It occurred to me while I was driving today--and I had a LOT of time to think!--that I should post some of the random thoughts and interesting (to me) observations I make during the trip. So, I'll start off with some stats and then go from there!
DAY ONE: Drove 753 miles in 11 & 1/2 hours from near Portland, OR to Ogden, UT. (Keep in mind, it's just me and the two kids, no extra driver!) Kids were golden, my a$$ is not quite numb yet, skipped a late dinner in favor of pool time (love hotels with 24 hr pools!).
SPRINKLERS: Driving along in what could be considered the High Desert or maybe the Great Basin..not sure..but anyway, went past the town of Jerome, Idaho, and they had in-ground sprinklers going...in the big area between the interstate and the exit. WTF? What a waste of water! Weird and unnecessary. And it was kept mowed, too. Very oddly green and manicured in comparison with the normal, arid landscape around it. It stood out...in a not-so-good way. Plus watering on a hot summer day in an arid climate?? Most of it evaporated and didn't even get to the roots. Sorry...have to give you a thumbs down, Jerome town leaders, especially since it's evidently smart irrigation month this month (which I found out trolling for a photo to use here--ironic!). Turn off the water, turn under the turf and plant some native grasses already.
STEWART: Also in the middle of Idaho, I came up behind a big boxy car carrier, the whole rear end eye-catchingly painted with the Mobil logo. When I went to pass, I noticed the trailer was being pulled by a huge pickup which was also entirely painted with logos..like a race car. Probably because it was the "OFFICIAL TONY STEWART TEAM #14" truck and hauler. Presumably, the NASCAR car was tucked away inside, asleep...you know...like in the movies
Cars? My kids were very excited to see a Lightening McQueen look-alike in person, so to speak. What they were doing in Idaho, I have no idea!
SCAN-STOPPING SONGS--DAY ONE: We don't iPod or Sirius or anything like that on these annual trips. Nope, we do it the old-fashioned way and scan the radio stations along the way, hoping that when one grows too fuzzy, we'll find another good one. The girls enjoy helping me decide which stations to stop on (and the oldest is keeping track with a list now..which will probably get lost before the next trip). They mostly like the dance, hip-hop and Top 40 type songs, so that's what we end up looking for. But sometime I'll hit a song that makes me stop and sing along, even if it's not quite what we were looking for. Kind of fun to "rediscover" some old favorites. Here are a couple from today:
I'll be back tomorrow with a Day Two update! Time to get some sleep before my early Skype work call. At least the kids will probably still be asleep...and there's an in-room coffee maker! Night!
