I am safely ensconsced in a motel somewhere on I-40 as I head from California to Pennsylvania. So far today, I have had 3 people look at me as if I suddenly turned green with purple spots when they found out I was travelling alone. I've been criss-crossing the country alone for 30 years, so it doesn't surprise me anymore to get this reaction, even if I don't quite understand why it should seem so amazing to so many different people.
The first day out was disappointing. First of all, it took me 2 hours and 20 minutes to go 35 miles. Stop and Go traffic just trying to get from I-15 to I-40. I was stuck behind an old beat up Nissan with its bumpers dragging on the ground and sparking every few seconds and then each time we'd start moving and that Nissan got a little fuel, big clouds of black smoke came pouring out the exhaust. I was stuck behind this guy for the whole 2 hours plus and by the time I could finally move out and away, I was dizzy from those billowing diesel fumes that my car was sucking up. I was sure I was going to succumb and pass out. So, not such an auspicious beginning.
As I passed through the desert, which was pleasantly warm, and got closer to the Arizona line, the temperatures began to drop. By the time I stopped for gas in Needles, it was positively freezing. Since I'm heading for a cold weather area, I have lots of warm winter things with me, but I didn't think I'd be breaking out my foul weather parka this early.
Today was kind of a wasted day, so I look forward to tomorrow and driving through one of my favorite areas, Hillerman Country.
I got started late and I stopped early today. I then spent the next two hours trying to get a dial-up call out through a motel switchboard that requires a gazillion access numbers be dialed before actually dialing the number I want to call. How spoiled we become with high-speed broadband and easy wireless access. Tomorrow, I think I'll test to see if there is a wireless connection available before I stop anywhere as this 56K dial up is for the birds and 800 # access costs a whopping 10 cents per minute, so says Earthlink. AOL just calls it like it is, 6 extra dollars an hour to dial thru their 800 number. It doesn't pay to stay in a small town too small to even have an AOL local number, let alone an Earthlink local number.
See you tomorrow.
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