Fandango Travelers

Please Standby . . .

2011-08-05T15:56:00.002-04:00

My mojo has been sent to camp with DaMomma and will be returning later this week.

DaMomma has been on may daily reading list since I started reading blogs and aspired to write my own. You can chck out her blog: "Motherhood is Not for Wimps" here: DaMomma.com

She will be teaching it how to sing and dance and "have a show in the barn!".

Well . . . she will be doing an editing seminar with a post of mine at a MAJOR blogging scene.

And, she has given me a much needed "attagirl" by way of choosing my piece to use as a good content, could be better writing example.

We have been running fairly steady recently and this is a photo of our view most of the time. Summer is the season for bugs, lots of traffic and, our favorite . . . roadwork.

Welcome to all new readers. Enjoy your tour and I will see you in a day or so with a refreshed "Mojo".

In the meantime, please have a look around at previous posts as well as some old favorites located in the sidebar.

SUNDAY SMILE

2011-04-24T09:51:00.000-04:00

Tony brought breakfast to us this morning . . .

Certainly made me smile !!!

Street Art

2011-04-23T12:02:00.002-04:00

This piece caught my eye in Kansas City the other day. Not at all clear if it is an ad or a statement - but it is really eye catching.

I used to spin wool, both on spinning wheel and drop spindle (no room in s truck for THAT activity!), so my eye still moves toward all things wooly.

Notice the arrow thru his head . . . Steve Martin sheep?

I wish I could make out the web address on the bottom. Love to know more about this.

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And Then Sometimes . . .

2011-04-20T17:05:00.002-04:00

We are in the shop again with a DIFFERENT trailer. Apparently this us our week for trailer repair. This time the repair involves brakes and tires - can't cut corners there!

So I thought I would snap the view out my window today . . .

As you can see

It ain't always pretty!

Boxed

2011-04-18T18:25:00.002-04:00

We are sitting in Marion, Illinois waiting for a trailer axle to be fixed. I casually glanced out the window and noticed this cool old cage or box.

Leo needed a walk, so we investigated and realized what it really was . . .

An old jail cell.

The drop down bunk was the give away.

The guys in the shop said their boss collects weird old stuff.

The story on this is that it was part of the original county jail. Maybe late 19th or early 20th century.

Notice the wheels on it. I guess they could have bern rolled into any configuration that might have been needed.

We see such interesting sights out here on the road.

I guess this sort of sighting is what keeps each day fresh and new.

SUNDAY SMILE

2011-04-17T09:21:00.001-04:00

Meet Luna and her owner/trainer, Regina Mayer of Bavaria.

Denied a horse by her parents, the teen decided to devote her attention to the calf, Luna.

Google "Luna the Cow" and you will be able to read all about the pair.

They made me smile this week.

Trailer Stacking

2011-04-16T12:13:00.001-04:00

While out driving on our nation's interstate highway system, you may have noticed that sometimes flatbed trailers will be stacked on one another to be moved around the country. These will either be a two stack or a three stack.

One might surmise that there would be very large forklifts employed to lift the trailers up onto the bottom trailer.

Certainly makes sense.

How else would they get those things on top of each other?

What?

Whoa . . .

Really?

No forklift involved.

There is a ramp available for "decking" trailers and that is all.

Yep . . . . back a trailer up to the ramp,

unhook from it and

go get the next one

and

back that one up the steep and narrow ramp and

ON TO THE BOTTOM TRAILER !!!!!

Luckily, we only had to do a two stack.

Viva El Paso

2011-04-12T04:45:00.001-04:00

We get thru Texas very rarely these days. On this run, we got to drive I-10 from Beaumont to El Paso.

Since we are leaving via El Paso, I'll leave you with this fine example of roadside kitch . . .

Oddly enough, this can be found alongside I-95 in South Carolina.

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Layover

2011-04-11T14:26:00.001-04:00

We just spent 2 utterly relaxing days in a hotel while sitting on layover to pickup a load this morning.

Much to Tony's delight, we were in such a boring place that I couldn't find anything for us to do. He is usually game for my adventures, but would be just as happy with delivery pizza and an NCIS marathon.

That's what he got this time!

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Street Art

2011-04-08T14:21:00.001-04:00

This was across the road from the previous piece I posted.
Not sure why these had been done on this stretch of roadway, but there are still several more to show.

But, back to this piece . . . so much going on here it is hard to take it all in.

There is this guy . . .

And then this fellow who really looks like an ancient Homer Simpson . . .

wearing purple footie jammies !?!?

Street Art

2011-04-07T16:42:00.002-04:00

If you read this blog, you know that I absolutely go nuts over good street graphics and groovy yard art.

We hit the Mother Lode in Kansas City recently.

Check out this handsome fellow:

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Downtown KCMO

2011-04-06T15:35:00.002-04:00

We have absolutely no idea what this building might, or if it is even a building. I can tell you it is large and shiny and smack in the middle of Downtown Kansas City, MO.

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Container World

2011-04-04T13:03:00.002-04:00

Ever year, over 100 million containers are shipped around the world. Lots and lots are moved through the Port of Los Angeles in Long Beach.

Today, we are DEEP IN "Container World".

We have not done very much container work, but are always intrigued by the hustle and bustle of this industry.

SUNDAY SMILE

2011-04-04T12:49:00.002-04:00

Off the Interstate

2011-04-02T02:46:00.001-04:00

Most of our driving is done on Interstates - they get you where you need to be quickly and with very little fuss.

If it is daytime and the weather is moderate, we love to take America's scenic backroads.

And look for interesting local eats.

Always about food, ain't it.

Anyway - this is one of our classic finds. No frills. Just real good food.

Ice on the Lake

2011-04-01T04:24:00.000-04:00

This is a pretty good picture of the ice on the lake as we crossed on the ferry.
About half the lake was open water and half was ice.
The ferry kept the ice on their route open, but the rest was solid.
Please note that this is in LATE MARCH.It is cold up there much longer than we are used to!

Lake Champlain and the Ferry

2011-03-31T07:41:00.000-04:00

We had some layover time in the upstate New York area and decided to take the truck over to Burlington, Vermont for a couple of days. Part of the fun in this decision was the fact that we got to take the ferry across the lake.

I made a video of the crossing.

This is my first video.

I might do more . . . what do you think?

Doorways

2011-03-29T11:30:00.002-04:00

LOVE

DOORS

This hand carved treasure is the front door for The American Flatbread Co. in Burlington, VT.
Great restaurant.
Great door.

Oh My . . .

2011-03-28T11:23:00.001-04:00

We had a layover in Upstate New York for a couple of days and decided to check out the otherside of Lake Champlain. So, now we are in Burlington, Vermont.

While cruising the lovely downtown, Tony spotted something up on the roof of this building.

I grabbed my trusty iPhone and snapped the picture.

What in the world . . .

Did someone call out those horrid Flying Monkeys from Oz?

SUNDAY SMILE

2011-03-27T01:34:00.001-04:00

This bus makes me smile.

I actually own 2 school busses.

They are both old and yellow not bright and colorful like this one.

In my dreams they look like this and we are driving around the country spreading Sunday Smiles as we go.

Spring on the Dash

2011-03-21T17:19:00.001-04:00

We flew into Joplin on Sunday afternoon and were back on the road by Monday afternoon. Whew. .

My daffodils were just starting to bloom, so I grabbed some to bring Spring into our tiny world.

Please note the elegant seltzer water vase and the classic duct tape vase holder.

The truck smells like Easter.

Our Old School Ride

2011-03-10T13:19:00.002-05:00

Finally able to post a photo of our new/old truck.

This is the oldest truck we have ever driven - it is a 2006 Freightliner with a Classic XL sleeper.

For us, this is also the roomiest truck we have ever driven. Lots if upper bunk space that we have turned into storage with Tony's mastery of PVC shelving.

This truck is also the first "Long Nose" style truck that we have ever driven.

I will post pics of the inside soon.

SUNDAY SMILE

2011-03-06T00:56:00.002-05:00

My mom sent this to me.

It has to be "worked on",

But it is awful cute anyway . . .

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Memphis

2011-03-05T23:15:00.002-05:00

Crossing the Mississippi River in Memphis.

The pyramid looks really nice in the sunshine.

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HOME

2011-03-04T10:24:00.001-05:00

Headed home to Joplin for 5 or 6 days.

We are thinking about taking the truck (bobtail, of course) to the house. Lots of reorganizing and cleaning to do after our first month in this rig.

If any of our trucking friends are passing thru - let us know. We would love to meet you and even feed you!

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Not Warm Anymore

2011-02-28T11:16:00.002-05:00

Ahhhhhhh

Florida was so nice. We actually ended up spending the better part if a week there and broke out tank tops and sandals.

Two days later, we are in Vermont.

Not warm here. . .

Lots of snow . . .

I know I sound like a broken record . . . but, I love the "Changes every day" part of this job.

Never boring!

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SUNDAY SMILE

2011-02-27T06:05:00.001-05:00

Cherry Blossoms . . . Maybe

2011-02-25T21:45:00.000-05:00

Tony and I have decided to try to see the Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC in early April.

At this point, we have no real plan other than already requesting our time off dates for April 1-5.

We are assuming that we will have a trailer to drag around and there are

NONE

NADA

ZIP

ZERO

truck stops in the the immediate Metro area.

Our plan at this point is to maybe float from Wal-Mart parking lot to Wal-Mart parking lot.

Or, we could find something farther out and ride the train in each day. We are going to stay in the truck, so we will be saving $ there and probably spending it on transportation.

Oh, and we are going to do the Segway tour.

That is our other "for sure" thing.

If anyone has any experience with trucks in DC, we would love to hear from you.

Darius Rucker Is All Washed Up

2011-02-22T22:56:00.002-05:00

We just ran the truck through a truck wash in Brunswick, Georgia.

Darius Rucker's show truck was in front of us -

Here he is in the wash . . .

And now all clean and shiny.

Our truck was crusted with de-icer chemicals and road salt.

All truck drivers feel better when their truck is clean.

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It Is a Southern Thang

2011-02-21T13:08:00.002-05:00

SHRIMP AND GRITS from the Dixie Grill in Wilmington, NC is most assuredly one of the foods in Heaven.

This dish is so much greater than the sum of it's parts. Frankly, a bowl of white grits with some shrimp plopped on top sounds downright yucky.

This dish is creamy and yet allows the 'al dente' quality of stone ground yellow corn to shine through. Provolone cheese and cream combine to hold everything together without being "in your face" cheesy.

Add some tiny bits of Carolina smoked ham and a fair amount of tender Carolina shrimp and then top it with diced fresh tomatoes and chives . . . perfection!

I have tried to put words to something truly indescribable, and was lucky enough to try it first at a place touted by the New York Times as "THE" place for morning shrimp and grits.

A search for recipes yielded a disappointing list of the "cook the grits and plop the shrimp on top" type. Even Paula Dean let me down here.

The closest recipe I can find without any testing (we are in a truck after all) seems to be this one from "a chef in Pensacola" found on a barbecue forum. Besides that - I love the name:

GRITS A YAYA

INGREDIENTS

Smoked Gouda Cheese Grits:

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 pound Dixie Lily grits

1/4 pound butter

1 pound shredded smoked Gouda cheese

The Ya Ya:

8 strips applewood-smoked bacon, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced shallots

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound peeled and de-veined jumbo shrimp

1 portobello mushroom cap, sliced

1/4 cup diced scallions

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

2 cups heavy cream

3 cups smoked Gouda cheese grits

White Wine

Salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste

DIRECTIONS

First, make your grits. Run the chicken stock into a thick-bottomed saucepan and turn on high till it boils. Mix in the grits and stir like crazy. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cream if you need more liquid. Then tumble in the butter, drizzle in the rest of the cream and stir till it's all in the family. Then shake in the shredded cheese and stir very well till it's all nice and smooth.

While your grits cook, bring a large saucepan to medium heat. Add bacon and cook for about 3 minutes, then add garlic and shallots. Sauté and then add butter and a splash of white wine. When the butter is half melted, add the shrimp. When the downsides of the shrimp become white, flip them and add mushrooms, scallions and spinach. Sauté for 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp. Pour in heavy cream and let simmer while stirring. When reduced by one third, add salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return shrimp to the sauce and combine. Spoon the sauce and shrimp onto heaping mounds of cheese grits.

I would change this a bit by maybe adjusting the amount and variety of

cheese. Stirring it all together before serving and then topping with the tomatoes and chives would also be an option. I do like the sounds of the spinach in the YaYa though.

So, there it is. I have the stone ground corn on board and will give this recipe a tryout the next time we are home.

Until then. I'll keep hoping we get to Wilmington on a regular basis.

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WARM

2011-02-16T01:54:00.002-05:00

The day after I whined about being cold, we got sent to Florida! It is WARM there.

This was taken at night, but It still looks warmer than yesterday's post.

We bought some red naval oranges, ruby red grapefruits and a bag of Honeybells.

Mmmmmmm.

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COLD

2011-02-15T14:41:00.003-05:00

I do not want to whine . . .

But we have been in the cold a whole bunch this winter.

Even Leo has had enough.

I think he is channeling his inner Zen master. Or maybe just napping - hard to tell.

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Madison County, KY

2011-02-11T01:54:00.001-05:00

I have loved Kentucky since our first load here several years ago . Kentucky is not "Deep South", but still Southern none the less.
The pace is relaxed and the people unfailingly friendly.
I would love to live here some day.
Oh, and that Kentucky Blue Grass is so soft and lovely.
Horses in Kentucky are very lucky!

We are here in the dead of winter and it is still lovely.

Right now, we are stopped getting a 34 hour redstart on our clock. Basically, we ran out of time and have to take a 34 hour rest break before we can drive again.
Went out to a historic tavern in the downtown area.
This is the courthouse. . .

Isn't it grand . . .

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New Grocery Heaven

2011-02-09T11:38:00.002-05:00

We have found ourselves spending a lot of time in Wilmington, NC and have really enjoyed it.

Last week, I needed to do some grocery shopping and decided that it was time to move beyond Wal-Mart. We usually default to Wal-Mart because they are Sooooo truck friendly. I do encounter disappointment with their limited section and prefer stand alone grocery stores.

Especially snooty upscale ones!

Found my new Grocery Heaven ......

The entire store looked like this - no long straight aisles to be found. Fresh Market truly has the feel of a true market.

LOVE IT!

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Where Will We go?

2011-02-07T03:43:00.001-05:00

As I write this on Sunday night, we are under a load.

Meaning . . . we have a loaded trailer and are waiting to make a delivery on Monday morning.

We do not have a load assignment.

This doesn't happen often, but I always like it when it does.

I'm not worried that we won't have something to do . . .

The Planners arrive at HQ at 6:00 Monday morning and will send something as soon as they get a look at their loads.

On the contrary, I am thrilled to be going to bed later tonight knowing that I will wake up and we will have unloaded the current load and be on our way to another load somewhere and I will have absolutely no idea where we are or what direction we are heading in.

It is the "not knowing-ness" that keeps this fresh and fun for us.

Lots of truck drivers prefer to have "dedicated" routes. They want to know when they will be home to be with their families.

We have everything we need right in the truck with us and love the adventure of each new run.

Have I mentioned this week that I love my job?!?!

Sunday Smile

2011-02-06T23:48:00.000-05:00

These ducks ganged up on me.

Swarmed me . . .

Made me take 3 of them home!

Red Barn

2011-02-02T06:41:00.001-05:00

I love this wonderful barn.

What interesting quirky windows.

Upstate New York

Life in 18" x 36"

2011-02-01T12:20:00.000-05:00

This is the mess that used to be the inside of our truck.

We were crammed into a KW T2000 with a 60" sleeper.

There was not even enough floor space for Tony and I to stand up at the same time.

18" x 36" of floor space - that green mat was it.

Measure that out and then try to conduct your life there

Oh and add your spouse and a dog!

While we were home in Joplin earlier this week . . .

we moved into a bigger truck.

84" sleeper

Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll post pics as soon as we get settled in.

Yard Art

2011-01-31T12:15:00.000-05:00

We have run this particular route through Upstate New York several times.

Today, Tony was driving and I was able to get the camera out to capture this awesome yard art.

How does one even go about getting a piece of a train into their yard?

Here is a close up.

Yep . . .

It is a real locomotive.

SUNDAY SMILE

2011-01-30T06:39:00.001-05:00

A Bad Sign

2011-01-29T12:15:00.000-05:00

This is one of the worst signs we can see . . .

This sign was encountered on a "go around" route to avoid going through a tunnel with a load of hazmat.

BAD SIGN!

Luckily, there was enough room to avoid the edge and instead we just took up the entire middle.

Cuz' our truck and trailer are 13' 6" tall.

Dreams . . .

2011-01-28T13:32:00.000-05:00

This is the kind of thing that clutters my dreams.

I love color

I love fabric

I love buttons

I love thread

I especially love rick-rack.

COLD

2011-01-21T11:21:00.000-05:00

Did I mention that it was COLD while we were visiting DC. We wore light jackets the first day and froze!

Pulled out the work coats for day two.

Certainly not fashionable, but we were warmer.

AND

we didn't wear the bib overalls that go with our coats.

Noodles . . . I Dream of Noodles

2011-01-20T03:12:00.000-05:00

The second day we were in DC, it was COLD COLD COLD

Seriously cold.

We got up fairly early and headed out without eating any breakfast and when we arrived downtown to face the arctic blast, we both agreed that a bowl of noodles would help get us on our way.

With the help of the iPhone and a very nice tourist helper stationed outside the Metro, we made our way to the perfect hole-in-the wall Chinese food place

China Express

What a horrid name

What sublime noodles!

The man in the picture is making handmade noodles.

They were light and silky and almost fluffy.

I also loved the hanging meats. The cook was slicing off bits to be used in the dishes.

We were warmed up enough to face the cold to hike around the memorials and reflecting pool.

Good noodles will do that.

Washington DC Color

2011-01-19T10:03:00.001-05:00

We spent some time in the China Town area in Washington DC.

Great Color

Great Food

Wonderful atmosphere

AND

Not nearly as many people as New York City.

Love

National Portrait Gallery

2011-01-18T09:41:00.001-05:00

Our very first stop in Washington D.C. was the National Portrait Gallery.

What a treasure.

We totally lucked out and got to join a Docent's Tour with only ourselves plus 3 others.

He walked with us for an hour and gave us such insights into the pieces.

This Clinton Portrait was an absolute stunner.

I am always drawn to artwork that is just a bit different than the norm. How great is this piece up close!

We really enjoyed this afternoon.

There is soooooo much to see here - we will make more time on another visit.

Wrong Turn

2011-01-17T21:02:00.000-05:00

One of the perils of driving a tractor trailer in the NorthEast is that the roads are TINY.

These roads were made for much smaller vehicles (think horse and cart here).

The Interstates are good and most of the US highways are useable, but certainly not all.

We made a wrong turn in Pennsylvania and ended up on an extremely iffy, narrow roadway.

As we were paused and figuring out where we were going and what our plan might be,

I looked out the window and saw this . . .

Just sitting there in a row between two houses. I couldn't get out and get up close, but the stones were very thin and fragile looking.

This one reads:

In memory of

Susannah Hartzel

Consort of Gen. Hartzel

was born Nov. 15, 1795

and departed this life

July 25th 1834

Aged 40 years

8 months

and 10 days

I found it interesting that she was listed as a "consort" instead of a wife. I also noticed that all of the headstones in the row listed the departed's age fully in years, months and days.

Hauntingly beautiful in the cold snowy landscape of Pennsylvania.

OMG . . . Keep Your Fingers Crossed

2011-01-15T13:31:00.000-05:00

We might be on our way to a 2 day layover in WASHINGTON D.C.
And.......
We will be BOBTAIL.

OMG
OMG
OMG

"No, I'm not excited. Why do you ask?"

Our Real Job

2011-01-13T14:52:00.002-05:00

I know by my recent posts that it seems like all we do is drive around the country eating at wonderful places and having great tourist adventures.

Not so.

Driving our 80,000 lb, 70' long truck around the country really is a full time job.

Tony and I just finished a round trip from Wilmington, NC to Minneapolis, MN and back again.

No showers

No laundry

No eating out

Lots of bad weather

SNOW

Truck repair

Really - we do drive

A LOT

It's just not that fun to talk about.

Leo on his pedestal

2011-01-12T10:59:00.000-05:00

Dear America

2011-01-11T12:38:00.000-05:00

I have always strived to keep this blog away from politics and political issues.

I am going to make a step in that direction - I feel it is important.

So here it is . . . . .

Dear America,

Let's stop this atmosphere of fear and unbearable political division.

We live in the greatest country on the planet and it works because we are all allowed to have our own beliefs and express them in appropriate ways.

But why must we strive to fall into this atmosphere of "FEAR"?

Barack Obama is our elected president. He is not the devil and he is not evil. He is not going to load us all up into cattle cars and send us to some horrible end. He will not create "Death Panels" to knock off senior citizens. He is a man who knowingly took on a horrible mess and is trying his best to find a center lane that we can all embrace and find our way out of this horrible economy and more horrible war.

Nancy Pelosi is not "That Bitch", she was the House Majority Leader and her job was to get her ELECTED Congressional Majority Party's agenda put forward. She did that very well.

Equally, John Boehner is not some "Weird Colored Tool for Big Business". Again, he is the leader of the ELECTED Congressional Majority Party and his job is the same as Nancy Pelosi's was. It is a thankless job and they are the forward point which receives a lot of pressure both negative and positive.

Fox News is listed as an ENTERTAINMENT channel. It is NOT a news channel. I won't ask you not to watch it (I do occasionally), but balance it with some other sources of real news. Try the networks or even CNN - they seem to do a fairly good job of covering all sides of an issue. And if you watch Fox, give The Daily Show and Jon Stewart a chance every once and awhile. He is entertainment as well, but often provides needed criticism and thought provoking looks at the major issues of the day.

And finally - Sara Palin needs to SHUT UP and be shut down. She has almost single handedly instigated more contention and hatred in this already charged atmosphere than any other political figure.

Enough with the targets and guns and references to reloading. The woman cannot even speak a coherent sentence. Yes, she is cute and spunky and has a horrible train wreck of a life that we are all obsessed with, but she really needs to

SHUT THE F%#K UP!!!!!!!!!

I have friends and family with political and religious views of all sorts and types. We all do. Find someone whose views are different from yours and sit down and listen to them - don't try to change their mind (it isn't going to happen anyway), but just listen and see what you have in common. I'll bet you have much more in common than you think.

But please, let's strive to put an end to this atmosphere of FEAR.

Thank you.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

A Good Restaurant

2011-01-11T09:45:00.001-05:00

This is the sign of a good restaurant.

What a treat to have yummy Cabot Creamery Butter available for delicious rolls.

And then . . . . .

I fell into seafood Heaven.

I have always wanted to try a Lobster Roll and finally got the chance.

We are in Plattsburg, NY, about 25 miles south of Champlain, NY and the Canadian Border.

Mainely Lobster is a very unassuming, bland storefront looking place, but the reviews from Urban Spoon were all good. Decided to try it for lunch and will be going back for dinner soon!!!!

As I said, the first thing I noticed was the Cabot Creamery Butter. These people pay attention. Our waitress indicated that they also use real Cabot Creamery Butter for the cooking as well as the drawn butter for lobsters.

YES.

BUTTER.

Anyway,

back to the divine Lobster Roll.

Doesn't look like much, but it is simply fresh caught and cooked lobster with enough good mayo to hold it together. That is all.

Oh, and that lovely buttery toasted split piece of Texas Toast to stuff it into.

Sublime

Tony had some delish hand battered Haddock nuggets with good french fries.

I could have cared less.

Did I mention how good that Lobster Roll was?

I Would Like to Thank McDonald's

2011-01-10T21:37:00.000-05:00

I certainly NEVER thought I would say, much less write those words . . .

THANK YOU McDONALD'S

They are providing my wireless internet as we move around the country.

You can't count on much, but you can count on finding a McDonald's in just about any town.

We can usually manage to park close enough to one to pick up a signal.

Sitting in the parking lot of one in Plattsburg, New York right now.

Keep those interwebs up and running!

Running to Minnesota

2011-01-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

We spent the week making a run from Wilmington, NC up to the Minneapolis, MN area and back again.

What a trip that was . . .

we left balmy 65 degree weather in Wilmington and hit -8 degrees in Minnesota!

And then turned right around and came straight back to Wilmington.

Some days, it is difficult to even know what to put on for the shift.

It is not unusual for one of us to wake up and ask the one driving,

"What state are we in?"

and in the winter . . .

"Is it snowing?"

Our truck is crusted with salt and crap from the snowy roads.

I often feel crusted with salt and crap, but not necessarily from snowy roads.

(oops . . . did I just say that out loud?)

Better stop while I'm ahead!

Barefoots

2011-01-06T22:26:00.001-05:00

I have an obsession with old commercial buildings.

And particularly, the BACKS of old commercial buildings.

Nothing happens around back in new strip centers and other newer commercial buildings,

BUT

an entire separate world resides behind very old downtown buildings.

I almost feel voyeuristic when I take pictures behind buildings, but I can't help it.

Balconies and back doors are to be found there.

Often I find wonderful old painted signs like this one.

Barefoots

Jackson

Furniture Co.

You just know there is a story there somewhere.

This was behind the Old Town section of Wilmington, NC.

Cap'n Tony

2011-01-03T17:37:00.001-05:00

While we were exploring the Battleship North Carolina -

Tony had lots of memories and stories about his days aboard ships.

I learned much more about the actual operation of stuff that I ever have before. He explained how the communications system via the sound powered telephones and speaking tubes worked.

Pretty cool stuff,

pretty cute sailor!

"KINGFISHER" WENT FISHING

2011-01-02T22:32:00.000-05:00

On our tour of the Battleship North Carolina, we found this print on a wall.

Captivated by it, we found out the story behind it.

On board this type of battleship, there is one plane that can be catapulted from the deck.

These planes were called "Kingfishers" and they were intended for at-sea rescues.

In 1944, during a violent battle, this little Kingfisher was launched and the pilot was able to pull 10 men from the icy water.

Unfortunately, there was simply too much weight to take-off with his precious cargo.

So . . .

The pilot just plowed through the water with the rescued men clinging on for dear life. After delivering them to another ship, he was able to fly back to his own ship.

What a great story.

New Year's Day

2011-01-01T12:31:00.000-05:00

We started off 2011 with a delicious breakfast of shrimp-n-grits at The Dixie Grill in downtown Wilmington, NC.

Shrimp-n-Grits is a true Carolina Coast speciality and it was better than expected.

YUM

So we decided to start a new tradition of a photo on New Year's morning. Here we are in our "after a full evening of spirits and revelry" mode . . .

Wilmington, North Carolina

2010-12-31T17:34:00.000-05:00

We are enjoying the double luxury of getting a 34 hour restart for our hours

AND

doing it in a great place (basically that would mean any place other than a truck stop).

We are exploring Wilmington, NC today.

Started the day off at the Battleship North Carolina.

Tony was in the Navy, so it was a real treat for me to explore the ship with him.

I just love the "arm's length" photo.

You never know what you are going to get.

'Course I wish I didn't always take the shot with my nose up in the air!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy evening to welcome in the New Year.

We are parked within walking distance of our dinner choice

I feel a gin and tonic in my future . . .

Whimsy

2010-12-30T13:27:00.001-05:00

As I was going back through photos I ran across this fellow.

I have now idea which artist did him, but I love them.

We were in a gallery

in a town

in a state

somewhere.

He makes me smile.

Diners

2010-12-28T13:27:00.000-05:00

When we have a chance to eat a meal together on the road, we try to avoid chain eateries.

Instead, we usually take a chance on local diners and such.

Especially if they are NOT in a truck stop!

McAlester, Oklahoma is a town that we have ended up in several times and even without a trailer now and then. That is always a treat, because we can park in parking lots not made for trucks.

Angels Diner was one of our best finds this year.

Just take a look at this place . . .

You can really tell that some good food is coming from behind that counter.

I had a patty melt smothered in delish grilled onions and Tony had a frito pie that would hold it's own in Texas.

We also got to have one of my all time favorite starters - fried green beans with spicy dipping sauce. Oh man . . . do I love those!

The cooks were focused on their orders while I was focused on those pies!

I love love love homemade pies.

We will definitely be visiting Angels again.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-24T22:26:00.001-05:00

I tried to upload some photos, but the interwebs are painfully slow tonight.

We are tucked in our truck, warm and cozy.

Leo is curled up in his bed.

and

There are apple slices with cinnamon and sugar on them drying in the dehydrator.

The cab smells wonderful.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday.

My New Kindle

2010-12-21T22:30:00.001-05:00

My sister and brother-in-law sent me a wonderful early Christmas present

a Kindle with 3G!

it has TOTALLY changed my life in the truck . . .

The first book I loaded was John Steinbeck's

"Travels With Charley".

I read this in high school and wanted to revisit it.

What a great read - just as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.

I also loaded up on free classics and indulged in a couple of new books.

What a wonderful invention this new way of reading is.

I was shut down in a snow storm last night and was quite happy to spend a couple of hours reading!

Thank You Brenda and Wayne.

I Made a Terrible Mistake Today . . .

2010-12-06T21:35:00.000-05:00

We are have a 24 hour layover to pick up a load.

Love to have some time off to get laundry done,

showers taken,

and shopping dealt with.

We spend a lot of time shuffling through various manuals and books and notebooks -

believe it or not, trucking involves lots of paperwork. And then triple the amount if any sort of Hazardous Materials are involved.

I spotted a Staples with enough parking and told Tony that I wanted to go in to look at paper containment devices and systems.

Walked in the front door

and

there

was . . .

I had only seen them online.

Never actually held one.

Now, I can't live without one.

Even worse,

I had been online shopping for the newer, smaller, cheaper model.

Still sweet

but

now

pale in comparison

to the DX.

Honestly,

It takes my breath away . . .

Now We're Cookin'

2010-12-03T15:10:00.000-05:00

We have a new cooker to use in the truck.

It is called a Burton Oven

a Lunch Box Oven

(cuz it looks like an old style black lunch box)

Basically, it is a slow cooker sort of thing that seals and locks.

This prevents those nasty floods of hot food when the driver needs to suddenly apply the brakes!

The inside is aluminum and can be cooked in as is.

When you are in a truck without a sink though, liners are the way to go.

I hate cooking food in plastic, but I'd rather have good food cooked in plastic than bad food cooked in something else.

It's all about choices out here.

Here is the oven all lined and filled and ready to seal up.

This is a frozen stir-fry that I picked up at Wal-Mart. Good ingredients and not alot of junk.

So. . . .

a couple of hours later, we had a nice hot dinner ready to eat

Carolina Coast

2010-11-27T16:36:00.000-05:00

We had a quick run from Charleston, SC up the beautiful Carolina Coast to drop an empty flatbed and pick an empty trailer.

Along the way, I got to do something I have wanted to do for many years . . .

I got to stop and buy a SweetGrass Basket from the woman who made it.

These baskets are handmade by a small group of Gullah women on this piece of the Carolina Coast.

Angelika with her baskets

Each basket usually combines sweetgrass with long leaf pine needles and palmetto strips as the binder.

This was a Grand Prize winner - priced at $3,500.

I only had a few moments to chat with Angelika, but left with a hug from her and a very special basket for me.

I have managed to coil 2 tiny pine needle baskets in the past and I can tell you how laborious the prep work is in addition to the actual coiling and binding. This craft is also pretty hard on your hands.

What a treat for me.

Getting Settled

2010-11-23T04:46:00.000-05:00

Our new truck is an '07 Kenworth with lots of power and the transmission that Tony and I both prefer (i.e., lots of finesse with the gears . . . all 13 of them!)

However

the inside is the smallest we have been in since our first truck just out of truck driving school.

We are

adjusting

and

sorting

and

cussing

and

sorting some more

and

finding places for all of our crap

Oh . . .

and we are doing it while touring Lake Champlain and UpState New York.

I guess it is going to be okay!

UP AND RUNNING AGAIN

2010-11-19T19:09:00.000-05:00

We have . . .

New Jobs (both of us driving together)

Truck

Load

Dispatch

Destination

Updating as soon as we get settled in and have internet access.

Yipeeeeeee

We Interrupt Our Regular Programming . . .

2010-11-10T16:17:00.000-05:00

Well, just when you think you have all your ducks collected up into a nice neat flock . . .

All Hell breaks loose.

As I write this, Tony, Jana and Leo are ensconced in a Penske rental truck with the faithful old '93 Taurus on a dolly behind. We parted ways with our fleet owner and with FedEx in Atlanta and are headed back to Joplin. All is well . . . we are healthy and in good spirits and have very loving family surrounding both of us to help us over this slight hurdle.

Stay tuned . . . there will be more interesting stuff coming soon (like next week).

More From Manhattan

2010-11-08T00:43:00.000-05:00

If you know me, you know that I love food and I love to take pictures of food.

This was a bowl of noodle soup that we had for lunch at a hole in the wall Noodle place just off of Broadway.

It was very hot and steamy inside and was the perfect lunch on a cold day.

Manhattan

2010-11-06T18:45:00.000-04:00

We had a grand day in Manhattan.

Not a big deal, unless you have never done anything like that before.

We rode the train into Penn Station and checked out Macy's first thing. I had to indulge in just the tiniest bit of "Martha" and bought 2 mini rubber scrapers - just perfect for the truck.

On to the Subway system to wend our way to The Museum of Natural History. First up on the subway was a great show by 3 enterprising young men who put on quite a dancing/spinning spectacle. Wouldn't see that in Joplin or Terlingua - for sure!

We enjoyed our navigations on the subway and actually were getting quite good at it by the time we were worn out and took the train back home.

Changing My Tune

2010-11-05T22:50:00.001-04:00

Okay . . .

That last post should have stated that we don't like driving around NYC in a 70' big rig. That experience is NOT fun.

However, we hope we are going to enjoy exploring NYC with out the big rig. We are on a layover waiting to pick up in the area on Sunday. That leaves us with time on our hands to dive into the city and see what we can see! We are layingover in a rest area on The New Jersey Turnpike and are armed with just enough information to hopefully find the train that will take us to The Port Authority Terminal on 8th Ave. and from there make our way to The Museum of Natural History. That is basically our only agenda and the rest of the day will be spontaneous. Got some good info from a blogger friend and we'll make up the rest as we go . . .

I'll be sure to take pics and post.

Quick Post from New York

2010-11-05T11:06:00.000-04:00

Oh how we love New York. Especially NYC . . . (NOT NOT NOT). We finally got moving and did a quick pick up and deliver from Atlanta to Columbia, SC. Then jumped up the coast to Richmond, VA and plowed our way through Washington D.C., Baltimore and on up the East Coast to Queens in NYC.

As I was sliding through D.C., I was just able to catch a quick glance of The Washington Monument shining in the twilight. What a sweet glimpse. That is as close as I have ever gotten - a visit is very much on my list for lifetime achievements.

So, we are getting unloaded here in Queens and turning down load offers (more about load offers in a later post) that will keep us tied up on the Eastern Seaboard for the weekend.

Interwebbing is spotty at best, but I will get something posted as often as possible.

Thank you for your comments, always appreciate them.

Presenting . . .

2010-11-02T18:49:00.000-04:00

When Tony and I first started driving in 2007, we would look at the FedEx Custom Critical rigs as they went by and wonder what their life might be like and how it would be different from the life of an Over The Road type company driver.

We are about to find out . . .

Mid October, we started packing up the old white '93 Taurus and started out on a 2,000 mile journey that would hopefully end in the picture you see above.

Let me tell you . . .

We are feeling every single one of those 2,000 miles right now - but we are about to fly off the launch pad from Atlanta, Georgia.

We hooked up with a small (3 trucks) fleet owner via the interwebs and telephone. After working out details, we embarked on the journey to Akron, Ohio (900 miles from Joplin) to begin orientation with FedEx Custom Critical. After stuffing our brains for 3 days, we headed down to Atlanta to pick up the truck. Some details still needed to be ironed out and some actually needed to be steamed pressed, but after all was said and done, we are now installed in that beautiful truck and ready to go on the FedEx Custom Critical board in the morning.

Due to some equipment issues, we will only be running as a solo right now, but we will both take turns with the driving and get some time behind the wheel of our new rig.

So . . . that is the news from this end.

Please send me comments and let me know you are there and want us to continue this blog.

STAY TUNED . . .

2010-10-28T21:11:00.000-04:00

Maybe . . .

Probably . . .

Stay tuned . . .

I've Moved . . .

2010-01-23T18:54:00.000-05:00

I have stepped off the truck - maybe forever.

Tony and I had an original goal to get closer to the production or our food and become as self sufficient as possible.

In that vein, I have started a new blog - click here and go see what I am doing now.

A Confession . . .

2009-12-10T14:58:00.001-05:00

I seem to have lost my blogging mojo.

I thought I could recover, but I haven't.

We have been to Canada,

looped around the US a couple of times

and

now we are now snowshoeing our way across Iowa and Illinois.

I'm sorry I can't get back into this,

BUT

I've got other things on my mind . . .

I'm going to be getting off the truck right after the first of the year

AND

Urban Homesteading in Joplin

If you know anything about me, you know this has completely absorbed me for awhile. We talked it over and decided to just jump in.

I'll start building gardens and chicken coops to get them ready for Spring.

So . . . I may or may not post here again.

AND

I may or may not put up a link to a Urban Homesteading sort of blog.

I can't decide whether I want my primitive and naive efforts to be public.

They will be fun though . . . .

Looking for my MoJo . . .

2009-11-29T00:22:00.000-05:00

Yes, we left on Monday as scheduled.

All 3 of us.

It is taking a while to get back into our routine.

We went to Denver

Nogales

Detroit

Toronto

and now we are sitting outside Erie, PA on the lip of Lake Erie

waiting to pick up a load on Monday

taking it down to Calexico.

Nice long dispatch

I'll try to get my mojo back on the way down and start posting again.

Really

Buckle Up . . . Buttercup

2009-11-17T18:38:00.000-05:00

Driving solo was no fun.

Not Any

None

It is over.

Tony was released by his surgeon today.

He has to pass a simple skills test that involves such difficult tasks as

entering and exiting the cab

entering and exiting the trailer

pulling the damn fifth wheel release without falling down

I am assuming he will pass this tomorrow and we will be set.

In the meantime, we are nesting in our new place in Joplin.

If you listen, you should hear

the sound of twigs being arranged

feathers being fluffed

treasures being found and placed carefully.

We are getting back on the truck on Monday.

BUYHANDMADE.ORG

2009-11-02T21:52:00.001-05:00

Slide your eyes over there to the right.

See that new badge thingy on top of my profile info.

Yeah . . . that big green one.

I have always been one of those people who makes gifts.

Not always, but whenever possible. I enjoy the entire process involved - planning, making and giving.

Since we have been in the truck, I have had to rely on others to make most of my gifts.

Etsy.com is where I do most of my gift shopping now. I am a HUGE fan.

Whenever I have idle internet time, I like to peruse their main page. It is like peeking into a wonderful store window. I mark items as favorites to return to later when I have a gift giving occasion.

When I purchase an item from a seller on Etsy, I often communicate with them about gift packaging. They always do a special job for me and I greatly appreciate it.

(This is the shop of one of my blogger buddies - check out her wonderful jewelry)

In this year of stressful economic times, it is more important than ever to think about putting our gift giving dollars into the hands of artisans and craftspeople.

Won't you follow me in taking the Buy Hand Made pledge?

Stylin'

2009-10-30T11:26:00.000-04:00

For some reason - it is almost impossible to find Trucker Type gloves for women. I look at virtually every truck stop I/we stop in.

There will be a nice display of gloves - 10 to 20 different types and kinds of gloves . . . all for men.

None for women.

What, we don't drive too?

If anything, we need gloves more than men - who wants to ruin a beautiful manicure on some greasy old truck?

But no,

no gloves for us.

Usually . . .

I found these beauties at The 49'er in Sacramento.

They were the only pair. . .

AND

they are leather

AND

they are lined.

Who's stylin' now?

Arch

2009-10-28T03:05:00.000-04:00

My friend, Laura, caught this great shot of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. She managed to snap this as we crossed the Mississippi on our way in from Illinois. Considering how bumpy most bridges are, I am amazed that she got anything that wasn't blurry.

Guest in the Truck

2009-10-27T03:33:00.000-04:00

Having a guest on the truck has been fun for us both. I have certainly enjoyed the company and Laura has gotten to see some "slices of life" outside her norm. Mostly truck stops and dingy back loading docks

but also some more fun stuff.

I took her to Waffle House for her maiden visit.

Can you tell we had fun?

Joplin Orange

2009-10-26T10:26:00.001-04:00

My new favorite color is one I'm going to call "Joplin Orange" in honor of our new base here in Joplin. Every corner you turn has a new opportunity for you to

suck in your breath

put a hand to your chest

exclaim, "Ohhhhhhhh"

"Ahhhhhhhh"

followed by something like,

"This one is the best . . . "

until you turn the next corner.

Now though, it is time to leave. Laura and I got a sweet dispatch from Joplin out to Sacramento.

And the icing on the cake is that I get to show my guest the features of my favorite Interstate

I-40

We'll keep you posted.

Sunday Smile

2009-10-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

My mom sent me this video and it languished in my inbox for far too long.

Circling The Center

2009-10-24T20:38:00.000-04:00

We slid down to Atlanta

dropped into Birmingham

snaked our way up through Tennessee

Kentucky

Illinois

and

Missouri

to finally

land in St. Louis

dropped automobile tires there and headed over to the Anheiser-Busch Brewery to take on a load of beer destined for the Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Laura had never seen the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

She got to see it twice that day and actually up close as the brewery is right on the river downtown.

I didn't get any pictures since I was crazy busy driving and cussing and wishing I was anywhere but St. Louis on a busy weekday.

You will just have to imagine it on your own.

We are in Joplin visiting Tony and shopping and just relaxing.

We will head back out on Sunday and I will try to post on a more regular schedule.

Solo driving is still making me crazy, but I am determined to regain my schedule.

We'll see . . .

Mmmmm

2009-10-19T03:13:00.000-04:00

While we were in Nashville, we found Mike's Ice Cream. Nice little shop with wonderful homemade ice cream. We tasted several - the Red Velvet Cake tasted just like old fashioned Red Velvet cake. Laura and I both ended up with Pumpkin Pie. Never thought I would like that flavor, but it was yummy . . . especially when I had them add caramel to make it a sundae.

And there were 2 great outside sundaes to admire as the night fell and lights came on.

Sunday Smile

2009-10-18T03:30:00.000-04:00

This Sunday Smile is really something special and I am just tickled pink to be allowed to present it here to you.

A friend sent me a Youtube clip of a woman singing the delightful song "Do You Terlingua?". I didn't immediately go look at it - my life is a bit of a muddle these days. When I finally got around to it,

I was blown away.

Even now, I am still feeling such emotions about Terlingua and home and friends and leaving and looking forward to returning and loves and losses that it is hard for me to write this without gushing. This song really captures so much of what Terlingua is about.

Kelli King must have really "gotten" what Terlingua is all about, because she has only been there 3 times.

This song is not yet available for purchase on iTunes, but some of Kelli's other music is. She is in a collaboration called The Fritters and they can be accessed here: www.thefritters.com. In addition, Kelli has her own website: www.kelliking.com.

I would strongly urge anyone who would like to purchase "Do You Terlingua?" to leave a comment here asking Kelli to make it available either on iTunes or some other "for purchase" venue, cuz I know everyone who has ever been touched by Terlingua will want a copy of this song.

Guest in the Truck

2009-10-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes all the right pieces in the Universal Puzzle line up just right and wonderful things are possible.

This is often true after a period of trial or trouble.

Almost like a prize for sticking with it.

My prize is a guest on the truck.

Laura and I have been best friends since 1971 (9th grade) and she is riding with me for awhile. I picked her up in San Antonio and headed to Laredo.

We left there headed for Henderson, Kentucky. Did that drop and picked up 22 tons of Hungry Jack Pancake Syrup in Louisville and are taking it to Atlanta.

Nashville is on the way.

We have an entire weekend to goof off, cuz our unload is at 6:30 pm on Monday.

Today was a wonderfully lazy morning and we spent the late afternoon in Nashville checking out the fun downtown scene there.

Drive Through Color

2009-10-13T03:25:00.000-04:00

I am heading South from Dallas on my way to Laredo. I will be driving through Austin and that reminded me of this great photo I took when we were there in August.

This is the ceiling at Threadgills on Lamar.

Friday Night Light

2009-10-12T07:34:00.000-04:00

I was sitting in Gas City, Indiana a couple of weeks ago and after I parked and finished logging, I looked up and realized that I was in the gas station that all of the classic cars were fueling at before heading out for their Friday Night Cruise up and down their Drag.

As I was editing the photo for inclusion here on the blog, I accidently hit the wrong action button and came up with this lovely shot.

Totally captured the feel of the last warm Friday night of summer in Indiana.

Sunday Smile

2009-10-11T03:18:00.000-04:00

This week's Sunday Smile requires you to click a link and go to another blog.

This is the blog of one of my Internet Friends and Fabulous Etsy Artist, Ellie.

Please make the effort -

I know it is Sunday and you are tired from your grueling week and it might seem like too much effort . . .

but trust me here.

One Crafty Mother

Did you smile?

I wish I could have dropped in for lunch.

Figuring it Out

2009-10-10T03:44:00.000-04:00

Today is a beautiful sunny day in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The last time I was here it was raining and I was exhausted and just beginning this journey of solo driving.

This time around, I have figured out a few tricks that are helping me keep my sanity a bit more intact. It is still difficult and I am counting the days until Tony and Leo get back on the truck and we resume our sweet life as Team Drivers. But now I know that I will survive and not just collapse into a sobbing heap of frustration and weariness.

It is interesting how adversities and hardship also open doors and provide opportunities for growth and enrichment. I am so much surer of myself as a truck driver. I was confident before, but it was absolutely the confidence that comes with the knowledge that someone is there at your back to step in and help when you really get in a jam.

This new confidence is born out of having to do it all alone. Having to make hard decisions and then deal with the consequences.

I turned a corner in a receiver's lot and found myself confronted with a dead end alley and no place to turn around. Nothing to do but back around the corner. It took me 30 minutes and a whole lot of getting out and looking and climbing back in and inching forward and getting out and looking and climbing back in and backing up and getting out and looking . . .

But I did it.

By myself.

And I didn't cry in frustration or get all balled up in a mess of stress and pain.

I just did it.

So that is what is going on with me right now

just

doing

it.

2009-10-03T22:14:00.000-04:00

I'm back on the road again after spending 3 days in Joplin with Tony.

Still dislike the life of the solo truck driver, but it looks like I'll be at it for another month.

I'm heading to Pennsylvania and then on to New Jersey.

If I come out alive, I'll post about the East Coast big rig scene later in the week.

Until then . . .

I'll leave you with this beauty that we found in a pasture not far from our company headquarters in Joplin, Missouri.

Sunday Smile

2009-09-27T20:31:00.001-04:00

This was taken when we lived out at Castelon in Big Bend National Park.

These sweet children are all over 20 now.

Cloth diapers and cowboy boots . . .

New Feature - Quick Look

2009-09-26T19:50:00.000-04:00

Since I have readers coming in from many different places now, I have decided to add a new feature that gives a good quick overview of our world.

It is located over there on the right hand side of the page.

See it . . . the new section titled "Start Here for A Quick Look At Our World".

Let me know if any other previous posts have struck your fancy and I'll put them there as well.

In the meantime, I am parked for the weekend at a truckstop in Normal, IL.

So far, it seems pretty . . . normal.

Autumn Whizzing By

2009-09-24T21:10:00.000-04:00

This is what the Autumn leaves looked like for me as I drove through Maryland and Pennsylvania.