POST 683: 08/07-08/12; ON THE ROAD - DEKALB, IL.

Have avoided most criticisms in this blog; one constant, however, must be mentioned:

I-90 (Interstate 90), is becoming a rutted undulating roadway in need of significant maintenance / replacement. Poor MPV has been beaten up.

In particular, approaches to bridges: many approaches have sunk / separated below bridge-level roadway surface, leaving severe "bumps" driving onto and off bridge surfaces.

Also, a couple feet or so on the berm-side of concrete expansion joints are being broken apart - seems to result from insufficient sub-base support and ever-heavier trucks, leaving gaping holes between concrete sections often filled with large chunks of mangled concrete pieces. In Wisconsin, I nearly hit a worker removing - by hand - pieces of crushed concrete...he was out in the traffic lane in heavy traffic...with NO warning signs set out to protect him, or even wearing a reflective vest.

Driving is becoming hazardous!!

Truckers are still following much too close to vehicles in front of them...witnessed a truck running onto the back of a car, turning it sideways and throwing it across two traffic lanes to smash into the center divider..

OK, enough of that.

Visited with sister Carol in DeKalb, Illinois for 24 hours before continuing on to OBX. Carol is doing OK considering the burden(s) she is carrying.

Took the opportunity to stop in at MIDAS, where the MPV received new rear brakes. The old brake pads had NO friction surface remaining and had been metal to metal. Installed all new parts. MPV now brakes properly. No excuse for not changing the brakes back in B'ham, except for lack of $$ until my SS arrived on 08/03. Total rear wheel brake job: $285.00.

Also, gas prices (regular 85 octane gas) prices in DeKalb are now $4.99 gallon. Sister Carol says price was about $3.50 only a couple days ago.

Drove from DeKalb on I-39 to I-70 East. Stopped for the night at the up-scale COMFORT INN motel in Danville, Illinois. Took a swim and hot-tub soak...what a pleasure !

In the morning, will continue on I-70 to above Washington, D.C. Will drive to and thru Washington D.C. where we will pick up I-95 South...then to US 64 in North Carolina, which we will take to Nags Head, Outer Banks...about 600 miles distant.

During the few minutes writing this short blog update, VERIZON has "dropped out" five times !!

Very annoying.