The First Day; Baldwin to Vincennes

When I left home at 8:00 AM the temperature was -7°.  We had around 8 inches of snow on the ground.  My immediate goal fort this first day of driving was to get out of the cold and snow.    On the way out of town I stopped at the farm of my friend, Ron, and we chatted for a little bit.  He and my grandson keep an eye on my home while I'm gone.  (Sometimes my grandson stays there.)  After about 20 minutes of chatting with Ron, I climbed back into the truck and was soon on the Interstate.

Rolling Out of Town

In Ron's Farmyard

The Silverado is not that fuel efficient, especially when loaded with all my bikes, gear, tools, water, propane, etc.  I'm lucky to get 14 miles/gallon if I hold the speed on the highway at a steady 65 miles/hour.  (This compares to the Sienna minivan which gets around 22 miles/gallon.) So, as much as I can, I keep to that speed, setting cruise control and letting this be my discipline.  Other passenger vehicles and 18 wheeler trucks can pass me by and steadily do so.  As long as I don't form any traffic backup, I stick to the right lane and tootle along. My eye is on patience and consistency.  I've an audio book on CD by Ron Chernow, a biography of Ulysses S. Grant.  The total time for reading this book aloud is just over 48 hours. I expect that I will be able to listen periodically to this over the next week or two. Also, I've the capacity to listen to podcasts and radio shows.  These audio distractions help the hours pass.

First Three Days of Travel

I took I-94 down past Madison Wisconsin.  Then I followed I-39 further south thru Rockford, Illinois and further down thru Bloomington. A few more transitions via I-74 and and I-57 followed.  

The weather was fine for driving. The sky was overcast but with no precipitation nor winds.  A fine "Blah" day for a long drive and the miles turned over hour after hour. By the time I was in north central Illinois, the snow was nearly gone. The temps were in the low 30s and I was looking forward to warmer weather.  At around 480 miles, the sun set and I drove on into the darkness.  At some point my Garmin was sending me down dark rolling two-lane state and country highways before finally crossing the into Indiana.  

The specific ultimate destination for this first day of driving was Vincennes, in southwest Indiana.  Total mileage turned out to be around 610 miles.  Around 8:45 PM I rolled into town and I found the local Walmart.  After visiting the store, using the washrooms and making a few purchases, I parked the truck at a quiet but well-lit corner of the store parking lot, locked up the truck, and walked around to the back and climbed into the camper.  A long day of driving but I was pleased to have covered a good distance.