DAY FIVE: Road Notes

Two drives today, with a ball game in between.  In order to make it to the 12:00 Pirates game in Pittsburgh, I had to leave Cleveland around 9:00 am.  After the game, it's on to Baltimore to stay with brother-in-law Bryan and girlfriend Barb.

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The Holiday Inn Express in Cleveland is actually pretty great... big old building with high ceilings, old-school elevators, and only 4 blocks from the stadium.  Plus, they let me park the UHaul (officially named.. see below) right IN FRONT of the building on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.  The signs near the curb say "Drop off and pick up only", but the front desk crew let me keep it there anyway.  Free convenient parking?  Chalk one up for the Holiday Inn Express.

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Stayed up a bit too late trying to fanagle the hotel wireless into letting me upload the Wrigley video...  finally gave up and crashed out three beers later.

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I'd like to take this opportunity to point out how much Google Maps rocks.  I've printed out every leg of my trip, and it has never once led me astray.  It even tells me when I'll be passing in to the next state, which roads are toll roads, and keeps an accurate "Miles so far" tally, so I can just check my odometer to see how far my next turn is.  It's been super.

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Somewhere in Maryland, I saw a sign for "Licking Creek."  I put on my low, scuzzy redneck voice and said to myself, "I'D like to lick some creek..."  I tell you, some things that just aren't that funny can sometimes make you laugh for miles.

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Made it to Bryan and Barb's by about 8:45 pm and slept soundly on their futon.  I'm still getting used to this Eastern time thing.  Sometimes I think it's late, other times I think it's early.  It'll come to me soon, I suppose.

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Road Album of the Day:

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, "Rabbit Fur Coat"

Jenny is the former-child-actor-turned-Indie-queen lead singer of Rilo Kiley.  I was first introduced to Rilo Kiley by my friend Matt Van Bockern in college.  While living in LA, he was able to catch a lot of their early shows.  Rilo Kiley has grown in a fascinating direction musically, and on her solo album, Jenny gets a chance to show a bit of a different side.  Reco-Fennell-mended.

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I almost forgot!  Dad gave the truck a name.  We were talking about the good mileage I was getting and great time I was making, when he said, "Oh yeah, I thought of a name!"  I queried, and marveled in its perfection.  The Uhaul is automatic... It's SYS-tematic... It's HY-DRO-matic...

Why it must be Greased Lightning!