The long and winding road...

To paraphrase Jake and Elwood, we got 3580 miles, over 200 gallons of gas, a bag of snacks, and we’re wearing bifocal glasses… Hit it!!

So with 3580 miles to travel, what could you do? Well, you could drive to LA, then up to San Francisco and back to LA; or go to Seattle and then drive on to Calgary in Alberta, or maybe drive down to Miami and return and then go there again..

Instead (as you know) we drove from here to Onalaska, then to St. Louis, then BACK to Wisconsin, and finally returned to

The final return to home was delayed half a day when we learned at the last moment that MFO had even more hoops to jump through, papers to sign, documents to generate. So the return trip amounted to a leg to Indianapolis, then a marathon 660 mile stint to the digs.

Along the way we saw the usual and the slightly unusual

And the things you apparently can’t escape:

Mostly, our trip was framed by the windows of the MOMSTER. I found that I especially liked seeing links to things the way they “used to be” before the Interstates slashed the old farms, and their fields gave way to the growing of the chains. They’re still there, but like me are getting up in age. And (maybe unlike me) they still have a certain charm..

When you’re passing over the landscape at thirty five thousand feet at four hundred and fifty miles per hour, you may get there sooner, but you don’t get the feeling of our country that way. I’ll admit the interstates do insulate you a little, but you can still look over the fences…

So thus ends this year’s holiday season where we bid adieu to MFO’s Mom, she was with us in spirit, and we got to spend time with all the FOJ’s and wives, saw some friends, had a good meal in St. Louis at Apt. 2, some good food (give or take a bad (?) oyster) at Waterfront in Wisconsin, learned when in Wisconsin you need to specify whiskey for your DMOTRWAT.

I hope all loyal readers had a similar good time, and now we can return to normal life, looking forward to 2012 and hope those Mayan’s didn’t know what they were talking about..

and lastly, for all you drivers out there that pinned us to trucks, cut us off, tailgated and then sped past us with a glare, we can only wish you will have this conversation in your new year..

New Year's Footnote:

And I don’t care what they say, “New Year’s Day” should be on the first, not the second. It just doesn’t feel right watching the rose parade and the plethora of football games without a splitting headache and delicate stomach. Today I have clear eyes, and feel pretty good. It just ain’t right.

And once again I will probably be forced to watch my home Big Ten conference demonstrate that Bowl Games are beyond their capability. Take ‘em out of the great white north, and they forget how to play. At least at this point Illinois eked out a win over UCLA while Northwestern and Iowa pretty much got it handed to them. More on the line today, including the Big Twelve refugee Nebraska.

and don't forget the new year still demands that you

DFD