Indiana and Illinois

Erik is like a horse that can see the barn after being on a long ride; he just wants to gallop all the way home, he says. We have been mostly on the interstate trying to make some time. We decided we don't want to go to any big cities on purpose, after having been stuck in one yesterday and 2 today. Traffic was congested, scary, hot and rude. Funny part was that was when we were trying to escape the freeway to smaller roads. The interstate is interesting: tolls are collected different everywhere but the silliest one had to be where you had to drive by and drop in $.90 to a basket. We had to pullover, find change in the trunk of the bike, remount, throw it in as we drive by and pullover again to put on our gloves. How dangerous is all that with crazy traffic? I am beginning to understand why bikers don't bother to wear any gear and infrequently a helmet. Too much aggravation and never mind the heat stroke at 33 degrees. Hard to believe on Aug. 30. It really does freak me out a bit though to see bikers riding 80 miles an hour, zipping by trucks pulling 3 trailers, bare arms, legs and head. I ran over a guy's ballcap when in blew off yesterday. Then he pulled over to try and get it. Oops. One guy from a state where there is a helmet law, showed us his. He bent it in two because it was just made out of rubber. There is no DOT standard. One of the states insists the passenger wear a helmet but not the driver. Canada believes a little less in individual rights and a little more in collective safety I guess. I am OK with that. They also sell liquor in the corner stores here, and at the gas stations, but the best one was the drive through liquor store. Not many pictures as we were moving too fast or in crazy traffic. We are staying at a holiday inn in Ottawa, Illinois and had our "points" room upgraded to a suite by this wonderful clerk who felt sorry for us when we came in exhausted, stinky and sweaty. We have only wonderful things to say about all the people we have met in the hospitality industry in the last few days. Erik took a picture of some of the luggage that we drag in and out of the bikes every day. Most of it is his of course.....