From Nebraska to Iowa and Minnesota
After over 400 miles on monotonous Nebraska landscape we finally made it through the corn husker state and into Iowa. With great timing, we arrived in Omaha, which is on the border between Nebraska and Iowa, on the night before Nicole’s 21st birthday and Alex’s 20th birthday, Wheooo, Wheooo. The team really enjoyed celebrating the birthdays and everything we had overcome from the Mojave dessert to the Rocky Mountains and the hundreds of miles through cornfields with tough head winds. Our team has grown stronger every day of the trip and was finally nice to celebrate everything we have accomplished thus far, as well as prepare for everything we will encounter in our next month on the road. After a well deserved day off, we made it to Anita, Iowa, where we camped in the beautiful campgrounds at the Anita state park, located right on the beautiful Anita lake. It was a great place for us to recharge, plan and organize for our next stop in the Twin cities. After hours of cleaning “big mamma,” our notoriously messy 15-passenger van, we set out for our road trip directly north of Des Moines toward Stillwater, Minnesota. I was very excited throughout the ride to arrive in the Twin cities suburbs to finally see one of my best friends from high school, and actually my freshman year roommate at Choate, John Uppgren and see where he lives and visit his family. It has been so nice catching up with the Uppgren’s and enjoying their generous hospitality. Along with visiting the Uppgren’s, the team was able to visit with our executive director, Molly Burkes family, which was so nice. I was also very lucky to have met Nicoles aunt and uncle, and enjoy a wonderful dinner on lake Minnetonka with some wonderful conversations. I hope I am able to come back to the Twin cities area soon. Look forward to Kate’s blog as we have numerous fundraising events and presentations as we are leaving the twin cities area and headed through Wisconsin on our way to Chicago.
“Life is short, Break the Rules.
Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly.
Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably
And never regret ANYTHING
That makes you smile.”
~ Mark Twain
-Colin