One Thing Thursdays: I-76 in Colorado

Last summer, hubs and I loaded up the car for an eleven hour drive to see one of my very favorite ladies get married on a mountain in Golden, Colorado.

It was hubs' and my first trip to the great state and my first road trip west of Omaha. As a newbie, I failed to realize how vast western Nebraska and eastern Colorado really are. Failed miserably. The exits are seriously 50 to 75 miles apart. How a gal is supposed to chug Diet Cokes to maintain proper alertness in these conditions is beyond me.

Anyway, if you ever find yourself speeding down I-76, desperately considering utilizing the privacy of some prairie grass instead of a powder room, exit at US-6 (exit 125) and head toward Sterling. Find the J & L Cafe and freshen up as needed. Then, plop down at the counter (next to a leathery old cowboy, if you can find one - shouldn't be too hard) and order a club sandwich. It's the best one you'll ever have and you really can't beat a small town diner complete with waitresses who call you Sugar and ancient cowboys with dirty fingernails.

Since we only made a pit stop in Sterling, I don't have a second thing for you to try there (I'm not even sure there is a second option unless you want to swing by a Sunday service). But, a good thing to do while driving on I-76 is to stock up on peach rings and orange slices at the nearest gas station and turn the radio up while you try to imagine what the heck it's like to live so far out in the middle of all these pastures.