May 28, 2006 (Day 4)

We rocked and rolled all night with the wind as strong as it was. It was a gentle rocking of the trailer that probably put us to sleep! However, to have it rocking and rolling the trailer while we drove down the road, was a different story!

Our group now numbers six units, with two units joining us in Nebraska City last evening. The campground host invited all of us to a continental breakfast this morning, donuts, coffee and juice, great nutrition! We then left the campground around 9 a.m. to continue west to I-80. The crosswinds increased in strength and became quite a problem driving. Dan was “white-knuckled” with both hands on the steering wheel, driving 50-55 mph in a 75 mph zone! Trucks passing us were a hazard and we were blown off the road onto the berm a couple of times. There were dust storms we drove through a couple of times, too. Two of the motor homes in the group had their awnings blow loose and one trailer almost lost the air conditioner cover. Thank heavens for duct tape and bailing twine! We are doing okay so far and don’t desire to drive in anything like that again.

We weren’t able to get into tonight’s campsite until 4:30 this afternoon. It was a long, hot day. A temperature clock in Kearney, few miles down the road, said 98 degrees. We are at Paxton, NE, tonight. When we arrived, we found two more couples (expected) who are joining us, one couple from Kansas and one from Iowa. We know these people, so they are not strangers. One more lady will join us some where on down the road. She is driving her car and will stay at a motel in Salem. While on the road, she is going to bunk with one of the couples who have a motor home in our group.

Here are the people who are making up this caravan:
From the Greater St. Louis Unit:
Glenn Waters, Alton, IL
Bob and Jean Helker, Chesterfield, MO
Joe and Nita Bublis, St. Louis
Dan and Beth, Wentzville
Charles and Nadine Kennedy, Kansas City Unit
Ben and Marcia Woolley, Iowa Unit
Leonard and Betty Sullivan, Wichita, KS Unit
Paul and June Ryan, Iowa Unit
Teressa Taylor, Colorado (don’t know what unit she is with)

Gas stops were frequent, considering we have 5 motor homes and 3 trailers. The motor homes have around 100 gallon tanks. How would any of you like to pay those bills? We have a 37.5 gal. tank, so guess we stop more often and it isn’t much different when you add it all up. The highest we paid for gas today was $2.66/gal. We hear that the farther west you go, the more the price per gallon goes up! We’ve heard from people in front of us who say Idaho is at $3.17/gal. Ouch! With the winds today, we averaged 7.5 mpg.

The group went together for dinner at a restaurant in town, Ole’s Steak and Game. Food was good and atmosphere “western”. One of our members who plays piano, played a few songs while we waited for our meals.

Well, on to tomorrow’s adventures. Till then…..