Across two states, around the world

South Bend, IN – The day was so lovely today, it was al-most a shame to be inside the RV instead of out in the fresh air! But we had miles to go before we slept, and if you read some of the place names we passed, you’d think we’d been globe trotting instead of state hopping.

We headed south on Interstate 74 out of Davenport this morning, crossing the Mississippi River not long after our departure, and joining Interstate 80 heading east. In no time we had left Iowa behind and were traveling through Illinois in the direction of Chicago.

The interstate at this point is a toll highway, and you might think that for that reason the road might be a bit less traveled and in better shape, but the opposite was the case. There were lots of uneven spots that made all our dishes jump when we passed over them, and as we got closer to the big industrial hub of Chicago, the number of semi trucks increased considerably. (See today’s ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos!)

Here are some of the place names we read on highway signs today: Princeton, Peru, Mar-seilles, Ottawa, Norway, Lisbon, Manhattan, Joliet, Frankfort (OK, not Frankfurt, but still!). I’m sure there are interesting reasons for these place names that probably have to do with the original locations. I do know that the first settlers after the aboriginal people in South Bend were French fur traders, which explains names like the Des Plaines River and others.

We managed to get past the large metropolitan spread around Chicago without much difficulty. The toll highway, unlike normal interstates, had travel plazas beside the highway where one could stop for food and fuel. This kept travelers from leaving the toll corridor and heading off at exit ramps to get meals or fuel, as they do on regular interstate highways. We stopped at one for lunch and to fuel up.

There was a McDonald’s there, so I asked for their basic hamburger, not wanting extra sauces and calories. When our order came and we went to sit down, I realized the cashier must have thought I said “bacon hamburger” instead of “basic hamburger”! Oh well, those extra calories and the bacon were pretty good. I let them go to “waist” instead of to “waste”, where I know they would have tossed the meal if I’d returned it.

After lunch we drove around to the fuel station. I gave the cashier a $100 and said I wanted to prepay $60 on pump number 13. She gave me a receipt but no change.  Turns out she thought I said we wanted $100 worth of fuel! I began to wonder if I had become inarticulate in my old age!

South Bend is the home of Notre Dame University, which is very near our hotel, and it was here that Henry Studebaker started selling wagons, before advancing to automobiles. His factory was a major employer until it closed in 1963. As the halfway point between Detroit and Chicago, South Bend was an important industrial hub in the early years, but now it is less so. Today, the university is the main employer.