This is it… Travel Day! Headed back to the east coast and home. It’s been a fantastic trip but we are ready to be home, to see our dog, and our pigs, our chickens, and our people.

Our flight didn’t leave until 12:30pm (it was 7:05 or 12:30pm) so we got to sleep in and have breakfast at hotel. Washington’s Covid restrictions still require a grab and go breakfast, so Mike and I headed down to grab breakfast for us all. In addition to the usual muffins, biscuits, bagels and yogurt, the hotel also had Uncrustables and breakfast bars so we loaded up.

After breakfast, we loaded up and headed out. Mike’s face 🤣🤣

We returned the car with a total mileage of 2,706 miles covered! Thank goodness for unlimited mileage 😁

We made it check-in at the airport with 3 bags and a cooler loaded with dirty clothes 🤪 I also love to see the stewardess face when she says “what’s in there?” And we reply, “dirty clothes.”

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We made it to our gate and waited to board

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The flight from Spokane to Atlanta was long but uneventful. We pulled out our “bags-o-food” and had a lovely lunch of uncrustables, Doritos and an orange.

We arrived in Atlanta and had to sit on tarmac for a bit while they waited on the ground crew to wave us in. Finally at the gate, we unloaded, and hustled to our next gate. We got there at what would have been time to board but discovered we had a bit of a delay so we grabbed a snack, refilled our water bottles and waited while the crew got the plane clean. The Covid protocols for planes is extensive so it takes them much longer to go from arrival to departure.

We finally took off and 8 hours after we took off in Spokane, we arrived back in North Carolina. (It’s really pretty awesome to think about the fact that within 8 hours, we can travel from one side of our country all the way to the other). A

nyway, Hallelujer! We are home!

And now, the last piece of the prayer chain… did the cooler make it??

We headed to baggage claim. Michael and Leo’s duffle bags came out.

Mike’s suitcase came out.

My suitcase came out.

We waited.

And we waited.

And finally… there it is!

The cooler made it! Still sealed up, and wheels attached. WooHoo 🎉

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Just one more surprise when we got home. Mike bought hand carved knives on the reservation near Little Bighorn. The boys thought he was going to give them to friends… when we got home, they found out he bought the knives for them 😊

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It has been an amazing two weeks and we have seen some awesome sites. We met some of the nicest people from all over the United States. One thing we love of travel is that it reminds you that despite what you see on the news and in the media, the vast majority of people are good people.

Now to get started on the laundry 🧺🤪