Mile 5886

   IOWA

We drove through Iowa at night so these are some of the only shots I have. This is the world's largest truck stop- so says the sign below. Priceless.

    

                                           Interesting name for a gas station....

All these shots were taken in Wyoming. The temperature in Wyoming ranged from 2 degrees to 8 degrees. Wyoming was the first state to grant woman their voting rights. At one point Cowboys out numbered Woman 6-1. Instead of having gun fights to determine who got the choch they made a smart political move-who could blame them. Now that's thinking with your head.

Mile 3377

Me and my buddy Nate hit the road yesterday to Chicago which is about a 2 hour drive from where he has been living in Indiana. I will say that visually in my opinion Chicago takes New York City and bends it over it's knee and spanks it. This is the most badass city I've seen in the states. SF is visually amazing as well but Chicago just looks tuff- nothing but Iron,steel and brick all over. Every alley looks straight out of a noir film. I only wish I could have got a glimpse of it in the snow as well-probably will start snowing right when I leave Indiana. Here's a handful of pics I snapped last night...

This is Nate's grandma Elmarose. She's 92 and a fireball.

Mile 3,107

Well I arrived in Mishawaka Indiana where I'm hanging with Nate and the rest of his great family. His grandma is in her 90's and has been a collector her whole life so there's tons of cool knickknacks all over the place.  Here's a few examples...

Hanging with the dolls 2010.

                                          
                                           I miss regular telephones.

  

Got Jesus?

Speaking of Jesus....

Jesus. Alive and well in Illinois.

Here's some more photos of Kansas...

I have a bit of a train fetish and chase these things down when ever I can.

Missouri...

                                                        Abandoned school house

Well going to shack up in Indiana for the next few days and plan which route to take back. Either going to head from here to Vermont then hit the entire east coast then cut down through the south and finally home or go from Chicago through Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona and last but not least back to Cali. We shall see...

Mile 2,443

Well I'm exhausted. I just drove all night for almost 14 hours straight minus stopping to take photos, get gas and an oil change. 693 miles in all. Now I'm cozy in my bat mobile at probably, no for sure the nicest rest stop I've ever been to. I'm only able to post this right now because the rest stop has wi-fi. Also there's a heater vent right next to the shitter so when you sit down to duce drop your ass gets all nice and warm, there's also a heater overhead for the rest. Oh by the way- Dorothy this sure is Kansas! I was having dinner with some vintage woman at a "community table" in Santa Fe last night and one of them was telling me how awful the drive is to Indiana (where I'm visiting my buddy Nate).  Well I don't think I'm going to take anyone's advice on what's ugly and what's not anymore because Kansas is breathtakingly beautiful. Don't get me wrong during the night part of the drive it was dull as shit but I didn't see one Highway Patrol and was able to hit speeds of 80-100 mph most of the way. Which reminds me, it took me several paranoid swerve's before I adjusted to the tumble weeds which fly across the highway and look like a pack of wild animals or martians.

Oh, also my popularity level in Santa Fe is almost equal to Bob Hope's in LA.

 This picture was taken on an Indian reservation where there was a sign posted that read "no photographing, painting or recording this area by order of the Governor" I felt guilty for once but come on, I might not ever see my name on a road sign again. Especially with a cross street of Bald Eagle! "Yo man meet me at the corner of Kiva and Bald Eagle" "Oh word? I'll be there in a minute."

These next two are in New Mexico the rest were shot in Kansas...

Dodge City Beef Factory.

                                
                 

                                                     Signs can be a bit confusing out here...

Morning twilight, Kansas.