Great Plains Road Trip

[Old Henry]

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:



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.




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.




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



VIDEO: https://youtu.be/NqiL9blwoKc

Abandoned motel at Deer Trail, CO:




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




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




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



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



McDonald, KS:



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




Kansas Longhorns, Donifan, KS:





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




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





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.





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





Cruising stance, Keystone, NB:





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









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]

[Old Redneck]

Always enjoy reading and the pictures are great as usual. I don't get out as much as I use to. Must be old age I guess. Can't even keep with the grass. It grows too darn fast. I think about grass killer for it. If I ever get the 32 done I am going to take a couple of weeks and take off with no map or care less what direction to start off in. Maybe head south in no mans land. Keep up the good work

[RKS.PA]

Craig, Love your travel log and welcome back to "on the road again!!"


Dick.


P.S. see those vacuum wipers are working like a champ!!

[1931flathead]

Does the second video work for anyone else

[Old Henry]

Sorry. That video was blocked for copyrighted music. I'll redo it and repost it.

[1931flathead]

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The first one worked for me

[50fordcoupeman]

Love your travels Craig!! I view all of your videos. How did car do?

[Old Henry]

The rain video is now up and running here: https://youtu.be/NqiL9blwoKc

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by 50fordcoupeman

Love your travels Craig!! I view all of your videos. How did car do?

Car ran without a hitch. Just had to adjust my throttle cable once to keep it working as cruise control. That's all.

[Royal Ryser]

Prof, thanks for showing some great photos of a most unappreciated part of our great country. You went right past my childhood outside of Atchison, KS. This is a good time to travel there because it does get HOT in Summer and COLD in winter. If one enjoys eating, this part of the country is a great producer of food.

[VeryTangled]

Thanks for bringing us along again!

[Mike in AZ]

Thanks for the journey. Always nice to travel along with. Mike

[Lawrie]

Welcome back , as usual great pics and story.
Makes our 250 mile weekend away in the 33 seem chicken feed.
Lawrie

[cmbrucew]

Very nice
My cross country trips were mostly I 66 then I 40. Furthest north was I 70 and I 80.
Lots of country to see.
Nice to see you post again.


Bruce

[Talkwrench]

And no problems..? perfect! Those 'windmill shots' reminded me of just about anywhere here in Aust..

[Elmo Rodge]

Another good one, Craig. I'm back in Utah after that job in California. Please stop by if you're down my way.
Wayno

[Tinker]

Nice pictures craig.


Nebraska can be some looonnnggg roads to travel to see something. But you found some great places.



Goergetown Co is nested in the rockies, great old mining town to visit.

[corvette8n]

Craig: Thanks for the trip, enjoyed the ride thru the lens. How many hours a day do you drive?

[petehoovie]

Craig,


How much time do you spend in preparing your car for a trip like that? Do you put it up in the air and inspect the undercarriage? Are you ever ill at ease while driving down the road?. Even though my '34 is tip-top, I'm always ill at ease while driving it....

[Don W/Norfolk]

Craig,
Thanks for the memories. Following your map, I see you missed a real "landmark." Between Atchison, KS and Kansas City, MO you jogged around the outskirts of my hometown, Platte City, MO. It is such an icon of middle 'Merica, that the weekly newspaper was called, "The Landmark." Lots of history on both sides of the road of your journey. Glad you got to enjoy the trip. dw

[5851a]

Great trip, thanks for the pics. What kind of speed and mpg's did you have with all the flat terrain?

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

Craig: Thanks for the trip, enjoyed the ride thru the lens. How many hours a day do you drive?

Average 60 mph 400 miles a day = 6.67 hrs/day. But, with a lot of photo and video stops, gas, restroom, and eating we were on the road 8-10 hours per day.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

Craig,


How much time do you spend in preparing your car for a trip like that? Do you put it up in the air and inspect the undercarriage? Are you ever ill at ease while driving down the road?. Even though my '34 is tip-top, I'm always ill at ease while driving it....

Since I drive my car every day and keep it maintained and repaired for that daily use, there really isn't any "trip preparation" that I do. If my 5,000 or 10,000 mile maintenance is due I do that, or, whatever is due. But, no "last minute" prep.

The only "ill at ease" I felt driving this trip was driving in heavy 40° wind and rain without even a long sleeve shirt, much less anything more to protect me if I had a breakdown. I even went into Walmart to try to buy something and they had nothing with long sleeves. Glad I never had to face that adversity.


There is still, on occasion, a mechanical surprise on a road trip to deal with but they seem to be getting further and further in between. I don't worry about it any. I feel my 71 year old car is as reliable as my wife's 6 year old one.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by 5851a

Great trip, thanks for the pics. What kind of speed and mpg's did you have with all the flat terrain?

Speed 60-65 mph.

I didn't check my gas mileage on this trip. It probably was not as favorable as one might think on the flat land, the wind was blowing strongly against us much of the way.

I think the last I checked gas mileage it was about 13 mpg at highway speeds.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Don W/Norfolk

Craig,
Thanks for the memories. Following your map, I see you missed a real "landmark." Between Atchison, KS and Kansas City, MO you jogged around the outskirts of my hometown, Platte City, MO. It is such an icon of middle 'Merica, that the weekly newspaper was called, "The Landmark." Lots of history on both sides of the road of your journey. Glad you got to enjoy the trip. dw

Sorry I missed "The Landmark". I just went where Mrs. Google told me to go. Always the quickest route but not always the most scenic.

[flatford8]

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Thanks for another great ride!!...as always, I feel like I should be contributing towards gas....Mark

[Vintage Copper 47]

Another great trip Craig.. I am trying to coax my friend with his matching 47 to go on a "goodwill" tour with our cars..

[Seth Swoboda]

Nice trip. You were only a days travel from me. That's pretty darn close in the grand scheme of it all. I enjoyed reading about your trip.

[RalphM]

Great trip! Always love “riding along”. No wonder they called the conestoga wagons “prairie schooners”, that part of the country looks like a big calm sea!

[Rand]

Great trip...good to see you here again

[Lawrie]

Gas mileage may be better than you think,our 33 with a 265 ci 99a engine and towing a caravan gets an average of around 18 litres per 100 klms,
Lawrie

[5851a]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

Speed 60-65 mph.

I didn't check my gas mileage on this trip. It probably was not as favorable as one might think on the flat land, the wind was blowing strongly against us much of the way.

I think the last I checked gas mileage it was about 13 mpg at highway speeds.

Thanks, totally forgot about the wind on the plains. Not bad on the mpgs.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

This is the america I want to see....bugger the "big city lights" . Thanks for posting OH

GB

[A bones]

Thank You, I made many treks through the inroads of America. I worked out of Tulsa for an outfit called Arrow Trucking. We ran Flatbed 48 states and Canada. MOST loads on Flatbed, unlike van trailers, aren't average retail commodities. The deliveries often go to out of the way places. The length of the runs usually spanned the mountains, into the back country. Equipment for wells, bridges, tunnels, cell towers, building and highway projects, were the order of the day. The back roads of the desert plains, and farmfields of midwest, south, Pacific west, the peaks of the Sierras, the Rockies, the Ozarks, Appalachians and Berkshires.

Your pics and videos bring back those carefree days, when I was vital.