Post-trip musings
...over my third cup of Twining's Irish Breakfast Tea, freshly brewed from loose tea leaves. Home at last.
Taking a look at the map to the left, I realize that as much territory as we covered this week, we still have a lot of traveling to do.
Here are some other wrap-up thoughts: ...
* There aren't enough Japanese internet cafes that sell sushi on the major routes cross country.
* A cross-country car trip is like a backpacking expedition, only you're more tired and sore at the end of the day.
* In St. Louis (actually Troy, a suburb), we went to a restaurant recommended by a local where the food was so inedible we had to go to a Cracker Barrel for dessert. For some reason my daughter ordered the sugar-free apple pie. It was excellent, and I usually don't like anything that's sugar-free except things that are supposed to be sugar-free.
Is Cracker Barrel trying to be more PC? Not only was there a sign to that effect, but the wait staff was more diverse than usual.
* The map is not the territory. Something I had forgotten from my canoe camping days. I shouldn't have panicked when the TripTik told us that the distance between Newberry Springs and Needles, Calif. was 205 miles with no services. It was actually 124 miles with services. Google Maps said our distance on I-44 was 377 miles when it turned out to be 277 miles, and had us taking a B exit instead of an A that would have headed us toward Memphis instead of St. Louis.
* Gailor's Deep Thought During Trip: I wonder if other people are picking up our license plate for their game?
* Signs to ponder:
"Damaged guardrail" (What good does it do us to know? We saw three of these.)
"Do not drive into smoke" (We saw two of these.)
"Oklahoma: The electric guitar was invented in our great state"
"Hit a worker $10,000 fine 14 years in jail" (Shouldn't that be "Don't hit a worker or"?)
* Two more names to add to the bad restaurant names list: Feed Lot Steakhouse and the Steak Out.
* One good reason for raising an athlete: She can drive with her knees going 70 mph on I-70 while french braiding her hair without running off the road.
* Surprisingly, this trip was right up there with the Italy trip, in spite of the psychological stress of the move (supposedly, I've read, as stressful as the death of a spouse, or maybe it was a divorce, although this one was as stressful as the death of a spouse), the strained leg muscle so I couldn't walk for several days, and the mother of all head colds.
(Photos taken by me through the front windshield)
Comments
HOLY SH**
And from the lane markers, its clearly NOT Gailor's fault.
Posted by: Robert (the Single One) | April 6, 2008 11:50 AM
(Photos taken by me through the front windshield)
I certainly hope you meant to say "through the back window".
I like traveling, but I like getting home even more.
Nope, through the front windshield. Come on, guys. You can figure it out. EL
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | April 6, 2008 12:02 PM
Good to know you're home safe & sound!!
Posted by: Janet | April 6, 2008 12:10 PM
I hope you were towing that car behind a U-hal.
Posted by: Sarah | April 6, 2008 12:25 PM
That is scary--and I can't think what the explanation might be, unless it's being towed by something small but mighty.
Obviously you two survived the close encounter. Welcome home--we missed you! Maybe OMG and the Porker will grace this blog once again.
Posted by: Dahlink | April 6, 2008 1:13 PM
East bound and down.Loaded up and truckin
We're gonna do what they say can't be done.
We got a long way to go, and short time to get there.
I'm east bound just watch old Bandit run.
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | April 6, 2008 1:15 PM
Welcome back!
The best clue to the pictures (for me, at least) is in the middle one where you can see the other rear view mirror on the left side. Its harder to notice, but the red truck is tilted up at its rear (which is at the front).
If Gailor could drive with her knees going 70 on I-70, how fast was the rest of the car going? (Kind of like Groucho's line on how he shot an elephant in his pajamas. "How he got in my pajamas I'll never know.")
Anyhow, good to have you back home again.
Very good reasoning. Yes, the red truck was being towed in front of us, and I used the zoom on my point-and-shoot to make it look closer and closer. You have a lot of time on your hands to do important things on a road trip. EL
Posted by: Mr. Old Fart | April 6, 2008 3:26 PM
Nah they want the fine and prison term too sound a lot more threatning also.. less letters to pay for.
Posted by: Francesca | April 6, 2008 8:36 PM
I saw the towing vehicle in the second picture.
Fun with punctuation: "Hit a worker, $10,000; Fine. 14 years in jail?"
ROFL, Mr. OF about the knees going 70.
Posted by: Piano Rob | April 7, 2008 12:46 PM