You Can't Get Lost

 Home again, Home again, Jiggety Jig.  Oops, I probably shouldn't use that one.... I feel like the fat pig already.   Well, It's been another great trip.  Lot's of family, including a family reunion (quickly), a high school reunion that was two days long and then followed up with visits, museums, amusement parks and lots of Harvest Hosts, which really are a lot of fun.  Like Forest Gump's Box of Chocolates.  You never know. OK, I've already explained the economics of Harvest Hosts.  Free camping for a night but a donation of some kind strongly suggested.  Or buy something.  Well, a couple of wineries "grabbed the ring" on that one.  But even then, I came out ok.   Summary: Total Days:   27 Total Miles:  3464 Miles with Trailer:  2850 Overall Mileage :  11.6 mpg Average Cost of Diesel:  $3.45/gal Average Cost Per Day:          With $775 repair in North Platte :  $132          Without repair in North Platte:        $98 I can argue both ways with the repair. 

Sunday.  I left Fort Belmont around noon for the difficult and arduous trip to Spirit Lake, IA, all of maybe 25 miles.  Actually, I did drive fairly slowly and stopped at several beaches along the way, because I didn’t get to Marble Beach campground until 1:30.  And when I got there, the people in my site were still there, though obviously packing up.  I drove around the site and found a drivethrough site open where I could park.  On checking my reservation, check-out time was 3:00 and check-in time was 4:00.  So, I sat and listened to an opera and read for an hour and a half, until the people finally pulled out at 2:59.  (I gotta admit, my kind of people.)  I got set up and pulled out my bike and rode around the campground and over to the beach.  The beach was about 100 feet long and maybe 5 feet back.  Not impressive.  I was ready to do laundry, so found a nice 24 hour laundry in Spirit Lake.  Laundry is easy.  One load of permanent press and one load of everything else.  Truth be to

Wow, so much to Catsup on... Maybe I can make it short and sweet or maybe a little spicy....  well, maybe not.  Julie, maybe I should have taken some of those vegetables this morning.... Oh, and I know now, I'll be home and maybe ready for business on Saturday afternoon, or evening, or Sunday sometime for sure.  I'm pretty positive, I think..... Wed, June 5th.  From Watson, MN to Herm's house/farmette in Sanborn, MN. What can I say about Herm? First, Herm is not his name.  It's James Meier.  There was a naming spree in maybe freshman or sophomore year in high school (or maybe earlier) when many of the boys got nicknames.  Mallard, Barney, Nelly, Elmer, Swifty, etc., and Herm.  They still call each other those on occasion, but Herm stuck and he's been known as Herm ever since.  Many in Windom still think that is his name.    If Sally had had an "older brother" in high school, it would have been Herm.  And he certainly was so after HS.  He's also a great