Off to Maine!!

Up by 6:15 AM …no thanks to Ginger, the Redbone Coonhound who can’t seem to sleep past 6 AM. But I guess I had to get up anyway. Usual routine for a Wednesday morning, right up to the point where I hauled my bags outside and climbed in Pete’s pickup...not usual.

What a fabulous day for travel. The fog had yet to lift from the river so there were patches of dense fog to the point of not being able to see the water and then totally clear visibility with a bright sun beaming through. The air is crisp but not really cold….a great way to start this trip.

I was the first of 20 or so passengers to show up at the corner of Race & W. 4^th Street and I did feel a little conspicuous with my duffle bag, daypack and bag standing at the corner trying to figure out where I should be. Pete dropped me off about 8:40 AM when I didn’t have to be there until 9:15, but better late than sorry…right?? Anyway, by 8:50 others were starting to arrive and a line quickly formed. The bus was a few minutes late but our driver quickly loaded us up and wasted no time getting on the road.

The Mega Bus is a double-decker so I chose a seat near the front of the bus on the top deck. Nice view, but quickly realized I needed to move. In less than an hour the passenger behind me had received 15 phone calls, all of them nonsense calls and she doesn’t know how to use her ‘Inside Voice’. Geeze, if my cell rang that much I would turn it off!!!

At 10:45 we stopped outside Greenbug, IN for a break, seemed a little quick to me. I asked the driver if this was our lunch break and she said it was, so I opted for my favorite Subway sandwich, 6” Meatball on Italian Herb and Cheese bread, Provolone Cheese, lettuce and green peppers. Changed seats to the back of the bus when I returned and by 11:10 we were on the road again.

The stop in Indianapolis to pick up more passengers was very quick. Only two new folks joined us and we were back on I-65 headed for Chicago. I love this kind of travel…it’s super cheap, don’t have to do the driving (even though I like to drive) have the row of seats to myself and no screwing around like at the airport. The double-decker feature provides a unique view of the world. I’m guessing my next trip might just be to Boston. I’ve always wanted to explore that city and Mega Bus serves there!!!

Not much of note between Indy and Chicago, except the wind generators that have sprung up. I guess it’s been a while since I drove to Chicago, cause I don’t remember them. But there are a lot of them visible from the interstate and all most all were grinding away!!! I just love technology, even if it is physically not attractive. The thought that those guys are making electricity for us…way cool.

Bus arrived at Union Station in Chicago about 10 minutes late, but Karen was right there waiting for me. Within seconds we were loaded up and ready to go….now which way!!! Karen’s GPS was a little slow so we were always in the wrong lane by the time it ‘recalibrated’ and gave us new directions…so, it took us a while to get out of downtown. But soon we were headed south and then east. It is fun to be back in the car with Karen and on another ‘road trip’. We travel so easily together. We made it as far as west of Toledo and then we were both done for the day. Asked the toll booth operator where to stay for the night, she pointed us toward a Ramada Inn. Comfortable bed, dark, quiet, we were both asleep in seconds.