March 12, 2017

Somewhere in Iowa.

We thought we could make the big leap home from Denver in one day, but the weather got a little pesky. It wouldn't have been so bad if other drivers all slowed down, but an awful lot of people seem to go on the theory that if I'm not using my brakes right now, the capacity to brake is irrelevant. We found an exit with 3 motels and picked the nicest looking of the lot, a Days Inn. In my opinion, it's great. Quiet. Clean. And the wifi works.

32 comments:

David said...

Good move.

Pianoman said...

Sometimes the journey is more interesting.

Besides, now you have a story to tell. "Iowa? Lemme tell you about Iowa ..."

I used to work for a company that had a design center in Cedar Rapids. Nothing much to do at night when the local single-A baseball team was out of town (the "Kernels"), so I typically worked 12-14 hour days.

There was an amazing Mongolian BBQ place in town. But that was about it.

Iowans were also really really really into Ethanol, because Subsidies.

David Begley said...

And be advised that Iowa gets a fair percentage of its power from tax subsidized wind mills. Warren Buffett's MidAmerican Energy to roll taxpayers for about $900m in tax credits and that is in addition to the millions it has already received.

rcocean said...

Your comment on the bad weather driving is surprising. I thought people on the Great Plains/Midwest knew how to drive in bad weather.

They certainly don't on the West Coast.

rcocean said...

I know a Chinese-American who grew up in Iowa. The father owned a Chinese restaurant there. She grew up in Iowa, and later moved to LA and married a Chinese immigrant who made a fortune on software. After retirement, they went back to Iowa and transferred the father's body to a new Chinese Cemetery in LA.

I asked her what she thought of the Iowa. "They never change" she said. "The same old narrow minded lunkheads".

Big Mike said...

You were wise to knock it off for the day when the weather and your fellow drivers seem mismatched. Be safe!

David Begley said...

Obama had lunch with Warren Buffett and his daughter today in Omaha. If Althouse and Meade would have stopped here they could have joined them.

Obama shaking the Buffets down for the money to run his shadow government.

Meade said...

When the truckers run their flashers and get their rigs off the road, I run my flashers and get our carapace off the road.

I want to keep her, not kill her.

Fernandinande said...

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the worldwide web[sic], has called for tighter regulation of online political advertising, which he says is being used in “unethical ways”.
...
"This can become unethical when voters are pointed to fake news sites and using messaging to discourage people from turning out to vote, as the Trump campaign did with certain groups whose support Hillary Clinton needed to win."

The ominous 2nd link points to a hilarious Bloomberg article which describes some Trump ads quoting Billary and displaying Bill's victims. Gasp. Must censor....

rcocean said...

"I want to keep her, not kill her."

Didn't know killing her was an option. In any case, I'm sure of your ability to carry on the Althouse blog no matter what "accident" befalls her.

Carry on.

Michael K said...

Be safe driving. A few years ago a neighbor was heading for Arkansas where their summer home was. It was just about this time and, sure enough, a front came through with snow.

Big Mike said...

@Meade, are you guys still driving the TT?

David Begley said...

"Former President Barack Obama popped into Omaha to dine on taco salad with Warren and Susie Buffett at Happy Hollow Club on Sunday. Yes, Warren Buffett picked up the tab.

The lunch lasted about two and a half hours and was Obama’s only stop while in Omaha. Unlike previous visits, Sunday’s was a low-key affair. Seated with Obama in a private room at the country club, the Buffetts had Thunderbird salads. Warren Buffett is a member of Happy Hollow.

Susie Buffett declined to comment on the purpose of the get-together, other to say it was not a fundraiser. “I’m not going to talk about the meeting...,” she said. “The three of us ate lunch.”

Happy is famous for the Thunderbird salads.

W.B. Picklesworth said...

I live in Iowa (west central) and it wasn't a great evening for travel. I made it one town over for choir practice, but wouldn't have done it with my kids in the car. Not sure that makes sense, but thinking often doesn't.

Comanche Voter said...

Ah nothing so romantic as an evening in a motel in Iowa! Well actually good on you for being intelligent enough to get off the road when the driving got dicey.

kentuckyliz said...

I like Iowa.

Speaking of Wisconsin: now that you're retired, you don't have to stay there any more. Are you going to stay? Go? Thinking?

Sebastian said...

"Obama shaking the Buffets down for the money to run his shadow government." Yup. All is proceeding as I . . . etc. etc.

Sprezzatura said...

"@Meade, are you guys still driving the TT?"

This trip seems more CRV-y.

Etienne said...

When I used to go to Dayton on business, my boss always tried to put me up in this expensive hotel. They even had a piano in the lobby, with some gomer in a tux playing some unknown song.

I checked out the next morning and went across town to a Red Roof Inn.

Ah, felt like home...

I don't think I've ever been to Iowa. Nor do I want to :-)

iowan2 said...

Waking up in Iowa. Welcome.
Not sure how far you made it. If west of Des Moines, travel a bit first and have breakfast at the Machine Shed.

rhhardin said...

Across the midwest there were ham contests for OK, ID and WI.

I got 9 OK, 2 ID and 8 WI, but two of the WI guys were mobile infiltrators from adjacent states.

No travel necessary for normal people. Just flip on the radio by the mouse every now and then and see what's there.

Bad Lieutenant said...

David Begley said...
Happy is famous for the Thunderbird salads.
3/12/17, 10:09 PM

Trump Grill's is better.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Meade said...

I want to keep her, not kill her.
3/12/17, 9:43 PM


Yes, otherwise, at least have the good sense to fuck her to death rather than crack up a perfectly good automobile.

Rcocean said...

Carry on

No no no m'lad, that is shiloh's copyrighted blather. Of all people to rip off! --scratch that, irony at work. Carry on!

MadisonMan said...

I have to drive down to Chicago tonight. I'm not looking forward to it.

Hagar said...

Home of Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company, employers of my all-time favorite construction crew.
(We-uns are not steelworkers; we-un are boilermakers!)

Marc in Eugene said...

There is "something for every pallet" at the Happy Hollow's Starlight Grille. The Thunderbird salad seems interesting enough but I'm not going to dine somewhere that publicly misspells on its front page.

Jersey Fled said...

I love car trips. But my wife hates them.

She loves plane trips. But I hate them.

We don't go on many trips.

tcrosse said...

I was in Decorah, IA for a wedding. At the local drug store there was a Fathers Day Sale on Eye Makeup.

Curious George said...

"Pianoman said...
Sometimes the journey is more interesting.

Besides, now you have a story to tell. "Iowa? Lemme tell you about Iowa ..."

I used to work for a company that had a design center in Cedar Rapids. Nothing much to do at night when the local single-A baseball team was out of town (the "Kernels"), so I typically worked 12-14 hour days.

There was an amazing Mongolian BBQ place in town. But that was about it."

I love Cedar Rapids. Whole place smells like cereal. I was there for some product training and hit the Kernels game on "Buck a Beer" night. Still have a Kernels T-Shirt. When the locals saw my Cub hat they were buying me beers. Lot's of fun.

Michael K said...

"I don't think I've ever been to Iowa. Nor do I want to :-)"

What do you call a pretty girl in Iowa ?

"Tourist."

Just kidding.

MadTownGuy said...

Used to stay in Days Inns on our road trips but found the quality a bit uneven. Switched to Hampton Inns. Predictable Hilton quality, reasonably priced, and a decent hot breakfast. Used to like Settle Inns but some of them have closed, at least on the routes we usually travel.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.