Day 28

After about 5 hours of rest, we departed Cheyenne, Wyoming for Kansas City, Missouri. This drive should cover about 630 miles of the drive home. We cross into Kansas from Colorado and the land becomes flat and open, full of farm land that has been recently planted. The only sites on the horizon are the silos that mark every town. Every now and then we spot a tree that looks out of place. We pass through the rock fence post area, so called because of the lack of trees, the fence posts are rock, wrapped with barbwire. We stopped in Abilene Kansas for dinner and the locals tell us that we must go to the Brookville Hotel for their fried chicken dinner. We had a pleasant surprise when we arrived; The Brookville is like walking into the past. You are served on Blue Willow China, the servers are dressed in period attire and the chicken is some of the best we have tasted. The Brookville has been serving chicken dinners since 1870 and includes ½ of a chicken, fried perfect, hot and juicy; along with all you can eat mashed potatoes, gravy, creamed corn, coleslaw, and hot biscuits. This was a great meal, and a must stop if you are in the Abilene, Kansas area. The day has been long and we head on to Kansas City and our rooms at the Residence Inn.

Day 27

Day 30 (The Final Day)

We leave the Fairfield Inn in Smyrna, Tennessee, knowing that we are only 575 miles from home, and the end to another great RoadTrip. What a trip it has been, we have seen many things that we have only dreamed about. From Southeast Georgia to Alaska and back we have crossed some of the most beautiful vistas of anyplace in the world. We have marveled at the creation of such beautiful land, from the Atlantic shore we call home to the Great Plains of the Midwest, to the Mountains, majestic and snow covered, across British Columbia, Alberta and the Yukon in Canada and finally to the great state of Alaska (The Last Frontier). We have been amazed at the wildlife we have seen, close enough to almost touch at times. We have bonded with each other in ways that only a trip like this could have done. We have shared much laughter, stories of our families, past experiences and our trips together. We have thanked God for his creations and counted our many blessings. We have been thankful for the National Park Service and their work in keeping the park lands protected and so beautiful (tax money well spent) for our children, their children and many generations to follow. We have met some wonderful people along the way and renewed our faith in our fellow man. We got home around 9:30 PM, and now the work begins with unpacking, laundry, cleaning neglected yards, catching up on all the household chores, and returning to work and our daily lives. The one thing that makes this all worthwhile has been our fantastic Alaska RoadTrip and the memories that we will have for the rest of our lives. With hugs and tears we depart from each other, but we know in our hearts there will be other trips in the future for the Four Amigos.

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Total Miles To Date: 12,788.6

Day 29

We leave Kansas City for the trip to Smyrna, Tennessee and our last night on the road. It’s a shorter drive today, and Debbie and I have decided to take Roddy and Janice out for dinner tonight to celebrate their Anniversary. We gave them a choice and they wanted some ole fashioned southern Bar-B-Que so I checked the area and found a place called Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint. It is rated as the best in the area. We arrived in Nolensville, Tennessee around 6:00 and located Martin’s Bar-B-Que, we also found out that they also do car repair, but don’t be fooled by the sign, they have great food. We had ribs, pulled pork and brisket. The brisket was some of the most flavorful and tender that I have ever tasted. The ribs ended up being a half a slab each, very meaty and fall off the bone tender. Martin’s prepares all their side dishes and they were very good, but the meat is the highlight. After filling up on Bar-B-Que and reminiscing about the RoadTrip to Alaska we headed the final 20 miles to Smyrna and the Fairfield Inn for the last unpacking of the suitcases on the road. We are coming to the realization that this journey is nearing completion and the sadness of that is starting to show. Our RoadTrip to Alaska has been worth every minute of the planning, all the miles of driving and every penny spent. We would have changed very few things about the trip, maybe that’s a starting point for the 2010 Alaska RoadTrip (that’s a hint).
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Total Miles To Date: 12,218
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Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint - A+

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Day 28

After getting about 5 hours of rest, we departed Cheyenne, Wyoming for Kansas City, Missouri. This drive should cover about 630 miles of the drive home. We cross into Kansas from Colorado and the land becomes flat and open, full of farm land that has been recently planted. The only sites on the horizon are the silos that mark every town. Every now and then we spot a tree that looks out of place. We pass through the rock fence post area, so called because of the lack of trees, the fence posts are rock, wrapped with barbwire. We stopped in Abilene Kansas for dinner and the locals tell us that we must go to the Brookville Hotel for their fried chicken dinner. We had a pleasant surprise when we arrived; The Brookville is like walking into the past. You are served on Blue Willow China, the servers are dressed in period attire and the chicken is some of the best we have tasted. The Brookville has been serving chicken dinners since 1870 and includes ½ of a chicken, fried perfect, hot and juicy; along with all you can eat mashed potatoes, gravy, creamed corn, coleslaw, and hot biscuits. This was a great meal, and a must stop if you are in the Abilene, Kansas area. The day has been long and we head on to Kansas City and our rooms at the Residence Inn.

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Total Miles To Date: 11,668

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Brookville Hotel - A++

Teton Pictures