The First Thousand...

We are on our way home.
We woke up yesterday to a beautiful day, but it was bittersweet for both of us as we drove the truck for the last time. I was very emotional; after all, this truck has been our home for several months and I've felt very cozy in it. We've had alot of fun and laughs and, well, I'm never good at goodbyes anyhow.
We met our owners in Oneonta, and they happily took over the truck. Turns out they are going to run it for awhile; I'm not surprised because Jerry is always saying how he's too bored with retirement lol! He was chomping at the bit to get behind that wheel yesterday!
We are in Ohio, getting ready to get back in the car after a good night's sleep. We only drove 500 miles yesterday due to the late start, and we have every intention of making up for it today! A nice rest makes all the difference.
Being in Ohio reminded me of the last time we were there. We were laid over there for a weekend and found a place in a little town to do laundry. We struck up a nice conversation with the proprietor of the laundromat, a very nice man by the name of Al Toomer. We spent at least a couple hours talking to him-- Jeff more so than I-- and Jeff was thrilled to hear that Mr. Toomer's nephew is Amani Toomer, a runningback for the New York Giants. Jeff, being a huge football fan, was very impressed with that. Mr. Toomer gave us his busines card, and told us to call him next time we were in Ohio. He wanted to have us over to his home and barbeque with the family. He also gave us his brother's business card!-- who owns some businesses in Las Vegas. Evidently we have orders to contact him if we are ever in town as well, so he can give us a grand tour.
It's always great to meet nice people out on the road. And if we hadn't gotten to Ohio so late last night, we probably would have given Al a call.
But we are anxious to get home as well. I must say, it's harder to drive a car across the country, compared to a truck. There's no sleeper to stretch out in!
Getting in a car for the first time after being in a truck for any length of time can be quite a shock at first-- more so in this rental car we're driving; it's a Ford Focus, very tiny and very low to the ground. It took us both some time to adjust to the change. Driving next to trucks is especially frightening!-- we could fit this little car right under the trailer. The tires are taller than this car!
I experienced another "first" yesterday. We had stopped at a gas station in Pennsylvania, and there by one of the fuel islands was a young Amish couple. He was a handsome man, in a straw hat and suspenders, filling up a gas container; she was standing on the fuel island, waiting for us to pass so she could cross to the store. Like the young girl in Lousiana (from an earlier post) I was awestruck by how simple and beautiful she was. She had on a fancy black dress and bonnet, pale skin with strawberry blond hair and freckles. Just a wisp of a girl really-- the dress almost swallowed her tiny little frame! She smiled shyly at us as she passed in front of our car, and I wanted to chase after her to ask if I could take her picture. But I wasn't sure if that would be well-received... so I admired her and her husband from a distance.
Of course this opened a new topic of conversation for me and Jeff. Not only did I admire the young Amish couple, but I deeply admire and respect their way of life as well. They are oblivious to the American lifestyle; away from crime, politics and the hustle and bustle-- and the overall stress-- of daily life away from their farmland. Pennsylvania is a beautiful state-- I know I've said it before but I don't mind repeating it.
Illinios is not so beautiful... and that's where we find ourselves at this writing. Not much scenery, but the sun is going down and at least we are being treated to a spectacular sunset. Two thousand miles to go...