Saturday, Great weather

This morning I left mom's house and got a great start. I stopped in Fergus Falls to see Dean Erkenbrack. I had given him a heads up on the phone, so his wife Helan, his sister Jenny and his brother Rick were there with him. I got my wires crossed and was waiting for him on the wrong side of the freeway in the Wallmart parking lot. They were in the Perkins restaurant (across the freeway) waiting for me. After ten minutes or so, Dean came and got me. We had breakfast and talked about times and people long gone. It was just a real refreshing time with those guys. Rick called his brother Mike, who lives in Arizona. I got to talk to him a bit after convincing him that it really was me. Here is a shot of our gathering:From left to right, Jenny, me, Dean, Helan and Rick. Great people!

The weather was just great. I didn't use any sun screen (!!) but just look at what I had to deal with today:

I had told people from out west about the midwest. I have mentioned to them that is it so flat, if one stands up on something, like a barn or an overpass, you can see ten miles. Here is the proof guys. take a look.

I rode on down through Breckenridge, over to Whapeton N. Dakota, then south on I-29 through South Dakota. I didn't see a "Welcome to South Dakota" sign, so I have no proof to put down here. After I got to Brookings, I went back east into Minnesota then dropped down south again. That way I would be able to say I was in Iowa. See:

That took me about 40 miles out and around my destination, which will be my cousin's Jerry's house. We goofed around as kids a lot. I could tell it would be fun.... It was.
This is Jerry's house and family.

Left to right: Donna, Jerry (Zoli-master) Annie- daughter, Ashley- Ben's girlfriend, Ben-son, Keana- grandaughter, Sarah- Nates wife, Alivia, Nate- son, and Isaac- grandson.

"Zoli-master" is a hunting nick-name his friends hung on him. He shoots a Zoli brand shotgun. It means he seldom misses.

We had a great dinner (thanks Donna) and chewed the fat at the fire pit for a long time after. So long, that I had to write this blog entry the next morning.

We talked a lot about hunting pheasants, old times and people from long ago. I wished it had never ended.

The next morning, I got ready, had another great meal and left heading south. That would take me thouugh Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and into Oklahoma. It would be a long day. My plan was to leave around 8 AM, it was coming up on 10.....

After striking out on the road, I was planning for some of that famous BBQ in Kansas City.