Road Trip!

This year's March break took the form of a road trip -- a pretty long one at that -- about 1200 miles passing through the Midwest and into the Southeast. I've done this drive before, but usually when it's hot and the cornfields are planted and well on their way.
Looking out the car window, there are a few things I noted:

1. Burger, burger, burger. Every exit off the interstate has a McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King. There are some pizza places and Subways, but I'd give anything to avoid consuming 800-1000 calories in 5 minutes and then return to sitting on my butt for another 4 hours.

2. A lot of people across this land live in mobile homes or small modular houses -- we are a wealthy nation, but most of us aren't wealthy. The number of RV's sitting outside is striking too. A lot of them look like they haven't moved in a long while. But for many people, an RV is how they vacation -- they don't jet off to some distant land and stay in a hotel.

3. The truckers and truck stops. As the slogan goes, trucking really DOES move the nation. There are countless numbers of them, and late at night I think it must be a gritty, lonely job.

4. The number of places that are open 24 hours. Pharmacies, restaurants, drive-thru's, grocery stores. truck stops, gas stations --- always someone working late into the night hours.

5. Getting the farm fields ready for spring. Seeing two Amish men out in a field with a horse and plow. The young Amish woman sitting reading a book when we went into her store to buy some jam.

It's a very diverse country we live in. I just find it interesting to observe, whether you're standing in the middle of Times Square or driving through West Virginia coal country.

Now, back to work --- and no more burgers for awhile!!