Saying Goodbye to Sioux Falls!

Our Stay in Sioux Falls, SD

Saying Goodbye!

On Saturday, January 15th, 2022, we left Sioux Falls and South Dakota behind us. The cute Airbnb we stayed in last week was undoubtedly one of the better Airbnbs we have rented. We loved our week in Sioux Falls, SD, and managed to walk many miles despite the cold weather.

Because of all the winter advisories and warnings for the area, I felt a little nervous. Our street was still covered with at least one inch of snow. What kind of weather could we expect during this long drive over 900 miles? More snow? Would the roads be snow-free and safe? Clean enough for our little car?

I thanked and said goodbye to this welcoming Airbnb that had been our cozy home for a week, and at 10:15 am we were on our way.

HW I-29 looked promising by being completely snow and ice-free. Closer to Kansas, the roads became snowy and wet. We discovered a problem: our windshield washer was not working. Although the container was filled with special anti-freeze fluid. Whenever a car or truck passed us, our visibility worsened. We stopped about every 50 miles at a gas station to clean the windows to continue our drive safely. We slowed down our speed – as many other cars did – warned by the many trucks and vehicles lying upside down on the side of the road.

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We arrived around 5:45 at the Sure Stay Hotel Best Western in Higginsville, Missouri, about 1.5 hours later than planned. Dinner was served in the hotel by microwaving the leftovers we brought. Hemmes was happy to roam around again. I walked the hallways for over an hour to stretch my legs after sitting all day.

The Journey Continued!

The next day, we continued our trip through Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee. We left around 8 am, and one day after the massive winter storm had passed, the weather was crisp and clear again, the views were beautiful, and the road conditions had significantly improved. Only the trees and fields were covered with a thin layer of snow. So, we had a smooth drive and arrived at 4 pm at our Airbnb in Memphis, Tennessee.

Date

January 15th &
16th, 2022

Distance

890 miles

Moving Time

day 1, 11 hours &
day 2, 8 hours

Weather

24 °F, clear