The eleven day trip started with a flight from Portland, Oregon to Denver, Colorado (a stopover destination) to Indianapolis, Indiana.  I got into my rental car, spent the first night in Indy, and began my journey.  

But first, I made a visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which includes a visit to the hall of fame museum and a bus ride around the famous track. I continued my journey in the Hoosier State, stopping in Muncie, Gas City, Kokomo, Lafayette and Crawfordsville.

Then it was west to Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, visiting Danville, Urbana, Champaign, Decatur, the state capital of Springfield, Peoria, historic Pekin (birthplace of a couple of my great-grandparents), and historic Galesburg. Driving through the Quad Cities, I reached Iowa. I continued west into Iowa City, Cedar Rapids (surprisingly big), Waterloo, historic Fort Dodge (no relation), Ames, the state capital of Des Moines, Adair (home of the yellow smiley face water tower), and Council Bluffs, seeing the General Dodge House (again, no relation).

I headed into eastern Nebraska stopping in Omaha, driving through Downtown on Dodge Street (pure coincidence), Lincoln (home of the state capitol and the University of Nebraska, home of the Cornhuskers) and Beatrice as well as northeastern Kansas stopping in Manhattan, Topeka (state capital), Lawrence, historic Leavenworth and Atchison.

I made my way eastward into Missouri, the Show Me State. I began in St. Joseph, home of the Pony Express and the house where Jesse James was assassinated.  I continued south and east to Kansas City, Warrensburg, Sedalia, California, Jefferson City (state capital), Columbia, Warrenton, and St. Charles. I saw the Gateway Arch and visited the zoo in St. Louis. I made my way southward into Cape Girardeau, Missouri before crossing over into Kentucky.

While in the Bluegrass State, I traveled through Paducah, Russellville, Bowling Green, one of Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood homes near White City, historic Bardstown, Lexington, and the state capital of Frankfort. I visited the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs in Louisville, which included a tour of the grandstand and horse track.  I also drove through Downtown Louisville.

I headed back into Indiana, returning to Indianapolis before the storms came. I was amazed at how nasty these thunderstorms can get in the Midwest, but luckily, there were no tornadoes.  The next and final day, the skies began to calm, and I was on my way home, boarding planes back to Denver and Portland.  

• Photo 1 - Description
• Photo 2 - Description
• Photo 3 - Description
• Photo 4 - Description
• Photo 5 - Description
• Photo 6 - Description
• Photo 7 - Description
• Photo 8 - Description
• Photo 9 - Description
• Photo 10 - Description
• Photo 11 - Description