S2E10: Hello windiness, my old friend.

Day 10: Sept 19, 2023
Wilson, KS →
Maryville, IL
Mileage: 454

—

It isn’t the first time. In fact, this is the fourth occurrence. At twelve minutes past midnight, wide awake and with the tent swaying like a rough flight, we make the call. We move downstairs into the rig. The culprit is always our dear friend (or archnemesis, as is the case), the wind.

Thankfully, the night is still warm, so it’s a quick process to reconfigure our sleeping arrangement — recline the front seats completely, take our pillows and the Hoverquilt down, move Barb back into her cushioned car bed, and collapse the tent.

A Lexus GX470 is a well-built machine. The luxurious cabin makes for a quiet and solid one, which means once we are situated inside, the wind noise is barely noticeable, and the turbulence is nonexistent. Jen made custom window shades for the rig, so once the front and rear windshields are covered, we are pretty cozy inside.

We liken this setup to flying first-class domestic or premium-economy international. All things considered, we both end up getting more restful sleep than we would have upstairs.

—

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the whisper of dawn. The interior starts to brighten, and the telltale signs of first light reveal themselves. The morning is much, much calmer. The wind is now just a suggestion of a breeze.

The expansive Kansas skies are showing off again. Lightning flickers in the distance, and clouds and rain accompany it. It is a beautiful backdrop, one that never touches us first-hand — we enjoy the spectacle from afar as we sip our morning hot beverages and gear up for our departure.

Today is our final push to St. Louis, with our biggest day yet — about seven hours of drive time and over 450 miles.

—

Surprisingly, the drive passes by with a blur. A Chipotle in Topeka, a gas stop here and there, a slice of Kansas City, and then the beginnings of the outer St. Louis area. I take a power nap while Jen finishes up the last leg across the Mississippi River and into Maryville, Illinois, towards her sister’s house.

Reuniting with family is such a warm feeling. We hug, we briefly recap the day’s journey, and we start the first in a series of conversations and laughter. We’re a day early, so we get a bonus evening here before we properly settle into St. Louis.

2,363 miles and ten days later, we’re here.