I CAN’T DO 80

Jutta has always said that it is amazing I can find something to write about, on a day when nothing much happens except trying to put in some miles and get to our next destination. Today was one of those days. I drove from Des Moines, Iowa, to Chamberlain, South Dakota. THE END

Not on your life!!!

While it is true that days on the road can be boring and non-eventful, they do offer the chance when driving alone, to reflect on many things……..I cannot disclose most of the things that went through my head today, but there are one or two I would like to share.

I spent last night at the Timberline Campground in Waukee, Iowa. A family run operation just west of Des Moines, on a beautiful property that made you feel you were in the middle of nowhere, when in fact you were just 15 minutes from downtown Des Moines. What a treat to find a well run, totally organized, well presented, privately run family business. If you are ever driving through you must stop here………probably 0% of the people reading this blog will ever do that, but a BIG shout out to Timberline. It was cold overnight, and one of the owners, Matt, I think, stopped by to let me know I should consider not connecting my water supply as it might freeze. No worries……Plan B has plenty of on board water and the only time it is handy to be hooked up is when you want to take an in-house shower (less strain on the water pump). So I didn’t hook up, and in the morning, decided to stroll down the walk to the campground washroom/shower facility. I have always been in the habit of using the campground facilities, and have had great luck so far, while Jutta is an in-house girl, and reports that the Plan B shower is more that adequate, in fact, pretty good. The Timberline shower was Ab Fab…..had a shave at the sink, and I was all ready to go for my day in the truck!…………But….. I really just told you that story to tell you this one………

The night before in Bristol, Indiana……….when I woke up to the snow……..and because the campground guy had told me the flush toilets and showers in the wash house were not yet operational……..I decided I would have my first ever in-house shower in Plan B. I knew it would be a tight fit for my girlish figure, but decided to give it a go. Turned on the water heater, and had some breakfast, as it takes the better part of an hour for the tank to warm up. I had my soap and shampoo ready, and stepped into the chamber…….it was tight……..good thing there was a hand held nozzle, or nothing above my nipples would have gotten wet. Everything was going well until……crap…..dropped the soap…….tried, but couldn’t get it…….shit, I had to get out of the shower stall to pick it up! I guess Airstreams are not designed for everyone, but in the end, a shower is a shower…….I am clean, and that is all that matters. It’s campground showers for me from now on!

I had a great run across Iowa, and then crossed into South Dakota……..speed limit 80mph (highest I have seen before was 75), and highways perfectly smooth and dead straight……..I was not doing 80…….plugged in the cruise at 65……..juiced it up to 70 to pass a few idiots, but otherwise was happy at 65. It seems that the afternoon “blow” is something that happens out here a lot. Virtually no wind in the AM, but come afternoon it is howling, and as usual, right across the highway. Huge dust storms from the fields adjacent to the highway. Again, happy that Plan B is good in the wind.

Jutta and I exchanged text messages around 3pm……I was in Sioux Falls filling up the propane tanks at a Flying J, and it was 35 freezing degrees with the howling wind to boot (excuse me, but using Fahrenheit), and had a couple of hours to get to Chamberlain where I sit now……..temperature change…..20 degrees…….56 here…….very nice to sit outside with my post drive cocktail for a change. I’m beginning to think I might get a golf game in before picking up Jutta in Seattle.

I don’t have wifi at this campground, so might have to delay transmission until later tomorrow morning…….sorry for screwing up your morning coffee Nancy…….cheers all, and thanks for chiming in…….great to hear from you.