On The Road Again - as Willie would say.

Well I started to write this yesterday and guess I forgot to save it to my laptop!!!

I was just complaining about it raining all day when we were trying to finish loading the Alfa to be ready to leave this a.m. Late afternoon it finally stopped dripping and we got everything done we needed to do. Then went into Columbus to WalMart and to have dinner as everything was out of the house. By the time we got home both of us were pooped. 

This morning we got up early and discovered it was pretty foggy out. So we went out to breakfast in Bean Blossom AND THEN Hit the Road. Yep we are on our way West. Going to be a long time gone this year. This is the earliest we’ve ever left home.

Here we [Bill] is getting us ready to go.

This is one of the less foggy places heading in towards town. It was pretty thick in places – and we waited until 9:30 to leave.

Maybe someday we’ll learn and leave via another route – Bill says he has learned after today. Last year we took SR 46 towards the Indiana/Illinois border and there was a bridge out so we had to detour miles through farm country on narrow roads at least we were in the small motorhome. Well we knew the bridge was fixed so we took the same route again this year. OOPS – got to an intersection and there was a sign “NO VEHICLES OVER 3 TONS 1 MILE AHEAD” – Willie weighs that for heavens sake. Now what. While we were hesitating a big truck turned right of of the 46 on another state road towards the north so we followed him. The road took us right to the I-70 which is where we were going anyway just further up the road.

The I-70 was under construction about 50% of today’s drive, such fun. Only one lane and quite narrow in places. More aggravating than anything. But then all I was doing was sitting there.

The ONLY 10 seconds of blue sky we saw all day – had to record it to remind us what pretty weather looked like.

As we were tooling along the road we got passed by two 18-wheelers carrying golf carts. As the second one passed us I realized they were carrying the golf carts for the NASCAR races in Kansas City this coming weekend. 

So Bill very nicely sped up to get next to them. What’s that? Oh yes, it’s the M & M’s golf cart for my favorite driver the #18. In front of it is the Aflac – Carl Edwards – cart.

Had to get a closer picture! There were actually two M&M carts. This one was in the front of the carrier. 

We drove 197 miles today – took us about five hours. Far enough for the first day. We are in Mulberry Grove, IL stop here every year. Big level pull throughs and easy on and off highway. Our MiFi works great but we cannot get the satellite TV working. Just can’t locate satellite. Don’t know if it is because it is so overcast or if it is because there are two tall trees just to the south west of us. GRRRR – and I’m concerned about the weather the next couple of days – looks like it might be really rainy. Nuts.

I thought the GPS had bit the dust for a little while today – but turns out it had just lost the satellite signals. But it didn’t say “lost signal” like it usually does. This time the map just disappeared – everything else was showing. Weird. Are we having sun spots or something going on? Guess I'm getting paranoid about electronic things. 

Depends on the weather what we'll do tomorrow - I hope to get west of Saint Louis, but we might have to go south to miss the rain. Wish I had TV ......
Well it's 5:30 and the sun has come out - just in time to shine through the windows. AND the TV is working - Whoopie.