1. Kurver Kreme:
2. Babyland:
3. Liberty Income Tax:
4. I-90 sunset:
5. Near Chicago and midnight:
November 29, 2009
We left Albany at about 1:30 pm (Eastern Time) yesterday, and we pulled into the driveway here in Madison at 2:30 am (Central Time).
Not easy, but we had 2 drivers, and we're both good at napping in the passenger's seat, and it's not fun to stop in a just-off-the-interstate motel around midnight and go through the tedious routine of getting stuff out of the car, checking in, getting a few hours sleep, checking out, getting stuff back in the car, when you could be rolling along and end up in your own bed, with the next morning free to luxuriate in the glorious routine of breakfast and blogging in the Meadhouse dining room. And there are a number of ways to make the driving fun. One that I can show you here is trying to grab photographs from the car window. I'll post a bunch. The compositions are half chosen and half determined by the movement of the car through the American landscape.
1. Kurver Kreme:
2. Babyland:
3. Liberty Income Tax:
4. I-90 sunset:
5. Near Chicago and midnight:
1. Kurver Kreme:
2. Babyland:
3. Liberty Income Tax:
4. I-90 sunset:
5. Near Chicago and midnight:
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12 comments:
In 2001, I drove from Asherton, TX to Star Prairie, WI, nonstop. 23 hours. 2003 from Star Prairie, WI to Bangor, PA, nonstop. 18 hours. Same time on the way back.
Ann said...
We left Albany at about 1:30 pm (Eastern Time) yesterday, and we pulled into the driveway here in Madison at 2:30 am (Central Time).
My God, Ann, this is why God made 737s or, at least, Red Roof Inns. You don't stop driving at midnight; you stop at six or seven and hit the road at seven or eight.
(Yes, I understand you must go from beloved grandma to cruel law school taskmistress and, as such, need your rest, but that's cruel and unusual punishment.)
Ten years ago, I made the trip from NE OH to Salt Lake with The Blonde and B. Treasure Dog in three days and stopping in places like Elkhart IN, home of the mini-van, and Cheyenne WY (yes, I sang the theme from Cheyenne under my breath as we pulled out) was part of the fun. I wouldn't have missed the sight of driving past Sidney NE (an old Army post) at sunset, watching from a distance as a train (UP, of course) was pulling out of town or, going back, the cowboy on the bluff who waved to Treasure, for anything.
Some people make a fetish of marathon drives, I guess.
Everything looks like it has either gone out of business or is on fire.
Like the 30% off the income taxes though, wonder how they managed that.
You made good time. My problem is that after a similar leg, I'd have another couple hundred miles to go before St. Paul.
So there have been a few times we bailed and got the midnight motel room in Madison.
This morning, I enjoyed my version of Chip's New American Breakfast. Mmmm.
30% off income tax......where do I sign up?
O-man ain't gonna like that.
Like the sepia tone pic.
The sepia tone pic is Hammond/Gary I believe. A decaying industrial landscape but always stirring, to me at least.
Next trip, you need to set up some time lapse action, like this.
Seriously. What the fuck is it with two lane highways in the midwest, upper-midwest, and parts of the east coast? You have all this room, so please, add more god damned lanes. Ugh, I hate the midwest even more because of this. Stupid.
@Methradas
1. You're looking at the westbound side of I-90. There are 2 eastbound lanes as well.
2. One reason there are so many 2-lane highways around is that the people who live there don't want to encourage outsiders to barrel through. They want you over on the interstate. That is, they hate you too.
We drove about 980 miles, nearly all on Route 90.
980 miles in 14 hours is an average of 70 mph, which means you were breaking the law most of the way. You, a law professor!
I admire your endurance. Last time we did that kind of driving I was 19 years old and did El Paso to Atlanta in 40 hours. Shaving was optional in cold water only rest rooms predating fancy Welcome Centers.
My God, Ann, this is why God made 737s or, at least, Red Roof Inns. You don't stop driving at midnight; you stop at six or seven and hit the road at seven or eight.
Eh, it depends on the day, the circumstances and the endurance of the driver(s).
Two days ago, some family and I stopped by a Renaissance festival on our otherwise separate ways out of Houston. I had planned to leave by 4 or 5:00 and be back in Dallas by 9:00, ten at the latest. But 1) we ended up enjoying ourselves so much that we stayed till dusk, and 2) the resulting parking fiasco meant that my row didn't even leave the festival grounds until three hours later! I finally ate dinner at 9:30 and pulled into my driveway a little before 2 a.m.
Could/should I have stopped at a hotel? Maybe, but I didn't want to spend the money, nor did I have an extra day's clothes. But trust me, the first time I found myself nodding off, I would have been smart enough to stay at a Holiday Inn Express. ;-) As it was, a coffee/stretch break was all I needed.
(Incidentally, Althouse and Meade, you might enjoy a picture that I took at the RenFest: A booth selling "Hot Meade." I'll send it to you as soon as I get it uploaded.)
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