I'm traveling from 2 a.m. until 8 a.m. this weekend in order to avoid the Columbus Day traffic.  I've also plotted a course that takes me away from and around any tourist centers.  I had wanted to check the beaches along Interstate 95, but I think I'll wait until the trip back to do so.  The country is in an ugly mood, based on the conversations that I hear in the truck stops, Waffle Houses, and diners where I take my breaks.  That, coupled with traveling at night and through places that are remote and unfamiliar, has made this seem a rather dark journey.  The other problem is that I've already gained five pounds and my exercise schedule has completely disintegrated.

Also, I always want to eat the waffle at the Waffle House.

And, truckers are massing for their assault on D.C.   God, I love America.  I may put on my old fatigue shirt today; it's the tropical issue with the slanted pockets, just to feel a part of that martial spirit.



Next stop, the campgrounds in Gaffney, S.C. at $30 a night for a pickup truck?!