“Out In The Country”, by Three Dog Night. That song rings loud in my mind as we begin the long journey from Seattle to Kentucky. I remember a cousin of mine, who used to play that song over and over. I was around 16 and he was a year or two older. One day, he got in his car and left California for Nebraska…. by himself. Over the years I’ve lost touch with him, but I’ve always wondered what it would be like to just get in and go; with a little gas money, few plans, and no obligations to tie one down. Every time I hear that song, I am reminded of a long road trip.

Now that we are retired, we can just pick up and go. Why Kentucky? We are headed to our first ever, Airstream Club Caravan – ‘Kentucky Bourbon and Beyond’. Luckily, we met good friends at an Oregon rally who also never been on a caravan. So together, we planned, we conspired, and readied our trailers for our journey to where the rivers like to run. Three Airstreams, three couples and 4 dogs ready to hit the road.

Our first stop was Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, a rallying place to launch our trip. Good friends, good weather and Gross Donuts! It was warm but the river proved cooling for Cleo our Golden. There was a lot of room to walk and explore. The park hosts next door had a Trump for 2020 sign posted in front of their trailer….oh no. Its only our first stop. What was to come as we continued our way east?

We had a planned stop in Wallace ID to stretch and visit the old train depot. Wallace has a lot of history and almost was destroyed by a huge forest fire that swept the area. Built on mining, it now professes to be the center of the universe. We startled the town by lining the street with our matching trucks and trailers.

Our plan was to limit driving to about 4 hours per day and our first destination was Cody, WY, for 3 days of rodeo, museums and BBQ. Four hours per day worked well but we needed to coordinate the driving experience…speed, stops, and communications. We each had GPS, maps, but no experience on where we were going. I remembered to bring our Midland walkie talkies, which have about a 35 mile range (flat). These worked great and allowed us to signal for stops or any traffic issues… like the idiotic 75 mph semi-trucks trying to pass us. We could have used our cell phones but we were not sure we would have cell service.

Well I say they worked great….but really, only when close enough to see each other. If the lead truck gets too far ahead, the signal drops and ….well….the sign said “Anaconda that way”, so we turned off I90 at Drummond onto MT Hwy 1….but only the second and third vehicle. We didn’t know that the leader was far ahead following another route. Our little Hwy 1 took us past Philipsburg MT….a really cute town with 1 main street and few areas to turn around. We headed back to the Hwy and continued toward Anaconda (we hoped). The road made a hard left and started up out of the canyon with 15mph – 20mph switchback turns and 8% climb. I looked at Wife, she looked at me. Slow going we made it up the ridge where it led us past a dam and along a beautiful Georgetown Lake. The lake had lots of access points and there were many cabins surrounding the lake’s edge signifying that it was a popular vacation spot with very little else happening. Anaconda, at last… fuel, dinner and a long rest!

From Anaconda, we planned a rest stop at the Wheat Montana Bakery located in Three Forks MT. Plenty of parking room (which was a concern). But when we pulled in, we saw another Airstream parked in the gravel lot. So, doing as all good Airstreamers do, we saddled up next to them. The folks who had been there, came out and was shocked to see all four shiny silver trailers in a row! We talked, shared journeys (they heading west) when a fifth Airstream pulled in honking and waving. What a family!

We arrived in Cody from the west via WY Hwy 72 and 120. Very little traffic and wide, open spaces. Cody began our transformation into the mindset, the history, the traditions of the mid-west. Here is an example… we attended the Cody Rodeo final night. What a spectacle! Bull riders, broncos, young women riders. The young man sitting horseback and serving as announcer led us in a long prayer prior to playing of the National Anthem. He then told the crowd to look left, then right. He said there would not be anyone “kneeling” during the national anthem at this event! Huh? Did he really say that? Did he understand the NFL player’s actions or what it meant? Not that I agree with him or the players, but did he really need to go there?

We stayed at the Cody KOA. 3-stars by my account. We had to negotiate a move into shadier sites that weren’t next to the road. They did have free pancakes each morning! Actually, it was the first KOA franchise. Being Labor day weekend, it filled up fast.

We visited the Buffalo Bill Center of the West museum in Cody and thought it was enlightening! Full of history, art, and…. guns. I am not a gun-toting person, having never even fired one. But I admit it was interesting to learn how they evolved, how they were made long ago, and how they were needed to live out in the new frontier. We visited for hours over two days. Our big evening event was a chuck wagon dinner and show at the Cody Cattle Company. All you can eat brisket and chicken….and we did. The show started slow but quickly became a lot of fun with lots of music and laughter.

One couple left us at Cody and headed into Yellowstone and back to Oregon. The other two of us were continuing on to Kentucky….a long way still to come. I admit, I woke with an uneasy feeling….should we be doing this? What will the weather do? Will we have truck, trailer of health issues? I was thinking of all the things that could go wrong…a feeling of impending…..WAIT! I have older neighbors and friends that have traveled further by themselves! We are caravanning with friends so take your meds and calm down!