ARCHIVES - 1996 to FOREVER

We just pulled in to Mt. Vernon, IL. We're in a Best Inn... had to get two singles, they had no doubles available... most of the mo/hotels in this town are full....

We started the day off early, with me letting the air out of JD and Tylers' inflatable (and very comfortable) mattresses... at 07:00.

Everyone was pretty much packed and ready to go by 08:00... Dan had said that he'd fix breakfast, but we decided to go to town and eat, so we loaded up and went.

We had a nice breakfast and sad goodbyes... I think that Dan and I are finally, after all of these years, getting to know one another.

And neither of us want that to slip away.

So... we started out thinking that we would go on highway 50, the scenic route... but we started off on I-66 to avoid traffic and lights in the decidedly non-scenic areas. That worked out OK, for about 20 miles. And then we lost 50. So we found an alternate route, no biggie.

And we drove, and drove, and drove. Then about 17:35 EDT, Tyler and I were having a conversation about music... I had not known who Tom Petty was when I was talking with him on the phone a coupla weeks ago. While this conversation was going on, I was trying to find some music on the radio in the mountains of West Virginia.

I found a strong station that was playing some Pink Floyd, and JD made a comment from the back seat about the oldies, and I said, "And they're gonna play some Tom Petty Next..." and the PF song ended just then, and the announcer said, "Coming up... Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers!"

And maybe you're not keeping track, but I am... that's twice that has happened on this trip. And the lottery tickets that I bought the last time were worthless, of course... and we didn't get any this time, I kinda figger that's our luck... saying things before the DJ on random radio stations... not winning lotteries, heh.

And just like mine is used up by being able to stand in front of the elevator that is going whichever direction that I want about 80% of the time.

Anyways, it's almost 03:00 by my internal clock, I need sleep! Tyler drove most of the day, then we stopped for supper about 20:00 and I drove from then on. But I'm tired from just being in the car.