Today was Day 23, the final day of my road trip. After more than three weeks, everything was finally pointing toward home.

Go #1 was crossing Lake Michigan aboard the S.S. Badger from Ludington to Manitowoc. The four-hour crossing was a little rough, but my seasickness wristbands worked.

I skipped bingo, although the 80-year-old caller told more than enough dad jokes. Instead, I played trivia. I scored 7 of 10 in the first round and 8 of 10 in the second. That tied me for first.

Then came the tiebreaker: How much does one of the Badger’s propellers weigh?

I missed it. The answer was 13,800 pounds.

I also talked with several passengers. Once again, people became an important part of the experience.

After arriving in Manitowoc, Go #2 began: more than 300 miles toward home.

I wasn’t quite finished making stops. I made a quick detour to Lambeau Field in Green Bay. There I had a good conversation about football with a Wisconsin native and Packers fan.

With 107 miles remaining, I made one last road-trip stop at Taco Bell in Eau Claire. What better place to finish a trip than my favorite road-trip food?

Then came the final miles.

For 23 days and nearly 6,000 miles, another destination had always been ahead. I visited National Park sites, presidential homes, battlefields, museums and plenty of unexpected places.

But one theme kept returning.

The places gave me reasons to travel. The people often gave me the stories.

At about 8 p.m., I arrived home in Plymouth, Minnesota.

It was a great trip.

And it was great to be home.

Song of the Day: “Homeward Bound” — Simon & Garfunkel

Home.

The trip is complete, and I'm back to my regular newsletter schedule!

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