Aging Adventurer Road Trip Journal

Day 2 – Scottsbluff, Nebraska to Meadowlark Lake, Wyoming

We woke around 6:30 this morning to a quiet campground with the sun already shining through the trees. It wasn’t long before we had cleaned up, dressed, and worked our way through our now-familiar camper breakdown routine. Before long, we were rolling down the road once again.

Our first stop was a Maverik convenience store where we fueled the truck, grabbed breakfast sandwiches, and filled our coffee cups for another day of adventure.

Heading west across the far western edge of Nebraska, the landscape slowly began to change as the wide-open plains gave way to the promise of mountains ahead. One stop brought a fun surprise. We rolled into the tiny town of Henry, Nebraska—a place Henry immediately claimed as “his town.” Just beyond it sat the Wyoming state line, so naturally we pulled over to take a few photos marking another milestone on our journey.

Wyoming greeted us with long open vistas and miles of highway stretching toward the horizon. Eventually we reached Interstate 25 and turned north toward Casper. On the outskirts of town we stopped at one of the nicest truck stops we’ve seen on the trip. It was a welcome place to stretch our legs, top off supplies, and prepare for the next leg of the drive.

From Casper we continued north toward Buffalo, where we picked up a few fishing supplies and some additional provisions before turning west into the Bighorn Mountains. As the road climbed higher, the temperatures cooled and the scenery became more spectacular with every mile.

Our original plan had been to camp along Crazy Woman Creek, but when we arrived the campground was completely full. Rather than force the issue, we continued deeper into the mountains toward Meadowlark Lake—and it turned out to be exactly the right decision.

Just before 5:00 p.m. we pulled into the Lakeview Campground and, to our surprise, found an open campsite—Space #2. Sometimes the best campsites are the ones you never planned on.

Once we were settled in, Henry took charge of building the campfire. His fire-building skills continue to improve, and before long he had a dandy of a fire going. With glowing coals waiting for us, we gathered the hot dog supplies—buns, ketchup, mustard, and a couple of sharpened roasting sticks. It wasn’t anything fancy, but somehow hot dogs cooked over a campfire always taste better than they do anywhere else.

After supper we decided to see if Meadowlark Lake might be willing to give up a trout. We rigged up the fly rod and walked down the hill toward the shoreline. Another gentleman and his wife were already fishing. He mentioned that he had a couple of bites but hadn’t managed to land anything.

We worked the shoreline for about thirty minutes without any success of our own. As we fished, distant thunder echoed through the mountains and flashes of lightning became more frequent. The storm appeared to be working steadily in our direction, so we decided it was time to make a strategic retreat.

We hurried back up the hill, secured everything outside the camper, and just as we finished, a gentle mountain rain began to fall. We climbed inside, grateful to be warm and dry while listening to the rain tap softly on the roof.

The evening quickly turned into game night.

We played two games of Hooskerdoo, and Henry absolutely smoked me both times. It wasn’t even close. Either he’s becoming exceptionally good at the game…or Pop needs a whole lot more practice. My suspicion is that it’s probably a little of both.

As we wound down the night, the thunderstorm really started to fire up. There were lightning flashes and loud thunder claps right over the camper. It lasted for about 30 minutes while we looked at old photographs on my iPad.

As I reflected on the day, I realized this trip is about much more than simply getting from Kansas to Idaho. I’m watching Henry develop skills that will serve him for years to come.

He has officially become our navigator. Using his trusty iPad—appropriately named Fred—he keeps track of our route, looks ahead for fuel stops, rest areas, campgrounds, and anything else we might need along the way. I simply drive while Henry confidently tells me what’s coming next. We’ve settled into an easy rhythm, and it has become one of my favorite parts of the trip.

I’ve also been amazed by his eye for photography. When something catches his attention, he can have Fred out, the camera open, and the picture taken almost instantly. Even more impressive is what he does afterward. He enjoys cropping, editing, and composing the images, and he has developed a genuine talent for capturing moments that might otherwise pass by unnoticed.

Watching him grow in confidence, solve problems, and contribute as a true travel partner has been every bit as rewarding as the beautiful places we’ve visited. Those are the memories I suspect will last the longest.

As darkness settled over Meadowlark Lake and the rain continued outside, we were thankful for another safe day on the road. Tomorrow will bring another stretch of highway, another adventure, and undoubtedly a few more stories worth telling.