Greetings from Elkhart, Indiana

First to old business: My client told me there's a Seinfeld episode about Jerry and the gang renting a car and having no cars. I'll have to keep my eye out for that one. My client told me that at one point Jerry says to the rental clerk "You don't understand the meaning of the word RESERVATION." When this happened to my client, no car, he was told some BS about how a reservation is not a guarantee, but merely a request. That would have pushed me over the edge.

So today was a nice day of driving from Western PA, through Ohio, and halfway across Indiana. Listening to three audio books. I alternate. Finished one Mary recycled to me which is about 20 interviews from NPR with comedians. Very interesting characters. I think my favorites were Joan Rivers and Dennis Leary. My least favorite was Mort Sahl who I thought was old and bitter and no one was as good as he was and he said negative things about current comics by name which I just didn't like. I have a half disc left on this "beach book" -- sort of the audio book version of a Lifetime for Women movie. Then I actually bought this audiobook of a current bestseller called Seating Arrangements that I've listened to four out of ten discs of.

Checked into the hotel about 5:30 and all is well workwise; no email tragedies to solve... On to the photos...

heading west in ohio to indiana

It was getting sunnier the further west aI got. Yesterday there was a low of 60 degrees (outside air temp on dashboard) and today there was a high of 86.

This is the shiny interior of the rest plaza on the Ohio Turnpike.

This is a machine where you put in a penny and two quarters and turn a crank and you flatten the penny. I remember 50 years ago wanting so badly to do this, and my parents wouldn't let me, and kids are drawn to this machine like moths to a flame. Funny how these things survive. Am not sure why children are so fascinated by this, but I know I was.



This is my car and the view coming out of the rest plaza. When I got close to this woman, she asked me if I knew how to get to Detroit -- how her GPS is telling her one thing, but the map another. I said to her that I'm sure there will be good signage. Then I had to worry for a bit when I passed the two highways she mentioned which one was the best to get to Detroit.



Leaving Ohio, entering Indiana. Luckily I haven't had to deal with Easy Pass Only. I noticed this rental car has an Easy Pass-type device behind the rear view mirror so maybe you get it charged, or filled, somewhere.

My bed for tonight at the Microtel.

The view from my room. Newly surfaced parking lot. I can see my car. When I first pulled in and opened the door, this burning oily smell hit me and I thought I had a car problem until I realized it was the new parking lot.

This room has big-screen TV, but very few channels, refridge and microwave (both empty).



High Tech circa 1995. This is a device, on the desk, for a dial-up connection. I don't know if it's even worth keeping in a hotel room. I was thinking there was a time where I would have been thrilled to see this in a hotel room.