DAY FOUR: Road Notes

I put on my Twins t-shirt, a gift from my co-workers at Campbell Mithun; at the beginning of the day in preparation for the Twins @ Cleveland game Wednesday night.  I expected some ribbing from the opposing fans, since I was obviously out of my element.  I didn't realize how soon it would start, though.  Paying my toll to leave Chicago at 9:30 am, the toll booth guy fixed his stare on me and intoned, "Go Sox."  I stared for a second, forgetting my attire.  He dropped his eyes to my shirt poignantly and repeated, sternly: "Go Sox."  We shared a knowing smile as I shrugged, paid, and said "good luck."

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Northern Indiana, having figured out that it's a pass-through state between Chicago and the East coast, has figured out how to milk every last dollar out of its travelers.  Not only is the entire road a toll, but the only fuel stops on the interstate are state-sponsored "travel plazas" with one restaurant and one gas station per plaza.  Gas went from $3.49 in Iowa to $3.99 in Illinois, to $4.39 in Indiana.  Unfortunately, I neglected to fill up the UHaul until Indiana, meaning I spent almost a dollar extra on each of the 25 gallons I filled.  Yipes.

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Road album of the day:

Pinkerton, by Weezer.  One of the great albums of my adolescence.  Plus, if anything can help wash the taste of their last two progressively awful albums out of my mouth, it's this one.