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ROAD TRIP NARRATIVE
2 Days:
Thursday-Friday (11/17-18/2016)

Main destination:
Okemos MI

Main reason:
for a dentist friend to take care of my cavity

This was a “weird” road trip for me, in terms of length, not taking many pics & not seeing others (or places of interest) to & from my destination. While I wish my 1st road trip in my 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis (which I bought 10/20/2016) hadn’t been through Chicago (would’ve preferred central-southern IL or IA), it was just fine … it felt good to be back “home” (on the road). Along the way, radio stations played my favorites, mixed with a few CDs I brought to play in the 03 MGM’s CD player. I definitely like the on-the-road me better than the not-on-the-road me. In an interesting twist, I bought a 1987 MC LS July 2003 &, a month later (August 2003), took it on a full road trip east, starting nearly the same path I took this trip, though in 2003 I went as far east as VA & came back to IL via TN.

For THIS trip, I didn’t sleep much Wednesday night into Thursday morning; naturally, I woke up with a headache, causing me to run late. I finally left Elgin IL ~10:15a US central. Somehow, I managed to skirt through Chicago (via I-390, I-290, I-294, I-80/94, I-94) in less than 2 hours. Nope, I did not speed; heck, seemed vehicles were flying by me like I was parked at the side of the road! In that time, I was nearly sideswiped by 9 different vehicles. Not good. But, what was cool: seeing many signs about the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs! I arrived at OC,SHer GIANH’s dental office in Okemos MI (via I-94, I-69 & I-96, NO stops) ~3:45p US eastern, 15 minutes EARLY! After about an hour of “dental torture” (not really, but I’ve known her since we were ~7 years old, so I must kid her), I followed her to where her 2 sons were playing tennis; it was very cool to finally get to see them play in person. Afterward, we (Gianh, her husband, their 2 sons & daughter, along with a friend of 1 of their sons) went to Olive Garden for a late (~8p) dinner. After the kids were in bed, she & I chatted until about 1a US eastern; cool, eh?

Friday morning, I left Okemos MI ~8:40a US eastern. [FYI: 5 years ago that date & day (Friday, 11/18/2011), I was released from the hospital after my 4th open heart surgery, while a year earlier (11/18/2010), I had announced plans for my 2011 “Coast-to-Coast” road trip!] Taking I-69 back to I-94, I stopped at a rest area just north of that interchange & contemplated my route back. I really didn’t want to drive back through Chicago, so I decided to take the LONG way, starting with I-69 all the way to the Indianapolis IN area, where I took I-465 over to I-74. Just west of Indy, I stopped at a rest stop ~12:25p US central to “dust off” my car because I could tell I would run into rain. I kept going west & stopped in St Joseph IL to get gas & a snack. Just after I entered the restaurant (~2:25p US central, after getting gas), it absolutely poured … or, rather, deluged, with, I think, some imbedded hail! After eating & the rain subsiding a bit, I continued my trek, taking I-74 to I-57, then US Route 24 to IL RT 47, where just north of US 24, I took these 2 photos of the rainbow & intriguing cloud formation ~4:10p US central:


The only other pic of note I took was that of a Cadillac with horns on the hood being trailered along I-69 S in Indiana, but that photo is so blurry, you can’t even tell it is a Cadillac!

ROAD TRIP STATS
Miles driven:
~830

Hours driven:
~15.5 total

Gas stops:
Friday morning, Okemos MI
Friday afternoon, St Joseph IL
[with fill-ups before (Wednesday afternoon, 11/16/2016) & after (Monday morning, 11/21/2016) the road trip]

Gas mileages:
28.16 (Elgin IL to Okemos MI)
26.01 (Okemos MI to St Joseph IL)
25.18 (St Joseph IL to Elgin IL)
I love that 1st reading, but a little concerned about the last 2. For now, I’m chalking the decline to type of driving. That 1st stretch was 95% highway. The 2nd point included in-town driving in Okemos & St Joseph. The 3rd benchmark included slower highway driving (US 24 & IL RT 47) & in town driving. HOWEVER, along I-69 in the Fort Wayne IN area, I heard a weird noise. It sounded like something either hit the car or fell off. It is running just fine, so I’m not too worried. I need to swap the 03 MGM to drive my 1979 Caprice Classic at some point this week, so I plan to ask my mechanic to look at-under the 03 MGM then.