For me, (Jason) driving from New Jersey to Michigan is mostly old ground. We went on the same roads and stopped, surprisingly, at many of the same rest stops. But not being in a hurry, we noticed very different landmarks. At a truck stop in Western Pennsylvania that I'd stopped for gas at at least twice in the past, we enjoyed their self proclaimed "world's worst apple pie," a delicacy I'd never before realized was available. A sign above us proclaimed that "faith is a higher faculty than reason" attributed to the apparently lesser known scholar "Bailey." Although I wanted to begin the journey with a conversation with other patrons about this thought, the trucker next to me eating a giant BLT and mashed potatoes with gravy scared the crap out of me and I kept my mouth shut. My attitude will have to improve in the future in both having a more open mind to different ideas and not being such a wuss.
It is amazing to me (Chris) how much the country can change over a few short miles. By the time we had arrived in Western New Jersey and Eastern PA, people's waist sizes had gotten larger and teeth had become a valuable commodity. On the positive side of things, saluations had become much more effusive and serving sizes had become much larger.
The day was tiring, though we did little besides drive and listen to right wing religious and political commentary on the AM radio. We ate the road like ravenous monsters, passing through Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and finally arriving in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Shortly before arriving at our final destination, we made a quick pilgrimage to Cabela's, which had been sold to me as the "Costco of the Great Outdoors." In truth, the place was a huge monument to American Bigness. Big were the prices, big were the people, and big was the "campiness" of this large camping and hunting store. Animal heads and mountains rose among the camo clothing and gun racks. A shooting gallery manned by a talking deer graced the back wall. The workers all seemed to be ex-marines, and said things like, "Gentlemen, how can I be of service to you?" and "To get to camping, head straight back, bear right at the mountain, and climb them stairs there." The place was, to be sure, a bit of a disappointment, but we did have the chance to take some extremely cheesy "thumbs up" photos.
Luckily, due to the generosity of certain family members and friends, we have tonight bedded down in a fine hotel. The beds are large and comfortable, the WiFi internet is fast and reliable, and the air conditioning is Arctic.
Tomorrow we head for Chicago, Illinois. The path to the West lies wide open before us.
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