December 30, 2009
The ride from PA was fairly straight forward with some snow. It was 13 hours and I ended up in Southern Illinois. A town called Carbondale that is the home of the Southern Illinois Salukis and where Nicole did post graduate work. I really had a wonderful visit and it spurred a thought regarding my life. People make the places where we live wonderful. Places of beauty and majesty can help bring out sides of individuals, but I would take a less "destinationy" type place to be around good people. People who you can just be yourself around.

**Song of the Day** "Can't Make Time" by Greensky Bluegrass
So many good lyrics from that song!

December 31, 2009
So the decision to take the truck a portion of the way I feel was solid. The BMW Dealer in Memphis was great and I got the oil changed and dropped my truck off at the owners home. I am very grateful that they were so hospitable. One thing I learned today is that Texarkana...is a city that is on the border of Texas and Arkansas...hence the name. After Texarkana the weather was really crappy, my faceshield was hard to see through and it just got dark. Adding layers, my new rain gear and good music was quite helpful in keeping moral high. I was happy though to finally get a hotel room in Mt. Pleasant, TX and relax a bit.


I am working on planning a bit of my return trip and am hoping to stop by Miacatlin at an orphanage that we went to on a previous mountaineering trip. It seems there will be a nice alternative route to make a loop that will take me through Chorpus Christi and some other areas.

Tomorrow...about 6 hours to San Antonio and meeting up with the group.