Dawn. Utica, New York.

Woke up today at 5am. A little early. We want to drive 12 hours a day. By we I mean Michael. He is a “I’m on a mission type of guy” and we gotta stick to schedule. Anyhow, it is completely foggy here this am. Seems strange in mid summer but I have not been up here in over 40 years. Michael just said, there’s a lot of fog. Duh. He is driving first today and got a little upset because of it. That’s my boy, get upset over he inconsequential. We just merged onto 90 and will be on that highway for another 375 miles. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? I am not sure how to blog an interesting story from a drive on the interstate but I will try.

Skies are getting cloudy and gray 70 miles from Buffalo. Gonna check the weather. The weatherman says clear all day and no rain. I find the weather is wrong quite often. But I need to check something.

Just read Emily’s last blog post. It turns out this is conpetitive blogging. She was thrilled she posted yesterday before me. Well, I congratulate her. Of course, now that I know it’s a race I will need to get a little more competitive. Watch out, baby. I’m headed for first!

Another 100 miles. The landscape, though beautiful and I crowded is also unchanging. And each rest stop is spaced out every 25 miles or so with the same fast foods and gas station. Not exciting. I did have a snack, stopped and watered the doggies. Watered myself. And back on he interstate. We did pass by the Erie Canal which I think is exciting. Never been there before. Up ahead near Buffalo we will see Lake Erie which is cool. We are 30 miles from Rochester (home of Cocktail Gator, see previous post) and 90 from Buffalo (home of four time in a row Super Bowl losing Bills). I will keep on the lookout for more thrilling points of interest and keep all up to date.

New York is a big state. Something I did not realize until we started driving through it from east to west. We are making good time today, and yesterday, but it just goes on and on and on. I am looking forward to hitting Pennsylvania. It’s the small things.

NY is close to done. It’s about 520 miles across. We are at a fuel station just for a rest stop. Out the side window I can see Lake Erie. Very cool. It’s huge. Like Trump huge only bigger. It’s an ocean. See?

There is a long line at the bathroom unfortunately and I am waiting. We can only hope that changes soon. I am running on Tim Horton coffee right now and need the relief.

Boy are the folks at the Barcelona Market and Gas unpleasant. Michael bought chips so he could use restroom. I bought gas so I could. And the gal inside is still a B.

Took some shots of Lake Erie. Very impressive. If I came up on that not knowing I would think it was the ocean. It’s tough to comprehend the magnitude until you are here. Unfortunately, Michael is chomping at the bit to get through Columbus before rush hour. His priorities are skewed. I would prefer to sightsee my way home, at least a little. It’s tough traveling with others. Off to the NY/PA line. Maybe 30 miles. I hope we get to stop for lunch.

We have stopped in Painesville for lunch. Michael picked a place about 4 miles off the 90. We got to the turn off and he said let’s go to This place right here (Paninis). I said ok. We got there he said let’s go in the grocery store to the deli. Ok. Deli sucked. We went to Paninis. Anyhow. I ordered this which has not arrived yet. Michael ordered same but different meat. Me pastrami, him Italian. I’m ready. Send it over.

Well, that was a meaty, crunchy, melty sandwich. Very nice and only $8. Only in Ohio. I will go ahead and recommend it if you are ever in Ohio.

Continued our drive down 70 through Ohio. It’s NOT a toll road. As u recall, I gave Ohio $44 on the way to Maine in tolls. So hwy 70/270/71 is smooth and nice. A much easier drive than 80 which was in miserable condition and a toll road. Why does anyone drive 80? We stopped a couple time for gas. Got to Indiana border about 630. There is a huge arch over ye freeway with a “come back soon” written on it as u leave Ohio. I doubt that will happen. There is a Cracker abarrel in Indiana at the border. We stopped and I was finally able to return the book on tape we picked up in Lincoln? On our way out. Then we got gas again. Not at Cracker Barrel. Michael wants to eat elsewhere. Now we are driving towards our final destination for today, a campground in Casey, Illinois. And maybe dinner.

So I have been trying to find a place to eat, while we drive, on Yelp. It’s a chore. I found a nice place in Indianapolis but Michael was driving and for some reason was scared of parking in downtown Indy due to our trailer. I don’t get it. I would have managed. Downtown Indy was a happening place on a Friday night. People everywhere and lots of places to go. Sorry we missed out on them. So my next choice is in Terre Haute and I hope he can handle parking there. Would not be my first choice of places, there is one near our destination, but again Michael seems worried we will not get there before it closes. Weenie.

I need to call out the former Idiot in Charge here in Indiana, Mike Pence. He balance the budget here. I know how. He used road maintenance money to pay the bills. The highways and city streets are BS. Potholes, torn up, just awful. When he runs, I vote for someone else. Maybe Kasich since the Ohio road I was on all day was smooth.

My friend Cissie has been texting me a lot today. She has time on her hands since she is convalescing from recent surgery. Her daughter also happens to be living in the apartment above our garage. We have been going back and forth which is nice since Michael does not talk much in the car. He just drives. And navigates. I do like having a navigator. I am running directions to dinner for a change. We are having Indian food. Indian in Indiana, that’s funny.

I can not say it enough, Indiana roads are crap. I hate Indiana. Fix your roads.

Finally at dinner. On these long road trips mealtime is the most exciting part of the day. The Indian food here is not quite as good as Punjabi Dhaba back home, but still good. Kinda pricey. But I like it.

Good news! We just moved into the central time zone. We gained an hour. Since I have extra time I think I will take a shower when I get to our camp. I don’t want to smell as bad as the dogs do. And I get an extra hour of sleep. Bonus!!

Just got in to camp in Casey, IL. It’s not the middle of nowhere but you can see it from here. If it wasn’t nice nighttime and dark, of course. We got things set and went to bed.