Flat Plains Driving

   I am so tired writing this.  The day started in Richmond, IN.  We made a french press of Dancing Goat coffee and drove across the street to fill the tank.  A tire looked to be low so we drove over to the truck stop.  Not until feeding the vend compressor did I realize that the compressor chuck would not reach the valve on the dually rear tires.  The woman behind the counter at the Pilot sent us over to the big rig shop behind the island of diesel pumps.   A young dude in his shop shirt and pants helped out and topped off all four tires on truck and trailer.
   Once that was done we were off, back on I70 westbound.  The terrain continued to roll for a few hours slowly leveling off until we were driving on the flattest of flat highways surrounded by empty flat fields that reached into the horizon occasionally interrupted by a clump of trees or a mound of dirt.  Eli spotted a hawk every so often and pointed it out.  Many of them were a beautiful rust color on their chest with dark wings.
   Eli got behind the wheel for the first time on the trip.  I was perfectly happy to continue driving but hadn't realized I had been depriving Eli of the experience.  She took over at teh Love's somewhere in Indiana.  We had gotten coffee and sandwiches there.
   Then it was time to drive more.  We drove through Indianapolis and then eventually St Louis with it's crazy huge silver arch.  Then more flat.  Our highway time concluded at exit 146 in Colombia, MO.  Eli had some friends from New Hampshire seacoast living there.  Rick and Hillary are really sweet and brought us in with smiles.  I had met them once briefly at an event at the BUOY Gallery in Kittery.  We drank wine and then Hillary, Eli and I walked around the area a bit talking and looking at these interesting houses.  A great dinner, conversation, hospitality.  My eyes dry, my mind fading.  Time to crash for the night.

STATES: Indiana, Missouri
BIRD of the DAY:  Ret Tailed Hawk
CROPS:  Corn and crucifixes