After a great visit with our (grand)kids and (grand)kittens in Wisconsin we decided to spend some time at the Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, IL. We figured, if it could be done easily, let’s do it.

Wendy called ahead and got permission for us to spend the night in the bus parking lot next to the library. It cost all of $5 to put Zane in there. Next morning we walked across the street and learned about Lincoln, the Great Debates and the Civil War.

Not all presidents are created equal!

It just so happens that I’m also reading the recently published book by Dr. Ben Carson (presidential candidate). I find that books by candidates are a great way to understand what makes these men tick, rather than the soundbites we get from the media.

So this day was President’s Day for me (Lincoln and Carson). A pleasant day. What a great life!

Abraham Lincoln

We left Springfield in the afternoon and rolled on Southwest through St. Louis toward our next hard stop — Miami, OK where we have an appointment at the Newell Factory for Monday, Oct 12th.

This night we stayed at a truck stop where we gassed up. Truck stops are free and can be very busy places with trucks rolling in and out all night long. But we sleep well. Just close the windows, turn on the generator and run the A/C and it sleeps like a tomb (or a really comfy hotel, since we have never actually slept in a tomb).

As Wendy was looking at videos for purchase at the truck stop market (because there’s nothing else to do when you’re at a truck stop), a sweet older African American man, a long distance trucker, said very softly, “I like your house.”  She smiled at him in thanks and he continued, “Your RV is what we wanted to get some day, me and my wife. She would spend hours on the internet looking at all kinds of rigs, dreaming and planning.  I’m close to retirement and we wanted to spend our time traveling the highways together.  But she died last year, and now, I’m on the road with my daughter. I’m still going to get that RV, because it was our dream.”

Wendy came back to the RV and hugged me. With tear-filed eyes, we gratefully acknowledged our blessings: that we are young enough to enjoy this experience together and have enough energy and health to do so for many years to come.

Clay

Old Route 66- the heart of Miami, Oklahoma