Day Five: CRANKY TIME!

Gas Station in Des Moines.  No Comment.

Welcome to Iowa...!!!

More Iowa history...

Me: snow peas in car...
Joe and Gia at the "Oasis" (eg rest stop) in Western Illinois

Day five saw me waking up in Chicago, thinking "why do I keep running my days on this trip to midnight?" Um, yeah, as I blog at nearly midnight yet- again. Time has a way of escaping when I'm driving, stopping too long at rest stops, getting directed and misdirected by a demanding GPS, and crossing multiple state lines!  Did you know that a GPS in Chicago is none too useful?Many roads overlap, so the thing sometimes doesn't know what street you are on.

After last nights pillow-affixed-to car-incident, I found my brother's friend Amanda in Chicago- lovely all around.   Stayed up too late, did yoga in the am, and encountered so much Chicago traffic, getting lost looked for a TJ's to stock my cooler, that I didn't get out of the vicinity till two pm.  Three thirty saw me at an Illinois rest stop titled an "Oasis". As in "Hey, did you see that Oasis in the Illinois desert...???".   Spoke to Joe and Gia- I love talking to people all over the country.  Saw him sitting on the back of the car and commeted how bizarre it was to have wifi in the middle of nowhere, and a conversation started.  Friendly.

After hours of industrial-feeling Illinois, Iowa burst out in rolling hills and a bright, friendly sign.  My brain started singing that Dar Williams song "Iowa, Iowa, Iowa"...."i've never had a way with women but the hills of Iowa make me wish that I did...". Dar came on the ipod in honor of Iowa.   Early evening--six to seven pm,....found me at an Iowa rest stop surrounded by small dogs and cute children (or cute dogs and small children.).  The speed limit was now 70, but i frequently found myself cruising at 65 in the right lane and not minding...somehow the hills were perfect after the flatness of Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois.  Wish I had more time to get out of the car and sightsee.   

Cranky time hit at 8pm when I realized no, I was NOT going to make it to Omaha tonight unless I wanted to drive till one in the morning.   And then got lost off the highway (thanks GPS!)   Called a billion hotels and they were either booked or super-premium- more cranky time. Got back on the highway and realized I was farther back on it than I was before...finally found a lovely (yet sterile) yet affordable Motel 6 in West Des Moines at 10 pm.  

If I vanish for a few days from this blog, I've taken some time out to find a cabin in Wyoming or so to meditate and be still and drink in nature.  All updates/photos will eventually appear.