We had the last day of our eastern direction with the arrival at J&V this afternoon (Thursday).  We were only 3 hours away but we wanted to take some back roads so we did not push through yesterday.  4500 km so far with average of 25 mpg

Janine did not understand why we did not just drive on and arrive last night.  The whole point of us driving was for the road experience.  If we just wanted to get here we would have flown and it would have been cheaper. 

What Pat and I wanted was the experience of driving through US on a road trip and see small towns and countryside.  You cannot see those from the interstates.  Granted with the heat we did blitz through much of Nebraska and Kansas but having grown up on the prairies the novelty of flat land is nothing new. 

Southern Indiana, Illinois and Northern Kentucky has gorgeous countryside.  Ancient farms and thriving small towns.  We forget how much of America is defined by the mid American small town.  Virtually every town we went through had a sign of pride posted, either pride in the local championship high school team, someone famous born there (Red Skelton, Gus Grissom, William Jennings Bryant, Harry Truman just to mention a few) and local heros like the town that celebrated that the 2009 US female shot put champion was born there. 

And of course you cannot drive 5 miles without finding a plaque to some historical site even if it is mundane (I suspect every bathroom break by Lewis and Clark has been identified and featured in a plaque) 

It was a lovely drive and aside from Pat continuously telling me to watch out for this or that when I was driving, we had a great time together.  Of course I ate too much and no chance for exercise so I feel bloated. 

We have a week here at J&V and then on to Toronto for some evenings with different friends.