Day Three - Iowa Till The Cows Come Home

Alright, I'm a little behind. Yesterday, Day Three of our journey to the west unfolded nicely. We started off a bit later, and after about an hour we stopped at the largest truckstop in the country -> Iowa 88 <- It was nice, it was big but I don't know about the biggest. Sure the chrome shop was huge, and it had a large gift shop, but what really makes it the biggest? I got a few Post cards from there, here have a look see.









Ok they're a bit blurry, but that's only cause the roads here suck!

The bottom pic is one of the chrome shop that wad of yella is a perty fine rig there.

I also got a great shower there. And had a name patch made up for my shop jacket.





After there we proceeded through the rolling corn filled plains of Iowa. Yup more corn.


Lots of pig filled trucks too, coming and going from the magical place that brings me one of my favorite foods BACON! Let me tell you something they Fricken STINK. But it is cute when they poke their noses out to say hi. Speedy Swines.

We pulled on through the hills then into the flatlands that were this damned concrete highway got a bit bumpier. Alex pretty much drove all day and my liking of redbull increased. I also realized it makes me pee. With only 80 miles left to our destination for the night we had to pull into a loverly rest area.

Just about 6:30 ish Central time well pulled into a Truck Stop. This one was a no namer... The search feature on this phone couldn't find it... Oh yeah, it was a doozie. Just after we drove around the dirt parking lot, and just before I had opened the door I made the comment about feeling like I was in a Stephen King story. I didn't really know how much more I would be feeling that way when I walked in to use the bathroom. For one, there was a line with a freaky poofy haired European immigrant letting me know this by sayin "full". Ok that's ok, i'll just look around, make sure captian spaulding wasn't peeking over the maze of product racks. I peeked back over and the poof lady was gone so I went and checked the ladies room. Both of the two stalls were full. Now ladies you all know you look under the stalls to see what we need to prepare for.

( note to self: remember to save as a draft or you'll lose shit!!!!! )

Alright well I spent about a half hour tediously typing on this bumpy road for me to hit save and post, well with no service out there it doesn't really work too well and I lost the ending chapter in my Stephen King story. It'll never come out the same cute and witty way so i'll just recap on that later when my spirits come back up from this lil upset.

Onto the ride from Sioux City Bad Dream to Sioux City Falls, the stopping place for night three. Al drove us the 90 miles north to the nearest Flying J. Driving north left us with a beautiful sunset out of our port window, Just after crossing over the Missouri River.







-- On the road

Day Two - The Lost Files

Hello my loyal followers, day three and we're still traveling. I had left you in Ohio feelin a bit under the weather. I didn't feel much like writing so I apologise. Here's a bit of a recap on yesterday's progress westward.




We breezed through Ohio, flatlands and corn as far as the eye could see. Every farm seems to have some sort of irrigation pond which they've turned into some sweet water holes equippted with a dock, a gayzebo, some have diving boards. Can't forget the camper or small cabin. Pretty caribean blue water, sweet lil getaways if you ask me.

We did a stop over in Beaverdam (yup one word) at the truckstop there, had a helluva good sized lunch and really good corn/crab chowda and a salad buffet.

Back on the road we trailered on reaching Indiana. Claris was back in his home state and happy.



- there he is checking out the map to see how much further. Claris was so excited when we crossed the state line that he wouldn't settle down long enough to get a pic of the moment.

Somewhere in indiana I decided I really like red bull. Watch out.

We crossed over state lines to Illinois just after we witnesses a lil bit of Cow F***ing on route 30. I think I'm still blind. I don't believe the adult cows let the babies watch, what kinda parenting is that.

After one more gas stop and a switch of drivers we were in the back again as Al took us through the not so favorable sections of Chi Town. It was just about dusk but seemed more like midnight as we cut through Chicago Heights. Finally we got onto rt 80 for about a half hour to Morris Illinois. We stopes at a TA truck stop that was less than desireable.

Keep On Trucking!



-- On the road

Day Two - Driver Switch

Switched drivers in Mansfield Ohio rt 30. Next stop Beaverdam Ohio 1 hr 30 min. Still have crappy weather, looks like we're stuck w this until we get out of Ohio.

I started feeling crappy about a half hour ago. Crappy and Cranky!


-- On the road

Day Two - After Walmart Stop

Rain makes Claris sad :(




-- On the road

Day Two - 1st Fuel Stop

Just leaving the Flying J after getting our first fill up in Bloomfield Pennsylvania. Forgot to take a pic, but that's ok. Here's a post card to fill the void.



Caption: GREETINGS FROM PENNSYLVANIA Nickname: The Keystone State. 1979 Population: 11,864,751. (damn this card is ancient) Area In Square Miles: 44,892. Entered the Union: December 12th, 1787.


... Which was almost impossible to take a pic of with everything so bouncy. - iPhone has a crappy camera -

-- On the road

Day Two - Ohio and Beyond

Good morning all. It's the start of traveling day two. Here's the missing piece from last night:

We landed this beast last night around 7:30ish at a Flying J Truckstop. After a good bacon cheese burger and a chocholate cream pie we filled up the air mattress, squished it between the bikes. I took a video of the area. Sweet rolling hills reminded me of the highway area of Ellwangen. With a bit of haze, a blurry crecent of a moon, and a sunset of pastels, it made me anxious to see what the light of the dawning sun would bring.




So we're onto day two.

With going to bed at 9, those of you who know I don't sleep well know I maxed out at 4hrs yup up awake and bouncy at 1 am. Everyone else was sleeping so that sucked. Sleep it self was a bit crappy, the air matteress was less than desireable, it was hot, sticky, and pebbles found their way into the grooves ( from someone's shoe when stepping over the matteress when putting it in it's place last night ). After all that imagine sleeping in a big jumpy house. I awoke with major back pains, hopefully night number two will lead to better results.

After a sleepy wander to brush my teeth, and to conjure up some cappichino from a dispensor, an apple, and two heavy ass brownies for the ride, we got under way at 0800 hrs.





Weather conditions started out partly cloudy, inside trailer temp is just under 70. Which is comfortable compared to yesterday. And it started raining an hour now.

Day One - Driver Switch #1

Hey all. We're truckin along. With a bit of traffic in Newburg NY cause by the police looking over the guardrail at the Hudson below. We sadly were just a few minutes short of watching the jumper jump ( dang it :( ). We did get to see the police helicopter fly under the bridge. I did manage to get pics of that. Those will come later when I can get them uploaded off the real camera, the Iphone's would have choked on that one.

A few miles passed that we pulled aside in a truck rest area that smelled like piss to switch drivers. Yup that's right I now got a front row seat with air conditioning. It was getting really hot!

About ten minutes ago we crossed into Pennsylvania, rt 84.

...More to come




-- On the road

Day One - The Trip Begins

Ok after a slow start this morning we got underway at 10:00am. It is now 12:22 and we are stuck in some sorta traffic in Middletown Connecticut. And it hot as he'll, two windows for ventillation. Okies my butt hurts and it's only 2 hours in ug. Well not much to report, I'll try to figure the picture stuff out now.

Cya




-- On the road

Introduction - Pre Note

Well here I am, after an hour of trying to get this damned thing set up w password and accounts. What the fuck.

Ok, here is where I'll put the parental warning. Yes there will be explicit language, so parents put the kids to bed.

With that said it's on with the show.

I'll try to figure out how to get some pics in here, but those may be delayed. Still am not able on the iPhone. So I may just put in links to my facebook or such, sorry if you have to make an account to see. Once I find a better blogging medium I may switch. But for now here's my story.

~ and i'm stickin to it.

Enjoy the trip!