On the road again --South Dakota to North Carolina

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9/15/2015 Badlands National Park was nixed as it meant an extra 3 hour drive out of the way. Instead we visited Mammoth Site where at least 61 mammoths fossils have been discovered. It's an on going paleontology dig site. Also checked out the Wild Horse Sanctuary, saw some and decided not to take the 2 hour tour. Entered NE and drove on minor highways. Through plains, and corn fields. Passed by a 100 year old cemetery, where M asked 'KoNanka purthachi ki hanga, khayyin narmanish dissana.' Garmin Mai directed us on Rte. 2 all the way to Grand Island, where we got on to I 80 to Lincoln,NE. Our Day in Nebraska was spent passing seas of corn fields, abandoned house with dog house, one-horse towns, and dozing off and on. N kept R company in the front seat. One sight of beauty in motion was large flocks of small birds (starlings?) that alit on corn stalks and then rose up in a band of fluttering silhouettes against a blue sky. Dinner was at Mazaltan II Mexican restaurant. <br style="color:𶐎 font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; line-height: normal;" />9/16/2015All set for a 11+ hour drive to Cincinnati, Ohio. Uneventful. Lunch stop at Cedar County Rest Area in Iowa, which depicted the Underground Railway safe houses and their symbols on a quilt patterned tile mural on the wall and floor. More corn and soybean fields on the way. Passed the 'Covered bridges of Madison County' area. M noted that NE, IO, IL, IN are 'land of museums' as we passed signs for umpteen museums of this and that on the way. When we entered OH, P noted that we drove through 5 states today. Take-out Chinese in hotel Rao 's room- ordered just before closing time- restaurant owner nice enough to re- fire burner to cook for us.9/17/2015Tried to to make an early start today to get to Kausalya/Madhu's place in Lexington, KY. Morning traffic in Cincinnati delayed us by half an hour. Purpose of visit was for N and M meet Nakul. He was waiting for us in the front yard with his Ajja and Ammama. Muktha was a big hit with Nakul because she spoke Konkani and Tamil! After a tasty wonderful Indian lunch,(Kanaka joined us with Narayan Katar), we drove the 6 hours back through KY, WV, VA to NC.

In all, a wonderful road trip, in a 12 seater Ford Transit van across CA, OR, WA, MT, WY, ID, SD, NE, IO, IL, IN, OH, KY, WV, VA, NC making memories and weaving images, soaking in sights, enjoying the company, laughing and talking all the way.

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Photos

N and M meet Nakul
Nakul thrilled that M speaks konkani and tamil!