After our memorable trip to the St Louis Gateway arch, we got in the car and started driving west.
St Louis, MO to Salina, KS!
- 6 hours 10 minutes
- 424 miles
The drive was pretty uneventful. And by that I mean that things were pretty flat and we didn’t have any troubles whatsoever.
We ate snacks in the car and so by the time dinner rolled around we were ready for a decent meal. We stopped in Junction City, at the Cracker Barrel, which is a Urie family favorite among our kids.
While we were there, I made a hotel reservation for us in a town that was a little bit further down the road: Salina, KS.
At one point during the meal, I took Evie to the bathroom to change her. While I was gone, Isaac spilled his (very large) glass of water and when I returned, the manager had come over and was mopping up the spill. I said something to her, apologizing about the mess, and she looked up and what do you know, it was a friend from my high school seminary class!! It was so fun to see her!! We caught up a little bit and she got to meet my kids. And it was just the craziest thing. What a small world. I still can’t believe that happened. I don’t think I’ve ever before been grateful for one of my kids spilling water. But we probably wouldn’t have seen each other otherwise. And she was kind enough to give us her ‘friends and family’ discount as well, which was lovely too.
After our meal, we kept driving to Salina. (Note: We learned from Julie that it is pronounced Sa-lye-nuh when I mispronounced it as Sa-lee-nuh) (Also, if you’ve read Amor Towles’ book The Lincoln Highway, you may know it as the location of the juvenile work farm where the Emmett, Duchess, and Wooley met.)
Once again I had a little trouble with the trailer, but mostly this time it was because it was difficult to find a space large enough to park in. I will be very happy when I don’t have to worry about that sort of thing again.
Isaac screamed that he wanted me the entire time I was gone dealing with the trailer. My poor mother. 🙈🙈🙈
11/8/22 Salina, KS to Grand Junction, CO
- 10.5 hours
- 675 miles
We woke up, had breakfast at the hotel and we started driving. By this point, we were getting pretty darn sick of being in the car.
However, it was a delight driving through the mountains in Colorado. It was absolutely gorgeous. What a beautiful part of the world!!
Originally, we had planned on trying to drive straight through to Provo. But as the day wore on, we were all getting pretty antsy. And I was concerned about the fact that, had we continued, we would have arrived in Provo, exhausted, at 11 pm. (And then I would have had to get the children (including two 3 year olds who get very cranky when woken from their slumber) settled in their beds.) All of this after a 14-15 hour day of driving.
After we’d gotten about 8 hours under our belts, decided to nope that plan. And I suggested stopping in Grand Junction, Colorado for the night.
My mom was fine with that. And it turned out to be a VERY good decision. That last half hour before we got to Grand Junction was the longest 2 weeks of our lives. It didn’t feel like the clock or the odometer were moving at all. We were starting to lose it!
But we made it. And we went right to Red Robin for dinner, cause all the kids like the food there. Except everyone suddenly decided that they don’t like the food there. And several people spilled their freckled lemonade all over the place. 😑 😑 😑 I was very tempted to drive away and leave everyone.
After destroying our booth eating we went to our hotel and we crashed. Hard.
And I have to say, that was the hotel was the nicest we stayed in during our travels. It was a delight to stay there.
11/9/22 Grand Junction to Provo (WE MADE IT! FINALLY!)
- 4 hours
- 240 miles
We enjoyed a lovely breakfast.
And then we got on the road to Provo. The final leg of our trek west!! All I can say is HALLE-FREAKING-LUJAH!
When I first saw telltale landscape of the southwestern United states: with the sage brush and the hills, I started bawling.
It was such a bittersweet moment for me. On the one hand, I am so sad that this year of nomading is ending because it has been incredible. But I am also very happy to get back to normal life, because as amazing as nomading is, it is also incredibly exhausting (especially with 5 young kids).
As we were driving through Southern Utah, we hit some snow, but we finally made it, safe and sound, to Provo.
I am so grateful that we arrived at lunch time and not at bedtime.
I am so grateful that we had a good night’s rest under our belt.
I am so grateful that we didn’t have any car trouble or (real) trailer trouble as we drove.
But mostly, I am so grateful that my mom was willing to come on this long (and boring) drive with me. I couldn’t have done it without her.
And I am grateful that she loves my children despite the wringer that they put us through over the last few days. 🤪🤪
Welcome back to the West!
