Back in Wisconsin

Many of you already know that we are back at our home in Eau Galle, Wisconsin.  When we started the trek after coming down from the mountains in Magdalena, New Mexico that pretty much started the countdown for the four days of driving that we took to get home.  Fortunately, we had good weather – except for the winds that were a little challenging – but all around it was a good trip.   Getting home three weeks earlier was unplanned, but necessary.

Day 1,  456 miles:  We arrived at Pueblo, Colorado to stay the night at Haggard’s Campground.  It is here that you’ll be treated first class by its owners,  Matt and Nancy Fetty.  We last visited with them this past October when we were heading to our southwest destinations for the winter.   The new improvements that we saw since our last visit tell the story of how passionate they both are in making this one of the best campground’s around.  Such nice people too!



Day 2, 482 miles:  Left Pueblo around 9:35a. to pound some miles through the states of Kansas and Nebraska.  We called it a day after arriving in Kearney, Nebraska at 7:45p. to spend the night in the parking lot of the very first Cabela’s store (see pictures of store front below).  This day was our longest.  The next morning we ventured into the building, made a purchase and then headed for the interstate with more miles to travel.

We normally do not stop at wayside spots – or Historical Markers as they are known - but we decided to at the town of Nicodemus.  We’ve glad that we did to first of all take a break, and secondly to learn about the history of this community. Nicodemus represents the involvement of the African Americans in the westward expansion and settlement of the Great Plains.  It is the oldest and only remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi River. “Nicodemus continues to be important to our nations’ history because the town serves as focal point for all people to renew spiritual and emotional connections of family, community, and ancestors.”

A very different look for the first Cabela’s store in Kearney, Nebraska.  Cabela's, the World's Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, was born somewhat inadvertently in 1961 when Dick Cabela came up with a plan to sell fishing flies he purchased while at a furniture show in Chicago.  Upon returning home to Chappell, Nebraska, Dick ran a classified ad in the Casper, Wyoming, newspaper reading: "12 hand-tied flies for $1." It generated one response.   Undaunted, Dick formulated a new plan, rewriting the ad to read "FREE Introductory offer! 5 hand tied Flies....25c Postage....Handling" and placing it in national outdoor magazines.  It didn't take long for the orders to begin arriving from sportsmen and women around the country.  In typical direct-mail style, each order was mailed out with a mimeographed catalog of outdoor items Dick and his wife, Mary, added to their product line.  In the beginning, Dick and Mary ran the business from the kitchen table of their home in Chappell where they were both able to handle the growing business with the help of temporary typists hired for mail, label and catalog preparation.  However, by the fall of 1962, they realized the demands of their new venture needed full-time attention so Dick urged his younger brother Jim to join the new company, which he did in 1963.  Neither Dick, Mary nor Jim took any salary from the company in those early years.  Instead, they invested in more mailings, new equipment and bigger facilities.   Business ventures have really changed over the years, haven’t they?

Let’s go kayaking!!!!!  Colors have come a long way.


Day 3, 356 miles:  Not too much scenery to speak of other than farmers out in their fields during this time of the year.  This day’s end was to spend this night in the parking lot of Walmart in Ames, Iowa.  We walked into the store to get the approval from Walmart management that we could stay the night, purchased a couple of items and then then pretty much relaxed in our rig (sans the slides out, of course).  We were so exhausted that taking a picture of where we were was the farthest thing from our minds.  Life goes on!  Time for bed.

Day 4, 257 miles:   A beautiful morning to start our last day of travel with a minimal amount of miles to travel.  What we look forward to on our last day of travel back to Wisconsin has now been an annual treat for us.  It is found in Wabasha, Minnesota and is our favorite Irish restaurant, The Ole Triangle Pub.  We order up a couple of cold Guinness’ on tap and enjoy a bowl of their Irish Stew.  Jeff looks just a bit tired, don’t you think?   What a home coming though!


Lots to do now that we are home.  We do believe that this happens to everyone when they come off the road for six months.  We look forward to this time that we can spend with family and friends.  The way the time has flown this past winter, before we know it it will be time to start planning for our next six months of travel.  We’ll be ready by them.   
Hugs

“Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit”
         – Edward Abbey