I made the mistake of taking I-70 out of Independence and it was a nightmare. Cars were piled up all over the highway. Most of the time I was able to just swerve around them but a couple of times I had to ease the van off the road. Just north of I-70 before you get to Bates city there is a small airport. I think its Harry Truman Regional. A private jet apparently did not make it to the landing strip before its pilot disappeared. I got stuck a couple of times trying to get around that but with a little rocking was able to get out. I do not want a repeat of that. From now on I am taking back roads. Why couldn't the disappearance have occurred at night? Would have made things a lot easier.
I am typing this entry while Dee eats breakfast. Will be heading out again as soon as she finishes. We're in a Podunk town by the name of Diamond in southern Missouri now. Coasted in last night on fumes. At Diamond 71 highway becomes Washington street. I was taking 71 highway as it seemed relatively clear and Diamond was the town I just happened to come when I decided to call it a day. The van has two 40 gallon tanks but it has been a while since they have been filled. Barely made it into a Conoco station at Market and Washington.
I had to open up the service panel on one of the pumps and hook the pump up directly to my portable generator to get gassed up but I have had a lot of practice at that lately.
I don't really know yet where I am going. Just heading south for now. Would like to be in a warmer climate come winter, but that is still some ways off.
This is an old van and is has an odd mixture of added features. There is flat panel TV/DVD player built into the dash and an 8 track stereo leftover from the 70s. Plugged into the slot on the 8 track is a cassette tape converter, fitted into that is a cassette adaptor like they used to plug CD players into. The plug from the cassette adaptor is plugged into an 8 Terabyte iPod. The antique stereo has a pair of expensive Bose surround sound speakers. The dash board is a exhibit of the evolution of car audio. There is also an in dash UPS which I have the computer plugged into now.
Speaking of radios, I am going to have to figure out what to do about my radio broadcasts. I just left it running. I was too preoccupied with getting out of town. I will have to go back sometime and cut if off. I don't want it luring someone else into danger.
God, my eyes hurt this morning! I think I should see about getting a pair of reading glasses at the next drug store I come to. Probably should have got to an eye doctor a year ago, but I just didn't care enough about myself then.
Well Dee is just playing with her food now so I guess she is done. Time to get moving.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
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