What day is today, anyway?

Out here on the road, the days just all kind of blend together and before you know it, you're asking each other things like: "Is today Sunday or Monday?" or "Was that just yesterday that we spent the night in Erie, PA?". Mainly this is because you're always at work (more or less). We pick up and deliver on Saturday and Sunday just the same as during the week. This morning I seriously couldn't remember what day of the week it was and it didn't help any to wake up to this:

Early morning fog

This is a rest stop in Poynette, WI, where we spent the night. I wish you could see it because it is a stellar example of our Wisconsin tax dollars hard at work. It's a brand spanking new structure that looks just like Frank Lloyd Wright's place. Since he had a working home/studio not far from there in Spring Green, WI, I'm guessing that was the inspiration. We decided to spend the night there, rather than pushing on to S. Beloit, IL, after crossing the Mississippi River at La Crosse, WI, yesterday afternoon.

The Mighty Mississip

This morning we headed out, and as we approached downtown Chicago, we began to see the skyline, which always amazes me:

The windy city

Chicago is a cool place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Mr. Trucker is always most pleased when our timing puts us in downtown Chicago at either lunch time or supper time, because that means he gets to stop at Maxwell St., home of Jim's Original.

Jim's Original

Mr. Trucker is a purist who has spent a great deal of time trying to track down the best original Chicago style hot dog. That is, he WAS, until he discovered Jim's. Now he just likes the "beef polish with everything, please". This is a big ol' polish sausage on a bun, SMOTHERED in grilled onions and served with 3 or 4 hot peppers to the side. All their sandwiches include french fries as well, and the prices can't be beat.

I tried the hamburger

this time. Next time,

I'm considering 

trying the Pork Chop 

(w/Bone) on a bun

Jim's menu

Jim's is a Chicago icon and is packed out day or night. We've seen police cars, buses, ambulances, you name it...double parked on the street so the occupants can run over to Jim's and order takeout. There's only room on the street for ONE truck, so if another rig beat us to it, we have to give it a pass till next time. Here's how close to downtown it is:

It was good to get through the hectic Chicago traffic and into Indiana and Ohio, where the driving is a little less stressful. I'm really loving this life! We both think trucking as an occupation is one of the best-kept secrets there is. I think so many people look down on trucking and truck drivers, that they gloss right over considering it as a viable job. Mr. Trucker says he loves to drive and he can't think of any other job where he gets to bring me with him every day. I love not having to do any actual work for a living, and I love being with him. We have so much fun driving down the road together. We make jokes about everything we see, and tell stories and spend a lot of time dreaming...about what we'll do in our next phase of life, or what we'll do with all the money we plan to save by not living in a typical "home". We've committed to riding together for 12 months (that's all the longer I felt I could commit to when I agreed to give it a try) and we hope to sock away a pretty penny by then, by living frugally in our truck. It will probably take TWO years to save enough to build the kind of place we want and pay cash, but I can only think 12 months into the future at this time. I want to leave myself an out in case things go badly South. So far, however, it's going really well! And guess what? I get a shower tonight!!! 

Today's silly-sounding place name: Baraboo, WI