First Leg, Around the Lake.

It wasn't until 1:00 PM that I was finally on the road. I had a checklist of things to do before I could get on the road:

Pack Truck
Drop off Keys
Modem
Boards and Beer
Scott



It took a bit longer than I anticipated to pack the truck, but it worked out for the better I guess. My building manager came around so I got to say bye to him and give him my keys. Then he spent ten minutes trying to navigate the treacherous terrain of the Time Warner website to find out where I was supposed to drop off my cable modem. Good thing he did otherwise I would have blindly drove around looking for the place. Next stop was Dune's place to drop of some boards I had built for a Client. We shared a beer and reminisced. It was just what I needed to shake of the stress of the hectic morning. After we loaded up some home-brew into the truck I was on my way to see Scott. Scott has been my closest friend in Milwaukee since the day I transferred to MIAD, so saying by to him gave almost a sense of symmetry to my life in Milwaukee.

First stop, Aurora, IL. I was hoping to meet up with a friend of mine, but due to schedule conflicts, we were unfortunately unable to meet up. Now with the sun setting, I thought it would be best to find a campsite and get an early start in the morning. Long story short, the campsite the Garmin lead me to was by a highway. Disappointed I pressed on. I figured I could make it to my next stop, Grand Rapids.

After crossing the Michigan boarder I decided to stop for gas. I was at a half tank yet, but figured I could use the break from driving. When I went to fill up, I felt for my wallet and my heart sank. I tore apart the cab searching. With all the junk I had in my car it was quite the task and after a second thorough search I panicked. Well, I had a half tank of gas, and thought "Maybe I can get to where I was last, maybe my wallet fell out of my truck there." Flustered, I drove pass the on ramp. Angry, I pulled into the next lit parking lot. Terrified, I ripped apart my cab one last time. Fruitless, I went back to the truck bed. I may not have my walled, but I've got beer. Oh, and there happens to be my wallet. I don't know why, but I didn't care, and as I looked up from the bed, wallet in hand, I saw Jimmy's Bar. "Don't mind if I do."

I took a whiskey and tonic to calm the nerves after that mishap and started up conversation with a gentleman at the bar. He told the story of the company he worked for being bought up and sold time and time again. "The dark side of capitalism" he called it. With each sale jobs were cut and changes made. Over 30 years, the company had been reduced from 100 to 3, and fail rates of the product from 3% to 40%. I guess that's what happens when the guys running a company don't actually know what the company does. Who would have thought that the calibration units were crucial to the function of their infrared pyrometers. Nothing but rocks left in my glass, I got back on the road.

I was about an hour outside of Grand Rapids and my body needed sleep. I pulled into the a rest area, and settled in for the night. It was a bit chilly, but not intolerable, so I drifted off to sleep with the lullaby of the near highway singing to me.