VERONICA KUFFEL

Departure Log 1:

At Era’s End – Brookings, SD

OCTOBER 20 – 27, 2022

“Rivers and Roads” – The Head and The Heart, 2011

I’m finally here. After two long years of working, planning and dreaming, I’m on the first leg of my trip.

As I write I am sitting in my usual spot in Wall Drug, SD with a coffee and toffee cookie in hand–a big smile on my face as I finished my first round of filming.

It was a bumpy start, but we made it through the first stint.

At the beginning of the trip I made it safely home: Madison, WI to Minneapolis, MN. I did some work for my parents at their office. While I’m traveling, I’ll help them work on their website and freelance a bit for my local newspaper.

I was scheduled to leave for South Dakota right after. But a complicated turn of events had me pull a U-y.

During the height of the pandemic, I got my boys, Louis and Quinn. They were my pet rats and pretty much my best buds for the past two years. I gave them a lot of love and I got it back in licks, friendly nuzzles and wacky memories. In August, however, as I moved out of my apartment and into my van, I had to put Louis down.

A rat’s life span is about 2-2.5 years, and that’s roughly how old he was at the time. It was hard, and more on his brother Quinn who lost his cagemate. I never had the greatest relationship with Quinn–while Louis was outgoing and loving, he was more closed off and introverted. I respected his space.

But after Louis died, Quinn and I got a lot closer. I actually took him on my first road trip in Walie to Colorado with my friend, Al. It got to the point where we could snuggle up with me and watch tv at my friend Dean’s house. She took care of him when I was bumming around Madison, and I think that was a big factor–she has a psychic bond with all animals.

I had left Quinn in Dean’s care when I departed, and I knew it was the kindest thing to do for him. Unfortunately, an illness he had gotten a month ago returned. Coupled with his age and loss of his brother, I had a very tough decision to make.

So I went back to Madison and brought him to the vet. The doctors agreed it was the best thing to do for him. It was hard. It’s still hard. It’s only been a few days since it happened, and the trip is helping me a little with the adjustment.

But with both of them gone, it’s really the end of an era. No more school and bumming around my collegetown. It’s time to move on to other things and grow how I need to, with no more responsibilities in Madison. Just friends–great friends, in fact.

After that fateful morning, Reilly treated me to a warm breakfast and I got on the road.

To make up time, I drove all the way to Brookings, SD (7.5 hours), where my friend, Bridgette goes to grad school. We had quite a productive day, filled with a workout, work grind and homemade apple crisp.

It was good to see her, these days I rarely get to see old high school friends. She’s part of a close knit friend group that still tries to meet once in a while, and I never realized how grateful I would be for that.

I left Brookings this morning after a cinnamon raisin bagel and creamed coffee. And so here I am in Wall Drug, buying postcards and provisions, 10 hours from my old home.

Walie is in good shape and I am confident as I cross through South Dakota for the fourth time in two years. It’s the easiest part of my journey, which makes it easy to be “brave.” Or I guess comfortable is a better word.

Now I’m heading into Wyoming, which is a lot less comfortable. I’ll be staying in a state park for the night and heading out to Colorado in the morning. I am so ready to continue this great adventure to the West–the main course awaits in southern Utah.

Until we meet again, I will hopefully gather more stories to tell.