Toledo to South Bend

I don't hate Indiana. Yesterday I was in desperate need of a shower so I drove three hours to a campground in Elkhart, near South Bend. I made progress on my journey to Colorado while vastly improving my living conditions.

About 15 miles into Indiana the tire blew on my camper, again. This time it was full of air so perhaps it was just old or the tire Gods were angry. After 20 minutes on hold with AAA, about 20 seconds after the kindly agent told me I was on my own since my plan did not cover "commercial" or "RV" (frankly neither apply here), a cop pulled up behind me. Picture the quintessential Mid-Western rookie policeman and that's who approached eagerly offering to change my tire, if only I had a jack. I had a spare this time, but still no jack. So, he did what I supposed friendly Mid-Westerners do; he called another policeman who did indeed have a jack and lug wrench in his trunk.

So, in 90+ degree heat, on the burning asphalt on the side of the highway, in full uniform, this young man changed my tire, while making polite conversation, sweat dripping generously from his brow. I like Indiana. The other two officers, in their middle-aged complacent heft, rattled on about who knows what, occasionally offering a hand without any expectation of doing so.

The process was slow enough that I watched carefully and realized with alarm that I am idiot for not being able to do this myself. So today, while in Walmart purchasing a new tire, I also bought a jack and a lug wrench. I am no longer at the mercy of AAA or Mid-Western cops.

Indiana is very sunny. So much so, it reminds me of Florida. Probably the lack of trees and the reflection off the yellow, dying grass makes it seem brighter, but I'm very fond of it. I'm also very, very fond of the shower situation at the campground. It's an immaculate bathroom, but also a much more utilitarian shower than I've experienced at a campground. It's clear men design the bathrooms in these places, perhaps the same men who designed the toilet paper dispenser that diligently dispenses only one sheet at a time, but this designer was either female or had feminine inclinations.

Finally clean, I am enjoying my last sunny day in Indiana while reading a book in the open field of dead grass next to my camper. I love it here.