Tales From the Last Big Road Trip (Part 2)

Last week, I shared some photos and highlights with you guys from the first half of what my husband and I declared to be the 'Last Big Road Trip' before baby arrives.  You can see that post here, which also explains more of the story behind the trip itself.  To briefly summarize: we traveled 2,300 miles, to 6 states, in 8 days, and despite some minor challenges (ya know, like a high country urgent care visit, a busted headlight, and a whole lot of pregnancy pee stops), it made for some pretty wonderful quality time together.  We also got to visit Robbie's Nana (which was really important to both of us after my Maggo passed away a few weeks ago), his great Aunt, his parents, and a few of our dearest friends.  It was a lot of time in car and a lot of extremes in terms of weather and altitude, but it really was a priceless experience. Today, I'm sharing photos from the second half of our trip, which included the second half of our time in Colorado, along with the drive back through Nebraska, Iowa, and home into Illinois.

Some highlights from the second half of our trip:

• Getting to be a part of our friend Jay's surprise 40th birthday party in Silverthorne, and seeing so many of our dear Colorado friends at the party who we otherwise probably wouldn't have had time to see.
• Robbie getting to marathon train/run at 9,000+ feet (and walk even more miles on top of that with his mom each day).
• Eating ridiculously good Mexican food in Frisco.
• Robbie's mom's peach smoothies.  YUM.  I have officially vowed to put frozen peaches in everything from now on. 
• Getting to spend lots of time with Bella and Orion, the kids of our dear friends Johnny and Rhonda (both of whom were in our wedding).  Our favorite part was getting to play with them at the park for a couple of hours on Sunday morning.
• Laughing for hours at funny stories from Robbie's childhood with his parents.
• Spending Sunday afternoon exploring Boreas Pass (11,493 feet).  The yellow wildflowers were on their way out but still stunning. 
• Getting the best homemade cookies (and Mexican Fanta - my favorite!) at the tiny Mexican grocery story across the street to enjoy on our journey back. 
• Coming to the sudden realization that pretty much every state in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region boasts some sort of claim to fame with relation to Buffalo Bill (his grave, his hometown, his adult home, his favorite bar, whatever).
• Paying attention to cool + unusual sites along the way home instead of being emerged in our electronics.  We saw the raddest teepee shelters, gorgeous farmlands, Buffalo Bill monuments galore (see previous highlight), the most amazing art on abandoned grain elevators in Omaha, lots of small city skylines, interesting bridges, and so much more. Major memories ingrained in both of our brains from that drive back.
• Making the last minute decision to get off I-80 in eastern Iowa and take backroads the rest of the way.
• Paying a visit to Antique Archeology, aka American Pickers HQ, in LeClair, Iowa.  So bad ass.
• Getting home and crashing out in our own bed.  No better way to end a long road trip.

The Last Big Road Trip was officially a success.  And we're already talking about where we'll drive off into the sunset next summer - this time with a new, mini family member in tow.