Hey There!
It's 7:38 AM CDT, 68°F, Humidity 94%, Wind 6 mph W, sunny, AQI 38
Yesterday we got up sort of late, around 8 AM. There was no real morning routine, although when we're on the road the first thing I do is go downstairs and get coffee for us both. The room coffee is atrocious. DW took a shower while I skimmed news and wrote yesterday's post.
About 9 AM we went down for breakfast. I had two of the small omelettes they had out plus a fried chicken patty (what's with chicken in Dayton?), while DW grabbed some hard-boiled eggs and a yogurt. We both had English muffins as well. Then we headed back up to our room to pack and check out. I didn't bother to shower as I was only going to be in the car all day. I filled up my water and coffee thermos for the road and we took off.
It's construction season across the interstates, and in Indianapolis we hit a bit more construction. With all the truck traffic and city traffic it makes getting through an urban area via the interstate quite challenging. We also got stuck in another traffic jam caused by an accident for about 20 minutes or so. Traffic jams are never fun.
Ultimately we hit some nice stretches of open road, and the fields are full of corn, sorghum, and soybeans. The open road with little truck traffic is much more pleasant, but I have to admit, the thrill of long-distance driving is not as present as it used to be. Maybe I've just seen it all by this time. I also am noticing that driving long distances is wearing on my body more than ever. 5-6 hours is plenty of drive time in one day these days, compared to 8-10 in my youth. Time brings changes.
We got to Springfield a bit early, so we drove around town, saw the stadium where the games are being played, and then went shopping at Aldi's for a few items. Springfield is not much to look at, at least where we are. It's seen better days, to be sure. A sense of neglect and time passing it by permeates the city as you drive around. The 88° temperature may have had something to do with it as well.
When we got to the AirBnB, the keypad lock on the door didn't work. So there was a 45-minute fuss and hassle about getting the front door open. I got in contact with the owner, who had to leave work to come and solve the problem. He couldn't get the door open either, and he had no clue as to where the actual key for the front door was. He tried to open the door with several keys, but none worked. Finally, he found a key to the back door. As it turned out, the keypad lock battery was low and couldn't operate the mechanism. He changed the battery and the pad worked. A bit of a PITA. I should think they would think to refund a little money for our inconvenience, but I don't think that's going to happen.
The place looks bad on the outside, but inside is OK. It's an old house with the interior all redone. Adequate for our uses.
DW had bought a ham and egg quiche for dinner, so we ate that with some fruit. I think the trip has wearied her, and to be honest it has wearied both of us. Her foot was giving her a rough time, and I was just very tired. After dinner I watched the ball game, and she laid down on the bed to get off her feet and listen to her book. I was so tired that I went to bed at 9:30 PM, which would be 10:30 Eastern time. All in all, a long day of driving, a hassle to get into our AirBnB, and old age aches and pains at the end.
Daughter and Friend arrived around 2:45 AM after driving all the way from Minneapolis. I'm relieved they made the trip in good shape.
Notable Deaths: David Marsh, rock critic who promoted the career of Bruce Springsteen, 76.
That's all for now. 'Til We Meet Again!