Travel Day 2: Ohio to Minnesota, almost.

Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin... let's just call the whole place "Ohiowa".

Parked outside the WalMart in Elk Grove, IL.

We are behind schedule and it's only our second day of driving.  Personally I'm exhausted.  I'm not tired from the drive the night before.  I'm not tired from staying in a hotel.  I'm tired from spending the last week packing the house, and the week before that worrying about packing the house, and the week before that worrying that I might be worrying too much.  I am suffering from anxiety induced exhaustion.  This is not a good mental state to be in before driving through what may be the three most boring states in the country.

Starting out at about noon is just fine with me.  Let's find coffee.  Then let's find some more coffee.  Repeat.  Rest stops have Starbucks!  So we will stop at every single one, they're only 30-40 miles apart.

After stopping in Gary, Indiana for dinner we start driving the final stretch of the day. Until we get to the north side of Chicago I spend the whole time on the iPhone headset talking to Expedia.com.  The hotel we booked earlier is full but can put us in their "sister facility" with a double bed and pull out couch - just no dogs.  That doesn't work.  Nearly an hour later we have a solution.  By this time we are through Chicago but had to pay at about a dozen toll booths on Interstate 294.  If we are lucky we might get to Wisconsin!

We're not lucky.  We're tired.  Once we get on Interstate 39 northbound it's one lane with a concrete wall on the left and reflective orange cones along the right.  This goes on for nearly 30 miles.  Now we are in Rockford, Illinois.  Done.

Check in to a dirty "Sleep Inn", hit the sack, wake up to realize the restaurant across the street is a strip club.  Get me out of here.