October 1 - Dummies in the rain

Up and running at 05:00. Fueled in Walcott, then on my merry way into Illinois.

Most of the trip was a lot like Nebraska (only hillier) and Iowa (only flatter). Wasn't until I was nearing the tollway that anything interesting happened. A few miles head, in the rain, two trucks attempted to occupy the same space-time coordinates. All would have been well if the second truck had waited for the first truck to depart. Since he failed to wait, the nose of his truck made violent and damaging contact with the tail of the first truck's trailer.

My guess is, he's from Atlanta – though the chatter on the radio indicated that tailgating is a frequent (if not constant) feature of that stretch of highway.

Used the camera to try to take pic, but the image is washed out. I'd been thinking these occasional washed out shotw were because of the flash reflecting off glass... but there was no flash, and there was no glass (I rolled my window down). It wasn't washed out from the sun, either, as it was cloudy and raining.

Where does this leave us? Yup: camera is a POS. Next trip I'm for sure gonna grab my good camera, even if it is film.

Made it as far as the Pilot at exit 72- South Bend, IN. I could go a little farther, but not enough to make a difference, really. Only about an hour left on my clock – and stops are either only 30 minutes away, or 75. I'd have made it into Ohio, I think, if it hadn't been for that moron driver in Il.

Earlier stop, of course, means earlier start. I'm gonna have to roll out no later than 01:00. I'm about 300 miles away as routed. Call it 5 hours and change. I want to allow for time to .. um.. take breaks, and maybe get lost.

If I have no problems and get there waaaay early,there's a truck stop about 5 miles up the road.

Y'know, I am not above grabbing a noshy or soda after I've fueled (and pulled up to let somebody fuel behind me). But I like to think I don't take forever at it. Just since I've been here, there's been this one truck sitting in the pull-through (also known as the payment slots). Two other trucks have come in behind and fueled... and eventually backed out and have gone around the islands to leave. WTF?!?! Eventually this.. um.. heavyset woman came out of the C-store and climbed into the cab. Did she leave? Of course not. She found a parking place with the rest of us.

Then she went BACK into the store.

Some people – no matter their age – really need to be bitch-slapped. Her truck was still parked when I left at 00:45.