 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=179372

Uinta Mountain Range, Utah, August 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173539

Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower, July 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173539

Pony Express Trail in April 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166241

Mexico and around in February 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162633

Ghost towns of Modena, UT and Pioche, NV in November 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155331

Million Dollar Highway, Durango to Montrose, Colorado in June 2014 https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142975

Transcontinental Railway Grade in May 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139471

City of Rocks, Idaho in April 2014:https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137684

Capitol Reef National Park in March 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133018

Grouse Creek and the AAA garage in February 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130966

Grand Canyon in January 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128820

Moab, UT in December 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127222

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument November 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123694

Across Nevada on US 50, "The Loneliest Road in the Country", October 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120098

Mount Evans (the highest paved road in North America) August 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115013

Canada in June 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109872

Monument Valley in March 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99523

Bryce Canyon in February 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97822

Milford, Utah in December 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93137

Nevada and Idaho in November 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89080

Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966

Yellowstone National Park in May 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72864

Death Valley in February 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62705

Pike's Peak in July 2011: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19141

Route 66 in April 2010: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57511 [/COLOR]