Welcome fellow Spoonies and various other sentient beings to another episode of Magical Mundanities where this Spoonie seeks to find the magic in a mundane world.
After returning from a short trip to visit grandkids and wrap up pre-retirement details with the home office, we had three weeks to rest, recuperate, see doctors, repack our suitcases and pack up our tiny home for storage before heading out on the “big trip of being somewhere else.” This is the first significant road trip we’ve taken in several years.

We left South Dakota on a sunny day. The weather had been mostly hot and sunny for the weeks prior to our departure and we were looking forward to some cooler temps.
Spoonie travel requires some adjustments. We discovered early on that traveling by car is no less draining than travel by air, and it TAKES LONGER! Bear in mind that neither of us travels well these days, we’re out of shape. We took the drive in easy steps traversing no more than 350 miles of state highways per day. We stopped at virtually every roadside rest and touristy place along the way (aka restrooms).

We loosely followed the Oregon Trail most of the trip and picked up fascinating tidbits about the pioneers and their perils, as well as the Eisenhower Highway Act which connected this vast country. The story goes that when Eisenhower was a young Army officer, he participated in a cross country convoy from New York to California. The trek took 62 days and Eisenhower later wrote that this was when he first envisioned a cross country highway system.

The road was long, the journey arduous although certainly not a patch on what the pioneers or post WWI travelers must have gone through. Breaks became less frequent and fatigue crushed the mind, body and soul of these two spoonies. Wyoming holds many, many hundred miles of, well, nothing. At all. I have always said though that if you LOOK for beauty, you’ll find it. Above, during a brief break at an otherwise unremarkable rest area, thistles behind a dilapidated parking lot.

Finally after three days of bone crushing travel fatigue, we stopped for a two-night R&R in the little town of Mountain Home, Idaho. While there we took in some local sites like “Penny Alley” which encompasses an alley full of murals. More on that later.

For now, if we were having coffee at the Weekend Coffee Share, I’d tell you that our travels have been full of tiny steps and beautiful moments, and some fairly huge stumbling blocks as well. I’d remind you that you have but to open your eyes to see the beauty around you, and “those who do not believe in magic will never find it.”
Til next time ~Stay Wild Moonchild ~JP
Interesting to read your post and know your name is related to the spoon theory. I was only telling my husband about spoons today. We are over 70 and adjusting to our now physical limitations re travel (even for a 2 hour drive) and that’s requiring some more consideration. Sounds like you are doing quite well. Cheers, Denyse #weekendcoffeeshare
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Hi Denyse we’re in our 60s but autoimmune diseases complicate things even further so we go slow and save a spoon or two.
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Ah yes, the well known road trip. I smiled because I too am facing retirement some time soon and the bladder does not last as long between rest stops. I’ve also been through Wyoming and you are so spot on! But there is beauty there, but on the other hand, if you can just make it to any adjacent state, there is more beauty more easily found. Travel safe and hurry not. Make the car seat as comfortable as possible and play some gentle music to help the mind from wandering too far.
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Thank you Gary good advice. I’ve always found it ironic that once we retire and finally have time to travel that’s when aging bladders make it.. most inconvenient 😜
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We need a bumper sticker that reads: “Always hydrate – in moderation. . . .”
Can I offer a fresh mug of tea?
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Lol I have a bumper sticker that days “I’m retired go around me”
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Sounds like you’ve managed your long road trip well. Knowing our own limits is part of making the trip enjoyable. Thank you for linking with #weekendcoffeeshare.
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“blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they are easily amused”
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How lovely that you can get out and about with such a fantastic trip! I am very partial to short road trips these days. Fortunately, most little towns here in New Zealand have wonderfully clean public toilets (I prefer to call them restrooms, but they don’t understand that word!)
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I am so delighted you stopped by Betty. We were last in NZ in 2018. I remember the fabulous tiny towns, and of course the Exeloos (self cleaning toilets). Even those maintained by unpaid local resident’s were sparkling. Oh I do so miss South Island, Colac Bay, Invercargill … Must stop before I cry😭
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A road trip! How fun! I mean, I know about the fatigue that occurs in the midst of adventure, but still 🙂 The Oregon trail is interesting form many different point fo views. It’s great that you “{stop and smell the roses” along the way. I can never understand people that don’t take the time to enjoy and learn about the places they pass by. I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend.
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Thank you so much Maria. We’ve had a grand trip so far.
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