2300 miles in 4 days...

Every European has a dream about "The land of opportunities". The big country on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Many of us dream about exploring this country, in one way or another.

Some take 3 months off work - and travel to the Great Unknown - with only one plan in mind; buy an old car - "an American classic." if you want - an old Chevy convertible, and just go. across this big continent. Yeah - I've had that dream to, I still do! Although I have had the opportunity to see a lot of what America has to offer - I still want to experience the whole "Thelma and Louise " thing.

Well - my dream has partly come true - but as you see, it's not an old Chevy convertible, and I don't think my brother would enjoy being either Thelma or Louise. And I didn't take 3 months off work.

We had a 1998 Jeep Cherokee (at least an American brand.) "Louise" was now my brother, and I took 2 days off work.

First stop, Salt Lake City, Utah - to meet up with my brother. He has been out there training to become a pilot. We are all very proud - he's completed his training and is to return home to Norway. We were not sure that his flying training would get him by road all the way back to Maryland by himself so, seeing as I like to travel, I decided to go out there to join him. Friday night I landed in Salt Lake City, Utah. met my brother - who just happened to forget to tell me that the air conditioner in the car did not work. Now this was August 9th - a very hot time of year. But - we thought roll down the windows and bring a lot of water. Hey - it was almost like driving a convertible..

Saturday morning we hit the road heading for Denver, Colorado. Yeah - that's 500 miles of heavy driving - through the desert - wow that was amazing. Although it's the desert - meaning, not much to look at or anything happening - it was incredible to see the mountains and the sand - and to feel the heat. As you see I was impressed - so yeah - I took a lot of pictures. I found it amazing that the rocks was just hard sand, and that you could actually write on them... And for me, after spending all of my time on the East Coast, in Washington D.C - with the humidity, it was quite a difference to experience the dryness.

All Saturday was spent in the desert - and it felt so good when the sun finally went down. By that time we had already made it to Colorado - and was going through the mountains. What was amazing to us was to see how similar the small towns are like the towns in the Alps. Going through Vail - was just like being in Europe, Chamonix, France. And how cold it was up there.

So we finally reached Denver Colorado late Saturday night. Tired and worn out, we found a hotel, and in no time at all it was lights out.

Sunday we decided to get an early start and chew up some miles before the heat took hold again. Target for today was Kansas City. Now - I am sorry if a offend some of you out there in Kansas, but you don't have anything to look at - do you?? It was just farmland, farmland, and farmland. Well - what you do have is the world's biggest Prairie dog!! At that time I was driving and "Louise" was asleep, so I didn't get to take a picture of it. We ended up buying this car-bingo at a gas station. If you ever go on a road trip with kids, it's a good idea to get one of those. Keeps them busy for at least 30 minutes. One thing Kansas did do for us - was to fix our A/C. We stopped at a local K-Mart. Now they have everything - don't they? There we could buy a box filled with cold air. (At least in my understanding.) And fill up the A/C, and it would cool down the car. It worked!! Words cannot express how wonderful that felt! Cool air coming out.. Ahhh!

Wow - Kansas City is huge, but then, not all of it is in Kansas is it? The part we saw was in Missouri! - Where we spent the night. Again we arrived there late, but we figured that if we got up early Monday morning we could get to St. Louis during the day - just a 2 hour drive away. And that was a town I would like to see.

So Monday we arrived in St.Louis. Wow - what a city. Down by the Mississippi River - with all the riverboats. The Casinos - and the restaurants, in the old style. And of course the Gateway Arch. I have seen it on TV and in movies, but seeing it in real life was something else. Did you know that a Finish architect designed it? Of course it had to have a Scandinavian connection - to be so fantastic.

That day our goal was Indianapolis, Indiana. That was also a pretty town. We drove through downtown - and saw the nightlife. Although it was Monday night - there were still lots of people out there. And who could blame them - nice weather, cosy sidewalk cafes etc. This city was made for the nightlife.

Tuesday morning - another early start - we were going home today, through Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and home to Maryland. We made it home by 9pm - and waiting for us there was some good Norwegian homemade meatballs - boiled potatoes and salad.

Oooh - was that good, after 2300 miles on junk food, sweets and Coke! So - I guess you can say - my dream came true. And would I do it again. Oh yeah - but next time I'll take three months off work.

Other Articles

Fred Kavli and the Kavli Institute - 12/15/07 Agent 24 on a Pedestal - 5/19/07 A Long Walk - 10/25/06 Facts about Erik Bye - 10/14/04 In loving memory of Trygve Bauer-Nilsen Jr. - 9/8/04 Sissel in Concert Schedule - 4/22/04 When things in your life seem almost too much to handle - 10/10/03 17th of May Celebration in Washington DC - 5/22/03 Norhouse To Operate The Nordic Countries From Copenhagen - 3/17/03 Letter from the Chairman - 1/10/03 Hostfest 2002 - Minot, North Dakota - 10/18/02 Norsk Hostfest 2002 - 9/27/02 Where have we been lately? - 6/21/02 Attack on America - September 11th, 2001 - 3/11/02 Greetings from the Chairman - 12/28/01 We do Remember . . . - 12/11/01 Hostfest 2001 - Minot, North Dakota - 10/22/01 The Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce Mid-Atlantic Chapter, Incorporated

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