From the Old Market section of town

[pseydtonne]

I've reached Omaha, the half-way mark of the drive. I haven't had a lot of time to write, but that's changing.

I've been keeping notes, mostly about mileage and fuel statistics. Today I got 89-octane gas (normally I only get the 87) because it was on sale in Des Moines for $3.399/gallon. Other than that:

1. Illinois has a new law that bans phone conversations while drivng through construction zones. Interstate 80 had about 50 to 60 miles of construction, the kind where there is only one lane for ten miles even though they said it'd be three. Obviously this is when my phone would ring. I dislike Illinois.
   
2. Iowa isn't flat -- it's lots of rolling hills. It looks a lot like western New York. It's beautiful at sunset. It's also amazing to see more of the sky, enough that the closer sky has a deeper blue than the farther away parts. I liked southeast Iowa.
   
3. Monday is the 19th or 20th anniversary of James Hetfield catching on fire during a concert in Montreal. Most of us know the details: pyrotechnics mishap, Alx Rose ended the following Guns & Roses set after four songs, the crowd rioted as if they'd been at a Habs playoff game. The fact I didn't know about this, until the rock station guy mentioned it: Hetfield couldn't play guitar due to his horrible burns, but he still sang at the rest of the shows during the tour. The announcer played "Fight Fire With Fire" from 1984's Ride the Lightning.
   
4. The Bohemian Cafe on 13th and William in Omaha is perfectly fine but lacking in flavor. I'm taking some time to walk off the dumplings with dumpling stuffing.
   
5. Driving at night is less painful for the car if you're going to do a multi-day haul. I may need to get my A/C checked out. For now I'm taking long pauses and running it at a significantly higher temperature (enough to keep me from sweating).
   
6. There is a convenience store chain in Iowa called Kum 'n' Go. Yes. I boggle.
   
7. I'd forgotten about auto insurance commercials. I've been trying to listen to the radio as much as possible, mostly because I want to prove there are more than country and Christian stations in the Midwest. (By the way: yes there are and it's worth it.) I hear ads for a variety of car insurance companies and I listen, because I need to buy some before Friday.
   
   If you're not from Mass, you won't likely understand why I'm fascinated. Mass only started having competitive car insurance this year and it's not very competitive. We don't get ads for this stuff -- you either have Travelers or whatever the other one is. Thus it's weird to hear someone sing about varieties of discounts at State Farm or Farmers or... Geico. The Progressive lady went to my college (class of '90).
   
   I'm not in the east anymore. The Rockies will begin for me tomorrow. I expect to sleep in the Mountain Time Zone tonight. Wish me luck!

Comments

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

i just saw a state farm car insurance commercial on teevee at a pizza joint tonight in somerville....

enjoy the rockies! they're beautiful :)

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

I see quite a lot of ads for auto insurance when I'm watching captive-audience TV at the gym. But I'm usually watching basic-cable channels and the ads are probably mostly national.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

I really agree with listening to the radio as much as possible. I've discovered some great stuff that way, particularly while driving through rural southern Ontario.

[lightcastle.livejournal.com]

Dear lord, I remember that Guns n' Roses thing.

And "Kum n' Go"? Really?

[rednikki.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I'm really enjoying reading about your travels.

[starphire.livejournal.com]

Yep, really. I've been to them myself, and saw the logo everywhere around there, on lighters, keyrings, etc. - seems like they do a nice side business in branded kitsch so people can have a laugh over it as often as possible.

[lightcastle.livejournal.com]

May as well run with it, I suppose. :)

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

A few days ago, I saw for the first time a gas pump that ordered the grades of gasoline thus: 93, 87, 89. They're going to ridiculous lengths to try to get people to buy something other than the cheapest gasoline by accident.

[tckma.livejournal.com]

When you get to Colorado, they sell 85 (octane, not E-85), and the highest grade is 89. I used to wonder why car manuals said "don't use lower than 87" - I didn't think you could buy it!

Car insurance commercials still boggle my mind, and I haven't lived in Mass in 3 years. (Wow, really?)

[pseydtonne.livejournal.com]

I saw the 85 today when I fueled in northeastern Colorado. I wonder whether the high altitude (I was at 4000 ft) relates.

I also learned that gas can cost 60 cents per gallon more in Sterling CO than in Denver. I also had a homemade country fried steak for breakfast and that made up for it.

[tenshikurai9.livejournal.com]

On a bus trip to North Platte, NE during summer of last year, I saw the Kum 'n' Go. If my bus had stopped at one, I was going to buy tissues for the humor value. When I posted about it later, I got told that there are Pump 'n' Pantry stores. Then I saw one of those on my rides from North Platte to Chicago.

[tenshikurai9.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to listen to the radio as much as possible, mostly because I want to prove there are more than country and Christian stations in the Midwest.

On that bus ride to North Platte, NE and then from North Platte to Chicago, I spent most of my time searching for the same thing. On the way out, I was so happy to listen to WWHP when I was near Farmer's City, IL.

http://www.wwhp.com/