In two weeks, Grace and I hit the trail -- that is I-94 toward Chicago. Last minute preparations are being made. A fresh coat of wax on the bike and a list of "things to do" and "what to bring" is mounting. Hope you stay tuned by logging on and catching up on what is happening on Route 66. Steve and Grace will try and keep you posted. [View Full Entry]

---

---

It's two months until Grace and I get on the Kawasaki 1600 Nomad and head East on I-94 to Chicago where we will get on Route 66. We leave on Memorial Day and we hope for warmer weather than last Memorial Day when it was 36 degrees! Steph will be staying with Grandma Katie and Grandpa Les in Minot or here at home with her sister Tori. This is a trip we've planned for several months and we really have the itch to do it. Our plan is to have as little plan as possible -- to ride a few hours [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hey Everyone! I am starting this blog so you can all keep updated with my travels while I am spending my semester abroad in Norway. I will be leaving January 29 which is only a week away. Things are getting kind of crazy at the Johnke House. My parents are leaving for Phoenix on Saturday morning so my Mom and I wanted to have everything done before I left. We have spent the last week or so figuring out the best way to pack my bag and buying all the necessary things that I need. I can honestly say that packing [View Full Entry]

---

---

We left Chicago yesterday; thankfully getting out despite all the flooding. Woke up this morning to sunny skies and flat land! I had looked at the Geocaching website to see if there was anything to be found along our route at any of the longer stops that the train makes. When it makes "service" stops, it stops for about 1/2 hour so a quick grab of a cache is possible if it's close enough. Sure enough, someone had placed one right across the street from the Amtrak station in Minot, ND. The train pulled in, the doors opened and we were [View Full Entry]

---

---

(Jean’s House: Antelope Creek Kennels) We’ve been busy the last few weeks. We did make another trip to Sidney, and also attended the Medora musical again. Our daughter Megan came with her kids to spend a week with us, which was wonderful! The week before that Jean’s daughter and son-in-law and their kids were here, so this place has been full of words! (It might be my imagination, but I think Bob and Jean spend more time working in the kennels when there are little kids around!) But it was so fun to have everyone. Our big news is that the [View Full Entry]

---

---

We left Pierre the morning of the 1st and drove to Bismark, ND andstayed the night. We left the nect morning and made it to TRNP and stayed in the Badands of North Dakota. We enjoyed the park very much, wild horses, buffalo wandered around the park. Into our campsite in the Buffalos case. We all went hiking and had a great time [View Full Entry]

---

---

Day 23 (July 20, 2008) Sunday Good morning, I have been hesitating to make an entry on my last day as I guess I am in denial that my adventure is over. I started out early from Lewiston, MT (stayed at the famous Yogo Inn which is named after the famous Yogo Sapphire mined exclusively in Central Montana and the only American gem found in the crown jewels of England) and covered the 450 miles home in record time with 75+ mph on Montana roads. The closer I got to Bismarck the more bugs my windshield picked up. Amazing. Now that [View Full Entry]

---

---

The little "Quaint" town of Drayton in Rural North Dakota The lake cabin I knew would be the last time I would see all my friends together for a year. I had to say goodbye to Nate for a year since he had to go back to Ohio. I knew that everyone in the cities I would see at least once more before I left. Seeing my friends Steve and Julie meant a trip to rural North Dakota. Steve and Julie were in the cities for a wedding and they said they would take me with them back to Drayton. To [View Full Entry]

---

---

(Antelope Creek Kennels) I wasn't going to post a lot of pictures of the kennel construction, because I thought you could keep up to it better if you went to Jean's website ~~ antelopecreekkennels.com ~~ and she could post the pictures, but the progress is just exciting! Once they got the concrete poured, everything they do makes such an improvement. I've added just a couple, but do go check out Jean's site. Besides pounding, there's not a whole lot going on. It's been hot (duh) and dry (DUH) and we're all surprised that July is almost over. And that's my news! [View Full Entry]

---

---

We had an easier drive this day on our way to Fargo, ND. The town is nothing like I remember from the movie. A lot of recent development. Nor and Sean left on the 20th from Hector International Airport (which I found out is really true unless you call minneapolis or denver foreign cities). They had an early flight so there are some sunrise photos as well. [View Full Entry]

---

---