| A – Home | B – Wichita, KS |
| C – Denver, CO | D – Salt Lake City, UT |
| E – Casper, WY | F – Billings, MT |
| G – Bismarck, ND | H – Sioux Falls, SD |
| I – Omaha, NE | J – Des Moines, IA |
| A – Home |
Wichita, KS
Wichita was my first stop on the final journey. The area has a prominent role in aviation history. In addition, at the confluence of Big and Little Arkansas Rivers stands The Keeper of the Plains, a monument erected to honor the lands and how sacred the area is to Native Americans.
Denver, CO
The drive into Denver from the plains was remarkably scenic, with the mountains in the background. I gave a speech at the Wheat Ridge Rotary Club on my birthday, representing the anniversary of Day 1 of my first road trip.
Salt Lake City, UT
My visit to Mormon country was indeed memorable. I visited Temple Square in Salt Lake City and saw one of the world’s largest pipe organs. On a day trip to Provo, a female student at BYU invited me to testimonial Moman service. And I met Hoot the Owl of Harry Potter fame.
Casper, WY
I arrived in Casper with no pants. Well, other than the pair I was wearing. I left them and some other clothes in the dryer in SLC. On a day trip from Casper, I met a nationally known tribal chief on the Wind River Reservation. He agreed to be interviewed.
Billings, MT
My car spent two days in the shop in Billings. But at least I got my pants back. My SLC Airbnb host mailed them to me. If you get the chance, visit Yellowstone. Witnessing bison and Old Faithful erupting—you can’t beat that.
Bismarck, ND
The landscape on the drive to Bismarck from Montana was amazing. I drove through the Badlands, or “Mako Sica,” as the Lakota people know it. I got my haircut while in town.
Sioux Falls, SD
On the way to Sioux Falls, I spent a night in Rapid City to see Mount Rushmore. It’s better in person than in photos. More amazingly, I met a second guest at my Airbnb who had read Dan McAdams’s book, the stories we live by. That’s where I got the interview protocol. What were the chances?
Omaha, NE
Not only did I snap a picture of Warren Buffett’s home in Omaha, I made a day trip to the University of Nebraska. There, I bumped into a gentleman taking the same picture as me. We learned that we both adopted a daughter from China and have the same famous “red couch picture” from the same hotel. Small world.
Des Moines, IA
OMG! Des Moines is my very last city. To celebrate, a retired businessman and a State Representative agreed to join me for dinner on my last night on the road. I also gave two speeches on the same day. I had spent exactly one year, one month, one week, and one day away from my home.