480 miles
$0: moochdocking at brother Tim’s in Idledale, CO
$0: moochdocking at brother Tim’s in Idledale, CO
$33.03 KOA of Salina (Kansas)

Some places are worth revisiting. Brother Tim’s new Colorado house wasn’t too far off the shortest path East. I hadn’t gotten a chance to see him much on my first visit, and he could still use some help with the house, so I stayed three nights total.

I reclaimed some driveway width and two extra parking spots with a string-trimmer.

And helped with an in-law suite. His friend with the experience and book-lernin’ did the hard stuff. I did “you’re doing stuff, too” tasks like installing blinds and assembling IKEA cabinet drawers.

Leaving Tim’s house Wednesday morning gives me five days to get home (I got to Tim’s in three long days on the way out).

Up just before dawn, and Tim guided me backing down his switchbacked driveway in the dim dawn light.

While the Denver sunrise was beautiful, it was a reminder I’d be driving into the sun every morning, with no more Western mountainous scenery, for the next three to five days.

1,723 miles to go, and the next turn I need to make is in 532 miles. Major road construction ahead.

And Kansas.

I thought I might retrace my steps exactly, and stay at Clinton State Park, but the rolling grassy hills of Kansas lulled me into a stupor.

I stopped early at the KOA in Salina.

It had good reviews, was just $4 more than the state park, and 130 miles closer.

And it had a pool.

Despite my last toe-breaking KOA pool experience in Moab, there were no toe/step accidents at this KOA.

(Yet)

One of the up-, and downsides to many KOA’s is their proximity to major roadways. In this case, I-70.

I will rejoin them on the road tomorrow before dawn.