After leaving Nebraska we made our way up to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a night, before heading south into Colorado and then west to Utah.

Moab, Utah, was a highlight of the trip. The weather was absolutely perfect, and the intense red sandstone against the azure sky was a revelation.



Moab is a cyclist’s paradise, with its expanses of slick rock and challenging singletrack.



Ely, Nevada, is mostly a waystation on Highway 50, dubbed the “Loneliest Road in America.” I sketched its main drag just before the sun went down and the casinos lit up below the snowcapped mountains.



By the time we got to Eureka, it was raining. While M. went in search of coffee, I tore out a page from the “official guide” to Highway 50 and tried to capture the mood with a white gel pen.



Our last stop in Nevada before crossing the California state line was Lake Tahoe. We marveled at the clear aquamarine water and, after all that rain, bright sunshine!

After Ohio, we hugged the Lake Michigan “coastline” to check out Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.



Lunch the next day was in Davenport, Iowa, where I looked out at the mighty Mississippi River.



Omaha, Nebraska, was a pleasant surprise. It’s a foodie town, with interesting neighborhoods. We stayed near the Old Market, which is packed with shops and restaurants shaded by decorative awnings.



There are vintage signs and distinctive letterforms everywhere. Even the view from our hotel window was eye-catching:



Here's what the drive through the rest of Nebraska looked like:



To be continued...

We are driving our car across the country (well, M. is driving; I'm just riding along and playing DJ) as part of our ongoing move from Connecticut to California.

Our first stop: Cleveland! We stayed at Clifford House B&B in Ohio City and walked to Bar Cento/Bier Markt for dinner. It was Kentucky Derby night, so the place was hopping. I sketched the patrons at the bar while we waited to be served.



The next morning I drew a few scenes in the neighborhood, including one of W. 25th Street with the new Mitchell's Ice Cream outpost -- yum.






To be continued...