Sooner or later it had to happen. The thing we experienced only once before in South Dakota: A Tailwind!
Not just a tailwind, a heavy, leaf blowing, dust hurling, awning ripping tailwind. As an added bonus, we saw mpg figures that we’ve never seen before in our Journey: 10.2 mpg. (If we could only get that mpg all the time!). According to this article here, I’d estimate the winds were in excess of 30 mph by looking at flags.
![american-flag-blowing-in-the-wind_medium[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4UBByY5tc_AdbIZDAi5qwNR9s7pFsEFJBKF8CinKUuEtoJ590p4Pv5RBqgLXXFuy5vwOyS0Nd-ZdAf-TR5xmoOq8L6KU8GRa4BpUhTYGBDMmkhp85KGIfMkG6NigiNo5I3ZdA3FdeRrQ/s1600-h/american-flag-blowing-in-the-wind_medium%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "american-flag-blowing-in-the-wind_medium[1]")
Just to clarify, we do consult our maps and have a good idea which way we are heading each day, but sometimes the GPS units have a slightly better idea (but not usually). Ergo, they do get overruled most of the time.
Our units give us four choices: 1.) Most Use of Highways, 2.) Least use of Highways, 3.) Fastest Time, 4.) Shortest Distance. It would be nice to be able to set the units to a combination of all of them, but that requires way too much technical skill for me, I’m afraid if I tried something like that by setting points of interest, I’d overheat the unit and burn the Journey to the ground.
So we’ll keep the maps handy.
Along with moving by the breeze instead of against it, we encountered some new challenges: Farm equipment.
Seems to be planting season up here in Iowa. We were slowed down by several tractors, sprayers and other food growing devices rolling down the roads. Not an issue, they gave me a chance to do something we’ve never done before in the Journey.
We waited until we had long, clear straightaways…and we passed them! Such an exhilarating feeling to pass something, instead of being passed, for a change. Even if it was Old MacDonald on his ancient John Deere. Hey, we take victories, not matter how small, whenever and wherever we find them. :c)
I have to apologize to Sherry, I blew it (no pun intended) and drove 237 miles today, we’re now only a hop, skip and a jump away from our Winnebago Factory Service Center. I just couldn’t give up on driving with that glorious tail wind. Who knows how many years it will be before I get another one? Sherry, I hope you understand…
We’re stopped for the night at a Flying J in Iowa. We’ll be kicking back and watching a little TV. Not much to see around us here, unless you want to sit and watch the corn grow… ;c)
Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.
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You must have done a dance and "shook a tail feather." Obviously, it worked! ;-)
ReplyDeleteNothing better than a tailwind! Good luck with your repairs. Wish you could stay on Winnebago grounds like we can at Tiffin.
ReplyDeleteThere's always a better choice than a Flying J. And no, I'm not talking about Walmart.
ReplyDeleteGonna have to teach you some boondocking skills. :-)
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com
I don't think the farmers would appreciate me setting up in the middle of their cornfield... ;c)
DeleteTailwinds are always a bonus & I like to ride them for as long & as far as I can whenever one happens along & decides to give us a little push.
ReplyDeleteWe stayed at Amana Colonies in Iowa last fall. We had been staying at Flying J's on our way across from west coast to PA, and it was so warm that fall that I absolutely had to finally have hook ups and AC :)
ReplyDeleteAs you probably know, I'm not a Flying J or Walmart type person. Yuck! So, are you planning to stay there until Monday?? I sure wouldn't.
ReplyDeleteNope, tomorrow we roll into the Winnebago Factory Service Center where we have a reserved site for two nights at the Service Center lot.
DeleteSee. . .you spoke too soon. . .the wind gods do listen sometimes!
ReplyDeleteWell now you've done it. You can no longer say you never get a tailwind. You got what you wished for. Oh Paul, no apology necessary. I never believed you could do 150 miles a day anyway :-)
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed a rare tailwind on our most recent travel day. With mother nature pushing us we road that mighty fine mileage all the way home...a record-breaking total of 515 miles. That's almost PDD territory, isn't it? Have fun in Forest City!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Sherry. I never believed you could drive so few miles in one day. Glad you finally got your tailwind. I'm not sure we've ever had one either.
ReplyDeleteLove all that John Deere Green. That tractor is only about 50 years old- nothing runs like a Deere :)
ReplyDeleteNow that was a perfect travel day, especially with the tail wind.
ReplyDeleteThe farmers here are really getting busy so nice that they can finally get on the land.
We've never had a tail wind either. Usually it's a head wind both ways! Glad you're almost to your destination. Happy Mother's Day to Marti.
ReplyDeleteWe all knew you were spoofing when you said you'd be driving a short distance. We knew you couldn't do it. Smart move to pull into the Flying J instead of the Walmart. You probably saved enough money on your nightly stay to help pay for some of those fixes on your Journey at the Winnebago factory. Besides that, where would you put anything else if you had shopped at Walmart? We saw the pictures of those bays you posted. Nothing else will fit. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to see those strong winds giving you a 'kick in the butt'! You need that sometimes, right?
ReplyDeleteGive Iowa a chance, there are some great places to see.
ReplyDelete