Minneapolis is in Our Sights

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I awoke at 6:30 to find Sally already up and active. Seems she'd been awake since about 3:30, itching from chigger bites (as are we both) and worrying over early morning fears. It is no small thing, to be venturing out into the world at this surreal point in history. I put the kettle on for coffee, but Sally was ready to start making the bed and sweeping floors and such, bustling about like a cleaning lady on a tight schedule.

Our plan is to get to the North as quickly as we can. We're both so tired of this summer Tarheel heat and humidity that we could scream, and when I read that overnight temps in Missoula this week would be in the upper 40s and lower 50s, we both got a dreamy look in our eyes. If we end up sleeping in Empedocles the Odyssey, cool, dry air will make for much better snoozing.

So we'll head west to Winston-Salem and take the old I-77 N route I took so many times before when heading up to Michigan to visit family. But we'll veer westward at some point so as to slip past Chicago. The only question is whether to take I-90 or I-94 westward. I guess that depends on whether we decide to visit Wyoming first, or Montana. Pick yer mountains.

Lots of time to decide. We've got books and podcasts and music and conversation to keep us busy. We can trade off driving while the other one rests. Sally's got more searching to do on the real estate websites. And I'm looking forward to hours of thought-free zen driving, where there's little going on inside my noggin but an ear worm or two playing over and over.

One difference that arises between us comes up at the mention of coffee. In general terms, Sally gets all excited at such notions as camping™ and roughing it™ and sleeping under the stars.™ Me, I prefer sleeping where no wolves, bears, or pumas can find me and bite me, and will rough it when the need arises, but see little need to do so until then. In the matter of coffee, Sally decided to order a "twig stove" so we can make our own brew along the way. I was like, um, you know there are coffee shops all over the place, right? We still have a partially-functioning economy. But Sally wanted her twig stove, a bit of nostalgic camp equipment she used in her youth, and darned if she didn't get one. So no doubt we'll be making our own stick-brewed concoctions whilst on the road. I'm sure we'll also manage to grab a cup of Starbucks or DD here and there as well. Because we both get to have our needs met.

We'll likely push on til we get near Minneapolis, and who knows past there? For now, coffee, cleaning, packing, and leaving. The road awaits.

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