Laughs, Landmarks, and Long Roads:10 Days Together

 DAY 2 – Biscuits, Bumps & State Hopping

We kicked off the day with a proper Southern welcome at Big Bad Breakfast in Louisville, Kentucky—and this wasn't just any breakfast joint. Housed in a building that's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the place oozes charm before you even order a biscuit. But once you do? Game over.

Anita was our waitress and she was so much fun! We were shocked to find out that there are more Big Bad Breakfast locations.....maybe road-tripping to check them out would be fun!

Peach, Blackberry, Blueberry and Strawberry homemade jellies and homemade butter

Deep fried french toast with fruit and homemade whip cream for Susan, Mark and I (yes we shared)

Susan and I shared the biscuts but we left there with 2 of them and the homemade butter and jellies.

Michael had biscuit and "tomato" gravy and an egg and fresh squeezed OJ 

Mark had biscuit and sausage  gravy with an egg and fruit 

Founded in 2008 by James Beard Award-winning chef John Currence, Big Bad Breakfast is all about doing breakfast the right way. Everything is made from scratch—we’re talking butter, whipped cream, jellies, bacon, fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juie, even their breakfast sausage. It’s the kind of place where you don’t skip the grits and you seriously consider ordering one of everything just to “sample.”

With full bellies, we hit the road and cruised through Hoosier National Forest—mile after mile of peaceful, green highway that made us grateful for good company (and good suspension).

Next stop: Ferdinand, Indiana for a quick Dunkin’ run (coffee for me, hot chocolate for Susan ☕️🍫).

And that’s when we stumbled upon a surprise classic car and truck gathering in the parking lot! Was it an official show? We may never know—Michael refused to go ask. But he took plenty of pictures, so we’re calling it a win.

By 9:52 AM Central Time, we officially entered Illinois—our fifth state of the trip so far and third just today. The scenery changed again, and we spotted oil pumps chugging away along the road. Oddly mesmerizing.

In Indiana, the type of oil pump commonly seen is a pumpjack, also known by several nicknames inspired by animals.          
These pumpjacks are often called:

• Nodding donkeys

• Horsehead pumps

• Grasshoppers 

These names come from the pump's distinctive up-and-down motion and the shape of some components, which can resemble the nodding motion of a donkey or the head of a horse. The beam that creates this pumping motion is called a "walking beam". 

Then came not one, but two legendary river crossings—the Mississippi and the Missouri—which felt like a big deal. What didn’t feel great? The bumpy roads. Let’s just say the van took one for the team today. My Apple Watch thought I was doing step aerobics. 

We grabbed a quick Wendy’s lunch on the go (yes, again… don’t judge—speed over style today). And finally, we rolled into Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where we’re staying the night.

After checking into the hotel, we stretched our legs with a short walk to Ten Penny Restaurant & Bar, a cozy spot with a pub-style vibe and the comfort food to match. No takeout boxes or drive-thru bags tonight—just good food and real silverware. 🙌 

So that wraps up a full day of driving through five states: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas. We’ve logged some serious miles, but hey—sometimes the journey is the destination !!

Tomorrow, we’re slowing it down a bit. We plan to visit the Fort Leavenworth Visitor Center first thing to get our passes so we can go on the Fort explore the cemetery and the museum—two places rich in history that Michael has really been looking forward to. After that? Well… your guess is as good as ours. We’ll be pointing the van toward Omaha, but don’t be surprised if we take a few side roads (and maybe a side adventure) along the way.

Stay tuned—Day 3 might just surprise us, too.

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📍Historical Note: The Big Bad Breakfast Louisville location is housed in a building that’s part of the National Register of Historic Places. So yes, even the walls have stories to tell.

Laughs, Landmarks & Long Roads: 10 Days Together

 Nebraska Road Trip – Day One: Bears, Brisket & Buc-ee’s

We were up before the sun this morning—waaay before. I rolled out of bed at 3:00 a.m. (because let’s be honest, someone had to check the list again), and by 4:00 a.m. the rest of the gang was stirring. Mark and Susan pulled into the driveway around 5:30-ish, and with the van packed tighter than a Buc-ee’s parking lot, we were officially rolling out by 6:00 a.m.

First stop: Dunkin’ in Waynesboro.
Mark, bless him, came in the wrong way and gave the curb a little love tap. So we now refer to it as “Curb Service with Mark.” Coffee secured, caffeine flowing, we hit the road.

Next stop: Humpback Covered Bridge
We couldn’t pass up this charming little slice of history. It’s the oldest remaining covered bridge in Virginia—and the photo ops were too good to resist.

Susan took over the driving after visit to the Humpback Bridge and we were cruising down I-64 near Green Sulphur Springs, WV. While the rest of us were buried in our phones, Susan hollers, “BEAR!” Heads popped up just in time to see a little black bear scurry into the woods. First bear in the wild for all of us. Big win for Day One!

He looked just like this 😉

We made a stop at Tamarack Marketplace in Beckley, WV
This place was really neat—local West Virginia artists, handmade everything, and a great little stop to stretch our legs. We left with a fire truck and a frog made out of West Virginia coal. Because, of course we did.

They have this out side their door for the dogs. Such a nice idea.

Lunch? Wendy’s in Marmet, WV.

Quick and easy. Refueled and back on the road.

Next big stop: Buc-ee’s in Richmond, KY

It’s like Disneyland for travelers. Gas pumps for days (literally—we lost count), spotless restrooms, and chopped brisket sandwiches that hit the spot. We sat in the van to eat because there are no tables—“shop and go,” we said. Mark got gas for $2.59, which became the brag of the day since Susan and I had been gas-price spotting for hours.😂

PS:If you are friends with Michael he has a Live from Buc-ee's on Facebook. 

Tonight’s stop: Louisville, KY
We checked into our hotel and then made a very important detour—Graeter’s Ice Cream. If you know me, you know I love this stuff so much I literally have it shipped to me at home. I treated myself to a scoop of each of my favorites: Black Raspberry Chip and Black Cherry. Worth. Every. Bite. 

Now it's back to the hotel to rest up. Day 2 of our road trip to Nebraska awaits!
Stay tuned…