DATA: travel log of "intercivic musings" trek to chicagoland

a lot of life happened in chicago a seeming age ago
driving west a certain distance always causes a rapid beating heart of anticipation

i do not go on enough adventures for my likings so when i do get to go the little things gain some significance...

marit did all the driving
i attempted to do homework
forgot my camera
resorted to document the journey

left milan gas station at 1025(est)
starting mileage: 61065

0.5 bags of combos

3.5 slim jims (marit had the 0.5 and complained about the skin or wrapper around it)

900 cc water
710 cc diet coke

first potty break occured before jackson (culprit: me)
please see above fluid consumption and do the math

14 michigan state troopers

stevensville, mi
mcfattys around 1300 est
fueled civic
distance: 169 miles away from milan
gallons used 4.036
mpg: 41.9
continuing mileage: 61234

2 medium fries
1 big mac (minus pickle) marit
1 doublecheeseburger

plates:
2 california
3 minnesota (all on jettas)
1 iowa plate + big truck + big game hunter + 1 camo nextel

bm (before macdonalds)
3 emergent window openings (culprit: marit 3x)

3 right side passes

far too many semis
(what happened to our train system?)

17 minutes of nonstop rumble strips

24 construction workers
4 working construction workers
0 working construction workers excluding machine operators

untold outdated bumper stickers

tunes:
"United We Stand" Hillsong United
"The Chronicles of Narnia: TLWW" Harry Gregson-Williams
U2 playlist Oct. 24 & 25 detroit concert list

1338(est) crossed into indiana
14th michigan state trooper was turning around alomost exactly at state line
u2's "in the name of love" was playing

am (after mcdonalds): 2 emergent window openings (again marit "its the big mac talking!")

6 miles of white and orange construction barrels

1 right sided pass


lots of double deckered billboards in indiana

1352(est) extended emergent window opening
inter-civic air quality talks begin as GARY, IN draws close
(ironically "STUCK IN A MOMENT" was playing)

1359(est) chicago 59 miles according to sign

2 passenger sided "imaginary brakings"

1404(est) our journey veers off 94

1407(est) $0.30 invested in "smooth roads"
3 imaginary brakes used at first toll station and 2 multifocal flinches occur
recipe for indigestion...and GAS

as the rebel alliance (me) considers retaliation with this turn of gastro events
"LOVE AND PEACE OR ELSE" begins to play

1421(est) run out of radio stations for ipod connection

1424(est) $0.50 "chewie" picked a good lane

1427(est) cross chicago skyway
my respiration decrease to less than 8/min
my heart reat increases from the 50s to the 100s
all my childhood bridge nightmares slash through my brain
escpecially the one where my mom teaches me how to ride a bike on mackinaw bridge on a windy day and something unseen is chasing me

chicago skyline is lost in in atmospheric cocktail of humid july haze and industrial send off

1429(est) $2.50 Chicago Skyway Bridge Toll
cut off by graham cracker eating CA chick

$400 minimum fine (speed limit = 45mph)

1437(est) stopped to a roll

1445(est) crawling

1448(est) 1 tayshaun prince jersey
still no ben billboards

1450(est) outline of sears tower visible
hope arises as we bend towards the city and dan ryan

1453(est) most telling highway sign ever
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR TRUCKS!"

1457(est) merge onto RYAN EXPRESSWAY and an electric sign informs us of a website
AVOIDTHERYAN.COM

1515(est) pass OHIO ST. EXIT (mark lentz trivia)

1426 cell phone time is now central time (cst)

1508(cst) arrive at hotel
ending mileage: 61346
miles traveled: 281
intercivic war avoided: untold, still lots of love

expecation far outweighs the weariness of this trek
it is almost time...