A note concerning tangents: (XVIII)

Current Location: Dayton, OH (pop~166,200)

(N39°50.151, W084°07.496, elev: 930’)

Distance traveled leg 18: 448.5  miles

Total Distance traveled: 6496.5 miles

Distance from our terminus in NJ: 598.2 miles

Expedition Outlook: Relaxed

Place we’ve heard about during our travels and least wanted to visit based on its name alone: Smallpox Island, IL.

Good tidings from Ohio. It’s been over two weeks since last we were in the Buckeye State. Morale continues to ride the high from the events in St. Louis. Regrettably, today was another driving day, but we did have time for an excursion in the morning.

Is he bluffing? Only time will tell.

Per Brandie’s advice, we went out and got ourselves some BBQ Pork Steak. One of the better lunches we’ve had over the course of the expedition. It’s a shoulder cut that is apparently quite popular in St. Louis style barbecue. Not hard to see why. The meat has a flavor that lies in a pleasant space between pork chops and ham. If you can get your mitts on some and haven’t had any, I’d certainly recommend it.

A close up of the fearsome Piasa.

Seeing as the most awesome park ranger had not led us wrong yet, we continued on her suggested course, traveling north along what is colloquially called the river road. The IL side of the Mississippi is dominated by gorgeous limestone bluffs, something I never knew and wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t told to us. We took a very relaxing cruise fifteen or so miles along the river to the town of Grafton. On the way we saw a recreation of a native mural that used to adorn the bluffs 1600s. The mural is of a mythical creature called the Piasa.

After browsing Grafton, we followed the Mississippi south, our destination being the Gateway Geyser located in Eastern St. Louis, IL. En route we stopped back in Alton to take a look at the square that served as the site of the 7^th and final of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Erected in the square are some statues of Lincoln and Douglas in mid debate. It was actually pretty cool as far as monuments go. I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say that the place was heavy with the weight of history or anything, but there was a definite twinge of something in the air.

It was hitting somewhere in the range of 400 feet today we think.

No twinges at the Gateway Geyser but plenty of spectacle. Almost directly across the Mississippi from the Arch is the second most powerful fountain in the world. On a calm day the Gateway Geyser’s four 800 horsepower pumps can propel a jet of water just over 600 feet into the air, close to mimicking the Arch’s 630 foot stature. The fountain is located in an open landscaped field with very little to do or ceremony. Four times a day they turn it on for fifteen minutes. While not precisely final destination material, it was an impressive feat of engineering worth seeing.

Aside from a quick jaunt through one of Edison’s father’s old stomping grounds, that pretty much ended our excursion for the day. Heads down we barreled on through to Dayton, Ohio, where Edison’s sister was kind enough to put us up for the night. It is very much appreciated, Patti, your home is wonderful, your pets affectionate, and the Man Cave super impressive.

Edison, care to contribute?

[Notes from Edison:

Thanks Patti! Always nice to see the family, especially since I don’t get to see you or Bryant, Alexis, or Neil, like ever. And yes, Chucky, you and Jelly too!

Would have been nice to see cousin Jack as well, but it wasn’t to be on this trip. Next summer!

And on a similar topic; Manda, I miss you lots: I love you, and I will see you as soon as I can. I wish it had worked out this trip as well. L

On a happier note, we’ll be able to hang out and talk and eat breakfast here tomorrow, which will be awesome. Then on to a park Dad suggested, and then we head east, towards the rising sun. Except that by then the sun will be receding behind us, but that screws the metaphor all up. No matter, reality is only one of the bases upon which I set my world.

You ever notice how people who try and make themselves beautiful end up looking like aliens? What does that say about our expectations? What does that say about the state of medical practice in the modern age? Does it mean the docs are aliens? The people? Or am I a paranoid nutjob? Film at eleven!

Let’s see: Injuries so far sustained on trip include 2^nd degree sunburn, serious dehydration/sun poisoning, bruised knee, and nearly pulled thigh. Oh, and some skin off a knuckle, I have no idea from where. That’s not bad, considering all of the stuff we’ve done. I mean, I don’t think it’s that bad. Maybe I have weird expectations.

More presidential quotes: “I mean to make myself a man, and if I succeed in that, I shall succeed in everything else.” – James A. Garfield

“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

“I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.” – Harry S. Truman

Slán and lehitraot! Love and Peace, and take yourself just a little less seriously today, we’ll all have a good time. This is not much like Sparta!]

Definitely less giant holes, Persians, and men in leather diapers than Sparta had. Very observant of you, Edison. It would seem, gentle readers, that our insanity only grows in leaps and bounds as the expedition length increases and as we get further east. For example, we are both still awake, at an hour, I will admit, neither of us is stranger to, but none the less it is an hour we have avoided for the most part due to the necessity of us rising before noon. Methinks it’d be best to attend to my sleep before the sun actually peeks its head over the horizon. Thank you, America, and good night. This is the Nickness, signing off:

You'll never guess what's in the foreground of this photo.

Thanks for tuning in! On our next episode: A Landscape Of A Painting Of A Landscape; Bye Bye Buckeye; A Sudden Twist!; Have We Seen The Last Of The Big People?