Home Sweet Home

Howdy folks! The last part of my drive from La Crosse, Wisconsin to Bellville, Texas was completed in a day and a half....1300 miles and the temperature for the last few hours was about 102 degrees. A long drive indeed....3268 miles in all from Seattle to my home.

The stretch of road between La Crosse and Houston is quite possibly one of the most boring drives possible. I had plenty of time to ponder my future, past and the future and past of almost everyone I know, to talk to Tim on the phone (who was still steadily working on his house) and to a couple of friends in Seattle when I started to get crazed and dazed from the monotony. I also sang every song I know, many times:)

Sightings: The home towns of two "Marions"....Marion Ross (Happy Days) in Albert Lea, Minnesota and Marion Michael Morrison (John Wayne) in Iowa; The Bridges of Madison County in Iowa; a Teachers Hall of Fame in Kansas; the Amish in St Charles, Minnesota; it's worth mentioning the Spam museum in Minnesota again. I also saw the Yellowstone, Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and the Badlands in my travels...virtually a Louis L'amour novel:) I continued to see motorcycles from Sturgis the entire way home!

Musings: On an Interstate of I 35's stature, why would there be a minimum speed of 40 miles per hour. I was driving within 5 mph + or - of the highest speed and most drivers were passing me like I wasn't moving. Wouldn't a speed that low cause more accidents? I believe anyone who drives that slow on a main interstate should be tested and their license pulled if they can't drive with the traffic.

Other interstate thoughts: Why would the top speed be 65 miles an hour in Iowa when the entire Northwest and Midwest all the way to Texas is 70-75? Am I supposed to stop and smell the cornfields? Oklahoma had the worst kept and oldest rest areas. Some of the ones in SD, WY and Minnesota were virtual cultural islands and very positive advertising for their respective states. Also, I saw no patrols until Oklahoma, the only place I encountered speed traps until Texas. I believe that you can tell the economic health of a state or city by the pressure to raise money through fines. Finally, the rudest drivers on my trip without exception were from Texas (and I mean all the way from Seattle). The tailgaters or those prone to flipping off, the most likely to speed, all of the cars seemed to have Texas plates. I'm a Texan, but I'm tired of the road attitude. Lighten up, Texas drivers!

I know this is an unpopular thought, but it occurred to me, so if I offend anyone, remember it is only my experience and I am airing it here. I think we could take out all of the states between Minnesota and Texas and make one big lake with Kansas City as an island (KC rocks!). The removed states could be an archipelago out in the middle of the ocean. Bet most people wouldn't miss them!

I was happy to make it home safely, had a couple of days of "drive-lag" and getting used to the 97 degree temps with 90% humidity (did I mention that is why I moved to Seattle), but I've jumped into helping my folks finish their new home. It will good to be around my family and Houston friends for three months, but I'll eagerly look forward to returning to Seattle and my theatre gigs in the Winter and Spring.

Ciao!

Home Sweet Home

Howdy folks! The last part of my drive from La Crosse, Wisconsin to Bellville, Texas was completed in a day and a half....1300 miles and the temperature for the last few hours was about 102 degrees. A long drive indeed....3268 miles in all from Seattle to my home.

The stretch of road between La Crosse and Houston is quite possibly one of the most boring drives possible. I had plenty of time to ponder my future, past and the future and past of almost everyone I know, to talk to Tim on the phone (who was still steadily working on his house) and to a couple of friends in Seattle when I started to get crazed and dazed from the monotony. I also sang every song I know, many times:)

Sightings: The home towns of two "Marions"....Marion Ross (Happy Days) in Albert Lea, Minnesota and Marion Michael Morrison (John Wayne) in Iowa; The Bridges of Madison County in Iowa; a Teachers Hall of Fame in Kansas; the Amish in St Charles, Minnesota; it's worth mentioning the Spam museum in Minnesota again. I also saw the Yellowstone, Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and the Badlands in my travels...virtually a Louis L'amour novel:) I continued to see motorcycles from Sturgis the entire way home!

Musings: On an Interstate of I 35's stature, why would there be a minimum speed of 40 miles per hour. I was driving within 5 mph + or - of the highest speed and most drivers were passing me like I wasn't moving. Wouldn't a speed that low cause more accidents? I believe anyone who drives that slow on a main interstate should be tested and their license pulled if they can't drive with the traffic.

Other interstate thoughts: Why would the top speed be 65 miles an hour in Iowa when the entire Northwest and Midwest all the way to Texas is 70-75? Am I supposed to stop and smell the cornfields? Oklahoma had the worst kept and oldest rest areas. Some of the ones in SD, WY and Minnesota were virtual cultural islands and very positive advertising for their respective states. Also, I saw no patrols until Oklahoma, the only place I encountered speed traps until Texas. I believe that you can tell the economic health of a state or city by the pressure to raise money through fines. Finally, the rudest drivers on my trip without exception were from Texas (and I mean all the way from Seattle). The tailgaters or those prone to flipping off, the most likely to speed, all of the cars seemed to have Texas plates. I'm a Texan, but I'm tired of the road attitude. Lighten up, Texas drivers!

I know this is an unpopular thought, but it occurred to me, so if I offend anyone, remember it is only my experience and I am airing it here. I think we could take out all of the states between Minnesota and Texas and make one big lake with Kansas City as an island (KC rocks!). The removed states could be an archipelago out in the middle of the ocean. Bet most people wouldn't miss them!

I was happy to make it home safely, had a couple of days of "drive-lag" and getting used to the 97 degree temps with 90% humidity (did I mention that is why I moved to Seattle), but I've jumped into helping my folks finish their new home. It will good to be around my family and Houston friends for three months, but I'll eagerly look forward to returning to Seattle and my theatre gigs in the Winter and Spring.

Ciao!