"Central America" - Mid-West and Great Lakes States
	Day 11:  Tuesday, October 15, 2002

The day began quite easily, which is always a disturbing way to start.  I'm so accustomed to a groggy beginning that I'm unsure what to make of anything other than that.  At any rate, we threw our room key-card through the slot at the roach motel (Motel 6, Sharonville, Ohio) and were on our way a bit after 6am.  It wasn't long, though, that we were crossing into Kentucky.  (It helped that we were only perhaps 25 miles from the state line, eh?)

On our way to Lexington, where we took no photos, we did encounter and stop for pictures at Georgetown College.  By virtue of a few wrong turns on our way out of town, we ended up touring the campus a bit before heading out of town.  Lots of buildings, all brick... very nice, but wouldn't last long in California with the quakes and all.

A bit after 8am, we reached Frankfort, the state capital of Kentucky.  If you're also thinking what I'm sure many others have thought, then you'd like to know why the state capital is in a town that's not exactly a hot bed of metropolitan activities.  The answers lie on the front and back of this sign, but as you'd guess, it comes down to money and clout.  And to address such corruption in modern times, please direct your attention to the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

There is apparently a Springfield, Kentucky, but it wasn't immediately visible.  However, we do see Simpsonville and Shelbyville very close to one another, both located in Shelby County.  No route 401 or anything close to it, though... we were on interstate 64 at that moment.

Around 10:30am, we reached Bowling Green, Kentucky.  If nothing else, it's the home of the GM plant that makes Corvettes.  So, we had to go see the production plant... even if we were too lazy to walk through on the guided tour.  We did hit the museum, though, about a mile away.  However, with an $8 admission, that wasn't going to happen, so we got a couple of shot glasses and a spoon (someone else's collection), walked outside, Tubby broke one of the glasses, returned to the store for a replacement ($3.18, if you're wondering), and were on our way.  As we left the second time, an older man asked Tubby how much admission was; he told the man.  The man then asked if the tour was worth it, and Tubby confessed it wasn't to him -- he didn't pay to tour the place.  The man then confided that he's not sure he's willing to pay $8, either.  Apparently, Tubby enjoyed the knowledge that he's not the only cheap turd on the planet.

Kentucky has very nice rest stops, by the way.  This one is the favorite, which also housed a staffed information and welcome center.  If you like city skylines, and like playing games, then name this one.  It's either Lexington or Louisville.  I don't remember which, to be honest.

Around 10am, we stumbled across the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, and figured we'd go and give it a look-see.  Much like you'd expect, not much was left of the place - not even a couple of logs.  In 1837, an official survey described it as a cabin amidst the trees shown there (with more details listed, of course).  But all that's there now is the trees.  In the early 1910s, a historic foundation built this monument to Lincoln's birthplace, complete with 56 steps leading to the building, one step for each of his years of life.  Not tons to see, but well worth the 25 mile (total) side trip from the interstate (exit 91 from I-65).

About noon, the boy and I had a break-through, both conversationally, and relative to the pursuit of this trip.  His opinion, briefly stated, was to trim a few days off of the trip.  I was of the opinion that plans are made to march forward, but could see that while I'm not afraid to drive, I can't sit at the wheel for 12 hours a day.  We compromised at a reduction of two days, accomplished by (a) correcting a day-long typo on the plans -- it seems we were leaving northern Indiana and arriving in the Cincinnati area on both Monday and Tuesday -- and (b), instead of pushing forward to visit Bentonville... the home of Wal-Mart... we'd cut directly up to St. Louis.  This saved us a day, but also sacrificed and Branson and Springfield, Missouri. 

Of course, the giving didn't stop there.  The boy was trying to cut another day or two, but while getting our oil changed in Paducah, I suggested he get the roller blades he's been thinking of purchasing (not those specific ones, just some in general).  Given he's seemingly on a path of self-destruction anyway, why not get some exercise, too, and perhaps test out the medical coverage by breaking a bone or two?  That seemed to do it, although within an hour, there was a new scheme he'd hatched as far as enhancing mobility options (never mind; you don't want to know).

Just outside of Paducah, now bound for St. Louis, we passed about two miles of really neat landscape along the roadway; figured I'd note it, just for fun.  We also passed by something that makes you wonder how big the putter would need to be for this to all work out.

Just before 5pm, we reached Collinsville, Illinois (from Paducah, Kentucky, we were traveling along I-57 in Illinois until we veered onto I-64, if you're trying to keep the highways straight).  Collinsville, of course, is home to the world's largest catsup bottle (need to see that even bigger?). Of course, we thought maybe it was just a prelude to a museum or something, but looking at the sign, nope, that's it.  We moved on.  But you can always check out their site at http://www.catsupbottle.com/ if you'd like to learn more.

About a quarter after 5pm, we reached the state of Missouri, and by extension, St. Louis.  No city sign or state sign, by virtue of the lines for both being over a river (again... rivers seem to be a popular boundary in these eastern states).  But we did get a good first glimpse of the city and the Arch.  But that could have been a bit better, so we moved for a closer view.  We were, though, parked in the Old Cathedral's parking lot, which noted, "No Arch Parking."  Feeling a bit guilty, we figured we'd take a picture of the cathedral, thus, making that our primary purpose, and the arch a convenient afterthought.  No one's any the wiser. 

We did have to pass through a portion of the downtown, and if nothing else, one of the glass-faced buildings offered a neat reflection of its surroundings.  So, we were on our way to the motel at this point.  As we puttered along I-70, we encountered the Trans World Dome... but not sure what they do there.  Thus, I've taken to calling it the Not-Busch-Stadium stadium.

If you're keeping track, dinner was Pizza Hut.  Something about a craving for premium grade pizza and the quest for free refills on Pepsi, I was told.  Anyway, that said, it's time to retire for the evening.  Ta!