Reader Debbie emailed me regarding my two possible routes north and inadvertently helped me come up with the perfect compromise!

Check out this beauty:

It’s route 1, but instead of continuing diagonally through the Dakotas to Montana I veer straight west in South Dakota through the Black Hills and hit Wyoming exactly where I need to visit the Devil’s Tower.

I get to see L in Wichita, P.J. in near Omaha, cross the Black Hills and Devil’s Tower off my bucket list, and avoid the mess around Denver while not having to spend more than a night at a rest area in Wyoming. This route is perfect!

Wow, I’m almost excited about the fact that I have to go north very soon. Ain’t that something? 🙂