The Restless Soul Hits Hhe Road

My morning started off in classic fashion, in that it started later then planned. After much debate into the early hours of the morning the night before, I finally decided to go for it and bust out into the world. Even though I have been planning this trip for quite some time, I still was full of in trepidation. Just like I always do I wanted to look for a way out of things that challenge me. I tried ever reason I could think of. One was even a very noble cause, but I knew in my heart it wasn’t for me, I needed to go through with this, as planned.

I had first forgotten to set my alarm clock for the rite time, the whole PM AM thing still alludes me. I awoke around 9:45 when I intended to be on the road by that time. Even my over sleeping acted as another excuse not to leave. I thought to myself, maybe I should just keep sleeping and wait till tomorrow. The justification for this was missing, because the whole point of this trip is I have no destination, there for it shouldn’t mater when  I leave because there is no time limit to get to nowhere. I had already packed most of my belongings the night before so I was only left to make a few phone calls to say good bye and a few emails to send out to tell those I was leaving.  One phone call proved particularly tough to make, and it sadden me that the person on the other end wasn’t there to talk to. I then made my way around the house looking for anything I could have potentially forgotten to pack, like my tent! Well I hadn’t really planned on camping. Walking about in search of things was just another one of my trying to prolong the inevitable. You would swear that I really didn’t want to do this even though I really want to do this.

I finally got all my stuff packed and was ready to go and say my goodbyes, I had already said good bye to my mother earlier before she went to church, in which she intern spilled the beans to my father that I was leaving for the Pacific Northwest. Not to get into the details of it all lets just say my father and I or better I am not really on speaking terms with my father. I then walked into my brother’s room to awake him from his 20 hour slumber, which he is known to do on a consistent basis. He was aroused rather easily from his sleep and stared at me all glossy eyed, and with out hesitation asked me if I had eaten to which I replied “I had a cup of coffee but there really isn’t anything to eat around here.” It was his idea to then go for some breakfast at the local Denny’s, which sounded like a rather good idea considering I was in no rush to get to nowhere and hadn’t really eaten in the past three days, because I was fretting over leaving in the first place.

Breakfast at Denny’s is what you would expect it to be, alright but over priced breakfast food. It satisfied my belly and the time spent with my brother was relaxing and reassuring. He made me feel confident that every thing would go well and I would have fun. Fun and driving don’t go together if you ask me. I prefer the fun come after the driving. I felt satisfied enough that the open road no longer intimidated me. So off I went making a left onto US 20 (Lake Street by me) headed west. US 20 shall remain my primal course for the most part, I plan on taking it all the way to the end where it meets the Pacific Ocean.

I the road I traveled out past Elgin, which to my knowledge is the farthest I have ever traveled west on US 20. I cant remember a time in my life when I would have need to travel that far out, I mean there’s nothing out there as I would soon discover. The road was pretty empty for the most part, except for the on slot of biker gangs that kept passing me, it is the last weekend of summer so naturally I assume everyone wants to get out and ride one last time. As I traveled this stretch of road I became calm and tranquil about the whole Idea behind my doing this. The view was pretty interesting and under my mother’s suggestion of “just put your mind at ease and don’t think during this trip, and just take in the sites!” was actually starting to pay off. All the things I was worried about in my life began to disappear as I became ever more confident in my travels.

I arrived on the outskirts of Rockford Illinois around 2:30, I thought I was making decent time to nowhere considering the matter. This prompted me to take a little detour and follow one of the signs posted directing me to one of Rockford’s historical downtown sites. I naturally on a whim turned the wheel and headed in that direction. I followed the signs until they disappeared! Very poor signage on this city’s part. Which took me through twist and turns landing me someplace where I don’t know where I am! I  was a bit worried at first, but thought to my self this trip is all about getting lost, it wouldn’t be an adventure if it didn’t happen. So after a few more twist and turns, I have the worst directional sense when it comes to north and south in cities. I know what’s so hard about that? Well your talking to the guy that can’t set his alarm clock rite! I then decided it best to pull over and check my road atlas. When I couldn’t help but notice the place I pulled into was a burned out storefront! I then began looking around at the other structures and could tell they had seen better days, most likely in the 60’s when they were built. I was in the heart of a very dilapidated neighborhood. One of those neighborhoods where there are no cars on the streets and you can’t find a cop on the corner. One of those neighborhoods where a white guy in the car doesn’t belong there so the guys on the corner start yelling at you. It was like that. I was a bit intimidated at first but then thought perhaps this was what Rockford looked like, a bombed out city. So I carried on traveling about in circles, happened more then once, landing me back in that same neighborhood, where I think by now the natives thought I was trying to solicit there services.  Finally I took a right then another right and a left and some how to quote my father “damn I’m good” I managed to be right back on course head west on US 20.

After that little debacle I thought it best to stick to the path only to stop for things that I saw off my local route. As I continued on the local landscape began to change as I entered the Mississippi valley. The land began to roll with hills undulating under my car causing me to be a bit queasy at times. The scenery impressed me so much that I was sure this trip was going to be a success! This inspired me to stop at a the apple river fort, well it really shouldn’t be called a fort, because it was a pile of wood more or less tacked together. The sign directing me to the fort made it seem like it was a in mere walking distance when in fact it was a path about 2 miles long to the place. I walked halfway there when the fort came over the horizon into my view. I looked at it disappointed and couldn’t help but laugh at what I could see. “How pathetic” I thought to my self, “you mean to tell me that the early settlers actually sought refuge in that tinder box from the Indians?” It seemed more like a place you would find the Apple Dumpling gang, you know from that series of unfunny Disney movies staring Barney Fife. I figured it wasn’t worth any further investigation, and turned back down the path toward my car.

Back on the road I traveled stopping only a few mile down from the apple river fort was a look out tower, great for a photo op so I can show you all I described. It was the oddest tower to climb up in that it had barely any room on the stairs for people to maneuver. You had to slide your way past. I must say my legs are way out of shape for this sort of affair, the climb to the top up some 8 flights of stairs wore me out. But the view was worth it. To my surprise there were about 10 Asian people standing at the top looking out. I couldn’t tell what they were saying but I did catch. Do jow fow ming sow, Wisconsin, Chow dow ming dooo Illinios, Fow ming dow sow Iowa. I always think its funny when you catch words in you know in expressions you don’t understand.

On word down the road I went crossing the great Mississippi into Iowa at Dubuque. As I passed over the bridge I couldn’t help but think how calm the waters looked yet 1000 miles down the river a surge of much turmoil took place reeking havoc on the land. This made me think to myself if I had done the right thing by passing on a great opportunity to do some good? I mulled this over in my head for quite some time, thinking it wasn’t to late to go back. I then pulled over to get a picture of the mighty Mississippi, and got lost in downtown Dubuque. Which wasn’t a bad thing because the area is actually very nice, so nice that I said “hell this wouldn’t be a bad place to live.” I walked around the downtown for a bit, but most of the stuff was closed. I then realized the source for the pretty surroundings lie in the river boat docked on the river. Gambling not being my thing I head back to my car to search for my way out of this quaint little city

Iowa would prove a difficult course to take. The rolling scenery of Illinois Mississippi valley quickly disappeared into a flat incline, surrounded by nothing but corn, as US 20 changed from cute little 2 lane back highway into big honker 2 lane interstate. Its not a true interstate but it sure picked up the monotony of one. I hate that long boring expressionless ride. It started to get to me and made me feel depressed. I then began to think of my friends back home and how they were doing and what they were up to. Not good thoughts when one doubts whether to continue on. I mean Iowa sucks. No wonder the books I read before I left pretty muck ignored this state. Well I believe Kerouac said Iowa had the best looking girls. I have yet to see this for myself. Mostly what I have discovered of Iowa is that its population consists only of farmers and guys who drive big honking trucks. That’s all I have seen since I’ve been here.

My eyes grew weary of the monotony of the road so I thought it best to pull off for the night but couldn’t decide on whether I should stay in a hotel, or the motel Ford Escort. I pulled off at what I thought was an exit for a major city, Fort Dodge, and found it to just be a long meandering path in the dark. It is dark out here in the sticks  I looked on the horizon for light pollution to guide me to some sort of civilization, and it was to know avail. Instead It burped me out onto business US 20! My direction skills seem to be in tune now, I rounded the corner to a super 8 motel which was booked up do to some polka festival? There were a bunch of old people in the lobby all wearing purple shits that said “Sid’s Polka festival 2005!” odd the things I run into. I went back to my car  to consult the atlas once again when I saw yet another pack of bikers roll past. I followed them only a few street lights up and wouldn’t you know it here was a town with some stuff in it. I pulled off to check out the scene in a 24 hour grocery store parking lot and figure out what to do. I contemplated going to sleep in the back of the parking lot. The biggest problem about not traveling on an interstate there are no rest areas ever 50 miles or so to stop and sleep in. So I had to be creative on this trip. I decided it best that the safest place to sleep would be in the back of a Wal-Mart parking lot. I saw people do it all the time when I worked across the street from one. It’s a good tip to remember, for those of you reading this, Wal-Mart parking lots all have security cameras in them so if something should happen you can report it to the cops and maybe they can catch the guy, the other thing is, your right near a place to use the bathroom and shop for supplies, if needed. You can always find a Wal-Mart in sticks, they go together like pees and carrots. One last thing, you just park in the back of their massive and spacious lots and no one will bother you or be the wiser.

Well I got lucky after venturing inside to buy an apple for dinner, all of the sudden I felt like an apple, I asked the guy at the check out if there was anyplace  I could go and get a cup of coffee, He suggested Wal-Mart. I was like Wal-Mart? But then this is the sticks and they have everything. He pointed me in its direction, right next to the super Target! Wow they got two superstores in this town! Off I went and found a nice spot in the back next to two other fellow travelers. One had a dog tied up to the front of their 1960’s VW conversion bus! Traveling in true hippy form. Well this seemed like the safest spot to turn in for the night, at least I believe.

One important thing I forgot to mention about the small town and the Wal-Mart, the Wal-Mart is the nerve center for things to do. So naturally its full of teenage revelers and drunken sorts. It hasn’t been the quietest night. Next to what I believe to be fighting, loud cars, and the dog I’m parked next to seems to be upset over all this commotion and wont stop barking, but its late and I’m tired Ill just deal with it in the morning. I don’t look forward to my sleeping in my car, although it will set the pace for the rest of the trip,  it will determine whether funds should be shuffled to cover hotels.