Post 1 of 17
Eastbound to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: May 13 to May 30, 2025. 18 days - 5,216 miles
Replaced the 2022 Carbon Black M850 with a 2025 San Remo Green M850 in November 2024. Upsized the tires for this trip by one profile to add close to 20% more side wall - essentially going to Alpina height. Went with All Seasons instead of Summers, which was a wise choice, as it dipped below 30F once and it rained like an SOB several times. Had a little over 4,600 miles on it when we left.
Days 1-3: Portland Oregon to Lincoln, Nebraska
As you can see, by just getting to Lincoln, Nebraska you are already , physically, about halfway across the country.
My average of 350 miles a day is a lot of driving if you actually stop to eat and see things along the way. So I decided to scrub off a huge chunk of miles right out of the gate while we were still fresh. Lincoln, Nebraska was 1,727 miles away and we would do it in only three days - nearly all of it freeway - with the first two days being on roads we'd been on a dozen times. Day One would be 575 miles, Day Two would be 576 miles and Day Three would be 576 miles. Then we would slow down to smell the roses. Or, cornfields, as it were.
Day 1: Portland to Twin Falls, Idaho - 575 Miles
This is all about getting out of Dodge. We have travelled this stretch of I-84 many, many times. There are still some things to probably see, but we just don't care today.
I-84 near Biggs Junction
Goal #1 was to have lunch at Roosters Country Kitchen in Pendleton, a little over 200 miles and 4 hours away. They were out of chicken last fall, but this time they were fully stocked. Yummy chicken dinner. Mission accomplished. Now it's only 350 miles and 6 hours to supper. I-84 is pretty scenic and hilly for the first 3 hours to Ontario, OR on the OR/ID border. It's usually our stop for the first night of our trips, but we slog on for the next hundred miles, getting past the Boise metroplex.
Near Mountain Home, ID
We arrive in Twin Falls, ID after another hour and a half and stop to marvel at the Perrine Bridge, with it's 1,000 ft main span. It sits 486 ft above the Snake River.
The view downstream to the west.
We check in to the hotel, grab a quick dinner and head out to Shoshone Falls on the Snake River, upstream about 7 miles away. It's about 6:30 and the fading light is perfect for some great waterfall shots.
We basically have the place to ourselves
We scurry back to Twin Falls and grab some more shots of the Perinne Bridge from the other side. This offers a better look at the canyon. People BASE jump off the thing. Sadly, sometimes the chute doesn't open.
Almost 600 miles from home. Pretty good start to the journey.
Twin Falls, Idaho
Total Miles: 575
Daily Avg: 575 Miles
Day2: Twin Falls to Laramie, Wyoming - 576 Miles
Another long day ahead, so we get an early start. We soon reach the 84/86 junction and turn SE towards Utah. The landscape really smartens up as we split a couple of mountain ranges. We cross the Utah border after just 104 miles today. The spectacular, and snowy, Wasatch Mountains come into view as we approach Brigham City and turn east to cut through them on I-80. It's now 831 miles to Lincoln, Nebraska - mostly on this freeway. The Devils Slide offers an interesting wayside stop.
Devils Slide
The drive through the mountains is exceptional and we cross into Wyoming after just 38 more miles. Evanston is just ahead and makes for a great place to stop for lunch - halfway to Laramie today.
The landscape browns out a bit and we stop in at Little America for refreshments. It's not quite a Buc-ees and there is a lot of remodeling going on. We don't stay long.
Another 2 hours brings us through Rawlins, WY for a quick drive through. Cool place.
Another hour and a half gets us to Laramie by 5:30. We check in to the hotel and go downtown to grab some brisket. Day 2 done - 1,151 miles in. Not bad.
Laramie, Wyoming
Total Miles: 1,151
Daily Avg: 576 Miles
Day 3: Laramie to Lincoln, Nebraska - 576 Miles
Today is our final long day. We make a quick run through downtown Laramie.
It's cold and windy and we hop on to I-80 again. We quickly climb to a pass at 8,640 ft. The temp drops to below 30 degrees.
We drop down, pass through Cheyenne and head north on I-25, before exiting to Hwy 85 and travel NE towards Scotts Bluff, Nebraska. And just like that, you're in Nebraska. Our second time in the state.
We came through Scotts Bluff (the town) back in 2021 from the north, but didn't have time to see the actual Scotts Bluff National Monument. The bluff served as an important landmark on the Oregon Trail, California Trail and Pony Express routes.
The Visitor Center, with the bluff in the background
View from the top - town of Scotts Bluff, NE
We jump on Hwy 26 (which I also drive nearly every day at home) and head east about 23 miles to Chimney Rock National Historic Site. This is another wagon train landmark because of its unusual 300' rocky spire.
Back on Hwy 26 we grab a quick burger in Bridgeport and then take a spin through, apparently, the most unlikely place of Lewellen, Nebraska.
Hey, Tesla fuel heading east
We skirt McConaughy Reservoir and drop through Ogallala and rejoin I-80, heading to North Platte, an old railroad town at the confluence where the North and South Platte Rivers become just the Platte. Cool downtown.
Back on I-80 again, we jump back off at Gothenburg and head to the Pony Express Museum. Just a tiny one room affair, but very, very informative. Those guys were nuts. And, apparently, quite progressive for their time.
The Pony Express ran just 18 months, beginning in late 1860 - mostly because California was a booming state. It cut the time it took to get a letter across the US to about 10 days. The actual route established a connection between St. Joseph, MO and Sacramento, CA. It mostly followed the Oregon and California Trails and was approximately 1,900 miles long. There were 80 riders, 400 horses and stations like this spaced 10-15 miles apart. Riders would carry about 20 lbs of mail and change horses at each station - riding about 100 miles a day. Then turn around and go back the next day. Over and over. The youngest rider was 11 years old.
Riders and some of their belongings.
We run though a few other small towns, but don't spend much time - it's still over three hours and almost 200 miles to Lincoln. There's actually some daylight as we pull in and check in to our hotel in the heart of downtown.
Only three days in and we are literally half way across the country. Now it's time to slow down and smell the roses.
Lincoln, Nebraska
Total Miles: 1,727
Daily Avg: 576 Miles
Day 4: Lincoln to Kansas City, Missouri - 344 Miles
Today is a bit of a day of discovery for my wife. Her mother was born in Lincoln, went to high school here and eventually she went to the University of Nebraska here. Her grandmother also taught grade school here.
So, first up is a quick jaunt over to the Nebraska campus, just a few blocks away. Been hearing about these 'Huskers for years. Nice campus. We find the big stadium and wangle a way to get inside. It's being re-turfed right now. Man, if these walls could talk.
Walked around campus a bit, saw my mother-in-law's sorority house. Yup - a very nice campus.
Then we headed over to the school where grandma taught and then to her mom's high school - oddly enough called Lincoln High School.
Then back west about 10 blocks to the state capitol building. Finished in 1932, it incorporates an Art Deco style and was the first capitol building to use a 400' tall tower instead of a dome. The architect said it needed some altitude because Nebraska is so flat. It is a very impressive and beautiful building. Only Louisiana's capitol is taller.
We go inside and are told we should take the elevator to the 14th floor Memorial Chamber and observation decks.
14th Floor Memorial Chamber
Looking West
Looking East - Flat, flat, flat
The original design called for House and Senate chambers. By 1937, Nebraska decided to become the only unicameral legislature in the country - that is, it doesn't have a house and a senate - just one legislative body. Weirdos.
The George Norris Legislative Chamber - where the sausage gets made.
We wander through some more of the main floor, including the Vestibule, Great Hall and Rotunda. We exit out the west side, say hi to Abe and stop by the Governor's mansion - just across the street. Handy.
It's about 10 AM and there is still a lot to do today, so we have to get on the road. We catch Hwy 77 and drop straight south through hundreds of farms and corn fields. It's really windy. It's been windy since Idaho.
We soon cross into Kansas - state #44. First new state on this trip.
A few miles further we reach Hanover, KS and the Hollenberg Pony Express Station Historic Site. It is a much bigger version of yesterday's.
The wind was really whipping the grass around and it looked like a green ocean.
The first main target of Kansas was Abilene - Dwight Eisenhower's former home and presidential library. Abilene is a small town - maybe only 6,500 people.
Dwight D. Eisenhower's boyhood home. Lived here from 1896 until 1911, when he left for the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The museum is nicely filled with history, artifacts and memorabilia.
West Point: 1911 - 1915
Dwight & Maime
He commanded a unit that trained tank crews in World War I and eventually reached the rank of Brigadier General just before World War II. He then oversaw the Allied invasions of North Africa and Sicily before being promoted to a 5-Star General, overseeing the D-Day invasion of Europe. Then he served as military governor of the American occupied zone in Germany, Army Chief of Staff, president of Columbia University and, finally, first Supreme Commander of NATO from 1951-1952. And you think you're busy.
In 1953 he became the 34th president of the United States and served 8 years
General of the Army
Eisenhower Presidential Library - holding 28 million pages of historical records, 335,000 photographs, 768,000 feet of film and 70,000 artifacts.
Now we have to scoot east over to Topeka, the capital of Kansas, via I-70. Somewhere along in here we reach the farthest we've ever driven from home - the record being 1,726 miles at the Welcome to Texas sign in our 2022 M850. Sure, we were at 1,727 miles when we rolled in to Lincoln yesterday, but we could technically get back home in only 1,608 miles.
We get to the capitol after 5 and it's closed. Darn. Nice looking capitol.
The judicial branch is across the street
Back on I-70 again, we reach Lawrence in 30 miles and run onto the University of Kansas campus. The campus isn't easy to navigate, but we find Phog Allen Fieldhouse, the iconic home of Jayhawk basketball. Phog was a protege of James Naismith (the inventor of basketball and also established KU's program in 1898) and coached for 39 years. We wind our way over to the football stadium and run down fraternity row. The place is hilly. No decent pics.
We finally reach our destination of Kansas City, MO, drop our bags and head over to the Plaza District for dinner. They fancy around here. Lots of high end dining and shops. People everywhere. It's a nice warm night.
We get back to the hotel around 9 pm. Today was only half the distance of each of our previous three days, so there's that.
Kansas City, Missouri
Total Miles: 2,071
Daily Avg: 518 Miles
On a side note, the weather hasn't been too bad - mostly just really windy. But the occasional tornado has popped up here and there, now that we're in Tornado Alley. We will be in St. Louis the day after tomorrow and the metro area just got wacked by a tornado this afternoon. Four people were killed and damage estimates are $1.5 billion. Hmmmmm.