~ i haven’t been very inspired with the transcription of the tales of this summer’s second cross-country drive. but i have managed to sift out a key moment from each state though which we passed, except for the hour we spent in pennsylvania.
   new york: four minutes into the bus ride from the airport to downtown, i realize that i never want to see albany again, though my decision is almost swayed after i get the chance, while waiting for the trailways bus to phoenicia, to visit the glorious empire state plaza [w].
   ohio: i pull off the interstate and head to the cleveland’s waterfront. i wake the passenger to announce that we have arrived at i.m.pei’s rock and roll hall of fame [w]; she looks up and asks why we stopped at this monstrosity. i drive away without stopping.
   indiana: sorry.
   illinois: ‘sneaking’ into chicago’s field museum allows a view of sue [w], the most complete fossilized skeleton of tyrannosaurus rex ever found by humans.
   iowa: from the looks of the capitol building, des moines must have the impression that iowa is a grand empire over which it is lorded. the view from the highway dissuades us from a closer look; we save our time for lincoln, nebraska.
   nebraska: during a furious hailstorm on i-70, the s-10 runs out of gas after we pass three exits and two towns with no fuel stations.
   wyoming: why the the song ‘america, the beautiful’ was written… (no nationalism intended).
   colorado: after visiting the quarry at dinosaur national monument [w], we walk out to the s-10 to take the tour deeper into the park. when we get to the truck, we notice that there is river of coolant flowing from the engine. it is a bitter disappointment to only spend 30 minutes at the park we drove for four days to see, but the water pump is apparently broken, and there is not going to be anyone ready to fix it at 5.30pm on the friday before memorial day weekend. so, we load the bed of the truck with jugs of ‘lowtox’ and water, and push forth into the utah desert.
   utah: everyone drives down the mountainside from the ashley national forest [w]like they are on crank, while i can’t coax the s-10 over 60mph while going downhill.
   nevada: new york, new york.
   california: i hate everything between san bernadino and the 5. if there is another auto route from the east coast to los angeles, i’d like to know.

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