Got the car back this weekend…

Monday 6/4/2012

Hastings Campground

Hastings, NE

Saturday morning I left  the Hastings Campground at 4:45AM and headed north about 30 miles to the Central Nebraska Regional Airport just north of Grand Island, NE.  I parked the truck in the airport parking lot (free parking) and headed inside about 5:30AM.  I got through security and sat down and waited.  About 6:30AM I boarded an American Airlines flight to Dallas/Ft. Worth.  I arrived in Dallas/Ft. Worth about 8:30AM, found my way to the gate for my next flight to Austin, and waited some more.  About 10:00AM I boarded another American Airlines flight to Austin and arrived in Austin about 11:30AM.  Our friends

Ron and Mary were gracious enough to pick me up and take me to Kerrville, TX.  On the way, we stopped at Taco Cabana for lunch.  It was really great spending time with Ron and Mary again.  Terri and I are so grateful that they were willing to pick me up at the airport and shuttle me all the way out to Kerrville, TX.  It was about a two-hour drive, and I really appreciate their help.  Terri and I are looking forward to getting back down there sometime and spending more time with them.

They dropped me off at our car at the Buckhorn Lake RV Resort storage lot.


They waited to make sure the car would start, and it did.  After hugs and handshakes, they headed out for home.  I drove over to the office and closed out my storage arrangement with Buckhorn, then stopped at Walmart to pick up some bottled water and two bananas.  After filling up the gas tank, I called Terri and then hit the road about 3:45PM headed for Hastings, NE.

Six hours later, about 9:45PM, I stopped at the Flying J Travel Center near Ardmore, OK, and filled the gas tank again.  About 12:30AM, I pulled off I35 at exit 203 near Billings, OK.  I rested/slept until about 2:50AM at a Phillips 66 truck stop.  Back on the road for about three more hours and then another stop for gasoline about 5:45AM near Salina, KS.

Three hours later and a beautiful sunrise,

I was back at Hastings Campground.  It was about 14 hours of actual driving time and 870 miles.  Including stops, it took me 17 hours to drive from Kerrville, TX, to Hastings, NE.  I drove on or crossed at least nine U.S. interstate highways over the weekend.

I watched the Dover NASCAR race (and napped a bit too) Sunday afternoon, and then Terri and I went up to Grand Island to get the truck.  And yes, Terri is now able to drive.

Whew!!!  That was quite a trip, but worth it to get our Honda Element back here with us.

We’ve been having to drive the truck anytime we wanted/needed to go anywhere since we left Texas.  It’ll be nice to have the car back and save the truck for pulling the fifth wheel.  Now all we have to do is get Terri’s arm working properly, and then it’ll be back on the road for us.

By the way, Terri is still receiving physical therapy on her shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers.  She’s only had the cast off for about eleven days and is continuing to improve.  However, she still has quite a ways to go and we’ll be here for a while longer.

Now it’s time to recuperate from the weekend!