road trip : day eight (final)

My roadtrip of 2,153 miles (through seven states*) is complete. I was too tired to make it all the way to Dallas, and spent the night at a nondescript motel in Lindale, TX (according to the receipt). I didn't stop for The City Tour, which included yet-another Cracker Barrel restaurant and yet-another catfish restaurant.

* Texas; Louisiana; Mississippi; Arkansas; Missouri; Tennessee; Kentucky

While in the car (4 days of about 500 miles per segment) I survived on a diet of lots of hot coffee, assuming I couldn't find Starbucks doubleshot (espresso & cream) and Moon Pies in the various truck stops and/or gas stations.

While making my way down I-55 to Jackson MS (before hanging a right onto I-20) I used the AUTOSCAN feature of my car radio, which finds the 6 strongest signals and programs a special bank of buttons. After deciding I couldn't stomach either country music or rightwing talk radio, I happened across an NPR station, affiliated with Mississippi Public Radio. I was amazed to find voices of reason amidst the flatscape that defines the Mississippi Delta.

I made a brief stop at a Love's Truck Stop in Van TX, hoping to find a ballcap with their logo for sale: no such luck. It rained (lightly) the rest of the way into Dallas, which included The Morning Rush hour at about 7mph.

This afternoon, I went to the post office to retrieve my "held mail". I wasn't asked for any ID before the postal worker just forked over the week's worth of mail. So much for protection from identity thieves!

Miscellany #7: two businesses didn't comply with the Credit Card Truncation regulations (a flower shop in Mississippi and a hotel in Texas). Eight others were in compliance. I wonder if that 80% compliance score is a nationwide average: I hope not!

Miscellany #83: My car requires premium unleaded fuel. I paid between $2.38 and $2.62 per gallon during this trip.