What was supposed to be another easy day of driving into South Bend was derailed by some kind of awful accident, or perhaps two of them, causing a freeway closure and re-routing us through Illinois farmland as night came on.
We arrive late and tired.
Friday, June 22, 2018
Day 15: Marion, Illinois
An easy day driving north east, through country that keeps getting greener, trees that keep getting higher.
We crossed the Mississippi near Cairo, a place name from Huckleberry Finn. I'm reminded of a fact about that story that you must know history and geography to understand; Huck and Jim are traveling on the river where it separates the states of Missouri and Illinois. Jim is a runaway slave from Missouri, a slave state; his obvious goal is to get over the river to Illinois, and yet he spends weeks on the river with Huck, apparently to look after him--something Huck's viewpoint doesn't share with us, but which Mark Twain probably intended us to understand.
We crossed the Mississippi near Cairo, a place name from Huckleberry Finn. I'm reminded of a fact about that story that you must know history and geography to understand; Huck and Jim are traveling on the river where it separates the states of Missouri and Illinois. Jim is a runaway slave from Missouri, a slave state; his obvious goal is to get over the river to Illinois, and yet he spends weeks on the river with Huck, apparently to look after him--something Huck's viewpoint doesn't share with us, but which Mark Twain probably intended us to understand.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Day 14: Little Rock, Arkasas
My sister got in very late, after a flight was canceled due to thunderstorms. Then a long day's drive from Houston to Little Rock, through flat, lush green country.
We are into bug country. At a rest stop, we both got stinging bites from something tiny. Fortunately the dogs had their flea and tick medication. I even got the pill down Bobby by coating in cream cheese back in Cleveland.
We are into bug country. At a rest stop, we both got stinging bites from something tiny. Fortunately the dogs had their flea and tick medication. I even got the pill down Bobby by coating in cream cheese back in Cleveland.
Monday, June 18, 2018
Day 13: Houston Hobby
Checked in to wait for my sister's arrival from New England later tonight.
An interesting new development:
Miss Eloise has figured out how to wriggle out of her harness. As in, wait, I have the leash, where is Eloise? OMG there she is romping around at the other end of the ... mercifully the hotel corridor and not the parking lot.
I remember the Steinbeck book Travels with Charley. Well, I remember the title, mostly, the rest of it only very dimly, but I don't have the impression that Charley was very much trouble on these travels.
This is travels with two moppets at that intelligence level comparable to a human toddler's--smart enough to figure out how to make something happen, but not nearly smart enough to see why it might be a bad idea.
An interesting new development:
Miss Eloise has figured out how to wriggle out of her harness. As in, wait, I have the leash, where is Eloise? OMG there she is romping around at the other end of the ... mercifully the hotel corridor and not the parking lot.
I remember the Steinbeck book Travels with Charley. Well, I remember the title, mostly, the rest of it only very dimly, but I don't have the impression that Charley was very much trouble on these travels.
This is travels with two moppets at that intelligence level comparable to a human toddler's--smart enough to figure out how to make something happen, but not nearly smart enough to see why it might be a bad idea.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Day 12: still near Cleveland, TX
Rain and heat, a climate like a sauna.
A lot of food, the Far East comes to Texas, with good results if you know where to look:
umamigrillandsushi.com
Tomorrow, my sister flies from New England to Houston to join us for the next leg of the trip. Making room for everything in the car will be a challenge.
A lot of food, the Far East comes to Texas, with good results if you know where to look:
umamigrillandsushi.com
Tomorrow, my sister flies from New England to Houston to join us for the next leg of the trip. Making room for everything in the car will be a challenge.
Days 10 and 11: Cleveland, Texas
Good times, good talk with good friends in their tiny house in the woods.
The beautifully appointed tiny kitchen:
Big Bobby and Eloise were spellbound by another visiting friend who is a professional animal trainer:
Eloise made another big-dog friend:
The beautifully appointed tiny kitchen:
Big Bobby and Eloise were spellbound by another visiting friend who is a professional animal trainer:
Eloise made another big-dog friend:
Friday, June 15, 2018
Day 9: Cleveland, Texas
Another note to self: next time, bring maps. Old-fashioned paper maps from AAA. Last night's ordeal would have been greatly aided by having a complete mental image of Lubbock, Houston and Cleveland on a map of Texas.
Cleveland is a small town near the new little home in the woods that good friends have built for themselves. I somehow had a mistaken impression that Cleveland was further north of Houston than it it is.
I also somehow was thinking of Houston as south of Austin when it is really more east than south.
These mistaken images in my mind caused me to get on route 99 going in the wrong direction, without bothering to check.
Then, a note to all who travel to Texas: beware toll roads for which you can only pay with passes--no cash option. Google directions provides three ways to get from Lubbock to Cleveland, all involving one of these roads, on which I have run up fines. By that time of night, with only Google as a guide, I just kept driving. I am told that a bill will arrive in the mail.
With a big paper road map, I would have found another route to Cleveland and got on it going in the right direction.
The La Quinta in Cleveland at nearly one in the morning was a welcome sight, with the desk clerk I'd been on the phone with standing outside to flag me down.
Cleveland is a small town near the new little home in the woods that good friends have built for themselves. I somehow had a mistaken impression that Cleveland was further north of Houston than it it is.
I also somehow was thinking of Houston as south of Austin when it is really more east than south.
These mistaken images in my mind caused me to get on route 99 going in the wrong direction, without bothering to check.
Then, a note to all who travel to Texas: beware toll roads for which you can only pay with passes--no cash option. Google directions provides three ways to get from Lubbock to Cleveland, all involving one of these roads, on which I have run up fines. By that time of night, with only Google as a guide, I just kept driving. I am told that a bill will arrive in the mail.
With a big paper road map, I would have found another route to Cleveland and got on it going in the right direction.
The La Quinta in Cleveland at nearly one in the morning was a welcome sight, with the desk clerk I'd been on the phone with standing outside to flag me down.
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