Our 2011 Traverse, loaded down with our worldly goods for a month, pulled out of Maqua this morning with 190,500 miles on the odometer. Decked out with new tires, a tune-up, and topped off with gas under $2.00/gallon, we were ready to roll. Saying goodbye each summer is not easy, but each season our packing is less stressful and more organized.

It was a sunny, cool day as we headed across the state of Michigan, over rolling hills sprawling with Christmas tree farms, already tagged and ready for cutting. Our guide, Google maps, gave us the scenic route, which led us past beautiful farmlands, apple orchards, and quaint towns decked out for fall. Gusty winds whipped across inland lakes with white-capped waves, tossing the few boats that have not been taken out of the water.

Traveling by car means I can beg and wheedle Bill into stopping when a scenic overlook or wonderful Kodak moment grabs my attention. I made him stop twice this morning, before arriving at our very clean hotel room, (which I gave a second Covid wipe with disinfecting wipes.) The first stop was a view of rolling hills that are just beginning to show color. The second was to stand up close and personal to sunflowers the size of platters.

We are giving ourselves a month to see our great country and discover sights we have only seen in photographs. Our vacations with our four kids have either been to big cities since we lived in the country, or to Michigan for our summers on the lake. Bill and I took vacations without kids to Europe, to National Golf Course Owner conferences in beautiful cities all over the U.S., and various anniversaries have included two-day spontaneous drives.

With students back in school, cool temps, and cheap gas, we figured now was a good time to go west and visit the great parks, hike, and stay in some unusual lodging. We had planned to drive all the way to San Francisco to see our much-missed family, but Covid and wildfires changed our mind, so now it is Montana or bust!