Shipshewana--Part 3--Driving home

It had been fairly warm all week but the night before I left the temperature took a dive!  I loaded up  everything I could on Saturday night  but it was too cold for the sewing machines so they had to wait until Sunday morning.  Also due to the cold I decided to drive all the way home on Sunday and that I would go through Des Moines, Iowa instead of Saint Louis.  It's a bit closer and I could get dinner at one of my favorite places in Des Moines.    It had been a busy week, with lots of chatting and I was a bit tired but I had breakfast with a table full of ladies I didn't know and left a bit after 8am.  Lots of Amish out on the roads --off to services I expect.  Anyway, I got sleepy.  A latte helped but I needed to get out and walk--lo and behold there was a SIGN for Indiana Dunes National Park!  It took a bit of  driving around before I found the visitors center where they recommended the West Beach.  A bit more driving about and then a walk among the dunes and a short visit with Lake Michigan!  Dang it, it was cold and windy!

If you look VERY closely in the far distance you can see Chicago.

Soon I was refreshed and back on the road.  Left Indiana, then skirted the south edge of Chicago ( If I ever go back I'm going to chart a trip around that place!) Drove for what seemed like FOREVER in Illinois until I crossed the Mississippi and into Iowa.

It seemed like Des Moines arrived just after dark and after following GPS I was a bit lost;.  (Funny thing about GPS you have to put in the correct information before you get good results!)  Looked up Machine Shed Restaurant and quickly found my way there.  After a lovely dinner I headed on the last leg towards home.  It was full dark (winter) and I don't really need the GPS to guide me home but I like seeing the number of miles left going down!  That was great until I realized that in order to keep me on Interstate highways as long as possible I would be going considerably out of the way so I turned it off, got on to the highway that was a straight shot home.  With the exception of a stag deer standing on the side of the road and scaring me (thankfully, he decided to stand still!)  It was uneventful and I pulled into my driveway about 10pm.  Unloaded everything into the living room and got ready for bed.  I have trouble settling down after driving alone for so far so sleep came only after a nice whiskey and Midnight. 

Then I slept almost ALL day the next day.  

My last chore was to go pick up the dog!  Quinn loves it at my daughter's place but is always happy to come home.

So ends my Shipshewana adventure. 

What will I do next?