I always knew it would come to this. I depend on so many electronic devices when I travel that it is scary. Today was the day that I had feared. Every electronic device gave up and refused to behave in its normal manner. The Garmin GPS just absolutely refused to load the route that I had carefully prepared. Google maps on both of our phones kept locking on the driving directions instead of the more desirable map view. The Android Auto software on the truck radio system wouldn’t connect. The backup camera I use to see behind the trailer would not connect to its monitor. Just now as I’m working on this blog post, the internet dropped out as did the cable system connected to the TV. I’m glad I don’t have to wear a pacemaker. I suspect that the electronic masters got tired of being in 96 degree heat (farenheit) and refused to go another step.

I didn’t want to press my luck any further than I already had so the number of pictures today is limited. I’m glad the route today was simple enough I could use what little brain power I have left to get us to our destination of Newton, Iowa.

We spent most of the morning trying to escape Illinois. I guess I shouldn’t single out the Illini drivers. Driving the interstates anywhere in the U.S. is risky business. Every driver thinks they need to go at least 15 m.p.h. over the speed limit. I want to go about 5 over. This makes for a lot of cars stacked up in whatever lane you’re driving in. The number of trucks on the road is ridiculous. I want those guys to make a living but why can’t we go back to making things in the U.S. so every product doesn’t have to be imported on a 80,000 pound earth bound Kenworth, Freightliner, or Volvo 18 wheeled monster.

I finally found the sign I had been anticipating – “welcome to Iowa”. That meant that we were officially in the “west”. Everybody knows you are not in the real west until you have crossed the Mississippi River. We made it at 75 mph and 96 degrees.

In this part of the country, big machines are made. Companies like Caterpiller, John Deere, Komatsu, etc. are still alive and proving daily that the U.S. is still capable of producing goods.

There is not a lot of scenery to admire along I-80. There is a tourist stop that fascinates me every time I come this way. It is located in Wolcott, Iowa and claims to be “The World’s Largest Truckstop”. Is that true? I certainly can’t confirm that. Is it huge? I can confirm that. It has a lot of things inside. The one thing I was most interest in is known as “DQ” – Dairy Queen to those of you not aware of some of the final things In life. What can be better than ice cream on a day when the humidity is racing the temperature to the 100 degree mark.

We stayed long enough at DQ that the parking lot was nearly empty when we got ready to pull out.

Our rig will certainly be in the Trucking Museum before we’re through. Notice how people were so intimidated by our truck-a-saurus that they wouldn’t park close. The Museum is a part of the I-80 truck stop.

All done for the day, we rolled into the Best Western in Newton, Iowa. we covered 326 miles which brings our total to about 485 miles. Not a gigantic number but It’s right on target of what I had planned.

We asked the front desk attendant about a good place to eat that was within walking distance. She recommended Murph and Mary’s Pub. She didn’t give me clear directions as to exactly where it was but it was only a couple of blocks away. I was tired so I pulled out Google Maps to see where it was. We ended up trying to follow the walking directions and covered about 8 blocks to get to a place where we could easily see the backside of our hotel. The electronics are still fighting us and winning.

It is supposed to be somewhat cooler tomorrow. Maybe the electronics will give us a break.