August 3 - Hot days on the plains

Since we left the Chicago area we have been passing incredible volumes of cornfields. There are many other crops which we do not recognize, but everything is so green and growing so well. The crop dusters are out and it is fun to watch how low they fly over the fields.

We found the Bermuda Triangle of Iowa. We were rolling along the interstate and just as we got to the top of a series of small inclines the car over heated. We took the off ramp and found a spot next to a corn field. We all took bathroom turns behind a bush and then settled down on our camp chairs to wait for the engine to cool off.(pic) The next moment, a group of bikers pulled off the highway and one was swearing profusely - he had run of gas. A little while later a chap strolled up to us to say he needed to jump start his car which had stalled a little way down the off ramp. Rich and I push started his car and he was on his way. Once our car was cool we returned to the highway but not before we saw four other cars towing travel trailers exiting the highway - one with steam billowing from his engine. What an unlucky place on earth!

Once we entered Nebraska the scenery started looking like home. We could see wide expanses and the vegetation was not as lush as the east coast. I really started feeling like the holiday was coming to an end.

The car and camper are showing signs of strain. We are driving through incredibly hot conditions, the roads are not smooth, and the high speeds are battering the camper. After driving all day we found a state park alongside the Platte River. The mosquitoes were awful, but the lake was cool and refreshing. We only got to bed at midnight but we were so relaxed we slept till 11am.