Day 96: Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety, Jig

Day 96, Tuesday: My birthday and it seems fitting and memorable that the Great National Retirement Tour should end on my birthday. This day will be the birth of a totally new phase of my life. I have seen a lot of places, things, and people. I have enjoyed almost all of it. There are some places I have always wanted to see that I have now seen and I am done. There are some places that I have just scratched the surface, and I want to return. There are some friendly old haunts that I loved returning to.

I have met, re-met, and re-connected with so many people; some have been a wonderful surprise and a few (OK just one) have been a disappointment.

This is also a good day to end my trip because my driver’s license expires today.

I woke up this morning, packed up, had breakfast that David made, packed the car, hooked it to the camper with David’s help, said good-bye to LuAnne and David, and left. Well, almost. When I got to the gas station, I realized I had left my money behind. But then I was on the road again. The last leg of my journey. I am sad!

Stopped at an A&W in Windsor, Wisconsin – just west of Madison – for a rootbeer float and fried cheese curds. And some photos!

Then, because Brent had mentioned wanting to go there for a vacation, I stopped in Wisconsin Dells to pick up some brochures to send to him and Autumn. Plus a few last post cards. Where were these tourist items, you ask? Why, at Walgreens. I went to Applebees for lunch (truly horrible), and to write those last few post cards. And where was the mail box, you ask? Why, right outside Walgreens. Soon, they will have 24-hour staffed visitor information centers. Just my joke.

I skipped Norske Nook and drove straight thru to Saint Paul, but vowed to return soon. I arrived home at 6 pm with a grand total of 10,543 miles on my car for the entire trip. I got a grocery bag and filled it up with the mail order catalogs I have received in the past 4 months and then went to sleep at 7 pm. Happy but tired!