Day2. Drive. Drive…
We cannot live with a point of honor unfufilled. Maddog and I think Abercrombie, “we’re coming for you.”
As the miles peel away, 1400, 700, 300, we have a sneaking suspiscion that the weather is going to conspire against our pickup. 3 hours until omaha and the pickup, we see clear driving until the afternoon…
But wait there is more, Maddog mentions we should check the connecting flights arrival time. Wait did i read the United website right? He’s not to depart until 3:40!
We’ll be five hours early. Five precious hours for steaks, food and fun.
Maddog and I detour to walmart – supplies sandwiches and mini monster cars. Sorry, Marnie i can only hope to contain him, not prevent him purchasing another vehicle on this trip.
We wonder through walmart and view the wondets that fully describe the awesomeness of walmart – five pounds of tater tots, bulk kielbasa, bottled water, fruit, and other groceries. Somehow we forget the cars, and make a beeline to the door, load the cooler with ice and food.
We move the vehicle to the shade. Maddog and I begin to chat about cracker jack planning and timing. We get the brainstorm to call united to check on the flights status. It’s ontime!
Shoot. We’re lucky. We are 20 mins away, and making a sandwich.
Abercrombie rings and we drive into action. 10 minutes later maddog is stopping short, and rolling past abercrombie.
We head out of the airport, ac on full, we accept our conditions of lacking comfort for only so long. We see the time tick by to the 4 pm hour, and we head to Omaha Steaks on 96th street in omaha.
We, the rag-a-muffin trio, waltz into the store; honestly Pablo can cut one hell of a rug. The staff try plying us with the special aged reserve. 199 for 4 steaks…. Um Um Like No!
We settle on the modest set of eight premium cuts of steak. It was one fortune, and a treat for the Animals as Abercrombie treAted us to our first dinner planned meal.
OK. Check life task list #1238901 done. Buy steaks from omaha steak in omaha.
Now, to go get a real steak. I heard and read about Gorat’s. Famed for being the steak house of warren buffet, and i heard they had cherry coke.
We change, thinking we had a need for a high class appeal. Wow. I would say we were wrong. Not exactly the first.
I head into what at best would be classified as a dilapitated rundown steakhouse. We had previously decided if the place was ok to eat, i would stay inside. I brought Abercrombie in, we assess the situation ( yes from the days of cpr classes) – hopeless.
We tired And ready to eat. We wait, sit and order.
Steak – medium, filet small cut
Steak – omaha sirloin, medium rare
Steak – medium rare, filet brontonsourus size
The steaks were just Ok, but hit the spot.
Satiated. I begin driving the beast. We ride up onto rte 29 north… Route closed.
Maddog help! I shout. You figure out the route, i am going to fill up the beast. Abercrombie volunteered to get the needed ice.
I begin to fill up. The register reads 10 gallons. The air becomes heavy with the impwnding moisture. the air darkens with the oncoming storm clouds.
We think the weather is going to be bad. Maddog looks at his phone and sees a weather system the size of the state of Nebraska.
The register reads 22 gallons. The double click, the fill up is done.
Abercrombie is putting in the ice. I hear the thunder in the distance. We break the ice and throw it in the cooler.
The water and the wind come. Water accumulates around the streets surrounding the gas station. We stay under the station awning.
Bammm! Station loses the power.
Pablo decides this is the perfect time to use the facilities. I enter the station, and ask the attendant. He says, you’ll never believe it is on the outside and the right. ( right in the storm )
I walk out the station and i am drenched to the core.
I hand over my glasses and the hat that almost blew away.
I hunker down, and walk to the facilities. When i said the power was out, they forgot to mentionthat included the bathrooms power. It was needless to say interesting as i proped open the door and gained some light from the outside as the rain and wind pounded away.
Ok. Time to brave the elements once again.
I return to the van. Soaked. I do a quick change while we wait. We wait. We wait. We wait.
Maddog plotted the eight hour route to Fargo. Nine stops, countless conversations and we make it for breakfast in Fargo. We feel terrible. We have slept little since home.
We rock on from Fargo. Badlands or bust!
We arrive relax and make new friends.
