Some Days We Outsmart Ourselves

Today dawned sunny, warm and lucky for us, much less wind. So off we went.

Looking over our intended route, we decided to abandon I-80 because looming up ahead were…TOLLS!

I’ve driven this route before and coughed up a princely sum to pay for road improvements (where are they?).  Not wanting to contribute more money to state highway trust funds and having plenty of time to get nowhere in particular, we decided to travel some back roads.

We went through some small cities, some smaller towns, all the while watching the speed (trap) limits, wondering where some (any) of that road repair money was spent.

Further along, we got out in the boonies, seeing empty cornfield after cornfield.  We realized the farmers of America do plant quite a bit of corn.

Then we got really lucky.  We got to observe one of America’s hardworking farmers on the job.  On the road.  In front of us.  At  20 mph.  For a little over 15 miles.

There was never a clear shot to pass the gent and his equipment.  So we followed and I got a chance to thoroughly analyze each hose, wheel, blade, tank and other parts that made up this amazing machine.

 

Just goes to show that sometimes you just need to slow down and smell the cow manure.  ;c)

When the farmer finally turned off, I noticed he was driving a huge, fancy John Deere tractor which probably cost more than our Journey.  I’m sure he had the finest country music blasting in his air conditioned cab.  The tractor was so beautiful, it would have given Rick the urge to trash his new walk behind mower and run right out and get his own John Deere riding tractor.

I missed taking a picture of the tractor, so I found this one just like it on the internet.

Our intended (and only) campground along our route was filled to capacity for a Blue Grass music festival.  Onward.

We decided to blacktop boondock at an unusual location for us, a Cracker Barrel in Auburn, Indiana.  We had dinner and received permission to overnight in their lot.  Oh darn, we’ll just have to suffer through their breakfast in the morning.  Twist my arm.

During the trip, we refueled at a Pilot truck stop.  Indiana is sneaky.  They posted $3.89/gallon for diesel.  I went inside and had $100 worth authorized to the pump.  When I turned the pump on, it read $4.19/gallon!  Checking into it, I found out the advertised price is for trucks that have a road tax stamp, meaning they pay ahead an annual fixed tax rate and get a cheaper price at the pump.  The rest of us get hosed (pun intended).

Looking over the day, we traveled 223 miles.  We didn’t pay tolls, but with the slower speed, the Journey most of the time was running in lower gears instead of overdrive, we used more fuel, so it was a wash.

But we got to see some amazing cornfields.  And some more amazing cornfields.  And some more amazing cornfields.  And some more… well, you get the idea.  ;c)

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