September 3rd, 2005
on schedule: Departed 9:30 AM from Kearney, Nebraska. Arrived in Villa Park, Illinois at 9:30PM.
The drive today was a lot easier. I made such good time that coming into the Chicago area I slowed down to the speed limit and marveled at how everyone zipped right around me. After the first two days the shorter drive was very welcomed. From here there will be no more marathon driving sessions. I can relax here in Chicago for two full days then all my drives from here are reasonable distances.
Iowa. What is there to say about Iowa? Nada. The only photos I took today were at Kearney (the Archway monument) as I was leaving town and the Mississippi river. About the only reason I stopped at Archway was it was right down the street from my motel. But the equidistance 1,733 miles to either San Francisco or Boston was interesting and worth the half hour excursion for that
I would have thought my gas mileage would be better today not having to climb up the Continental Divide. Somehow, it was a bit less. Maybe my math was wrong. More likely: the ethanol blends are to blame. (I say more likely because, well hey: my job is to compile data. I'm good at this, so the basic math of gas mileage is a no brainer).
Here is today's data!
Total miles: 636
Overall Average MPG : 26.60 (down over 1mpg from yesterday -- ethanol?)
MPG Based on: 636 miles from Kearney, NE to Villa Park, IL; 23.914 gallons
Gas price range: $3.039 (Iowa City, IA) to $3.199 (Underwood, IA)
Gallons purchased today: 23.914
Average price per gallon: $3.131 (based on actual purchase)
GPS readings:
N41°22.542 W095°40.751 1:00PM Underwood, Iowa elevation 1470'
N41°34.241 W093°50.953 3:15PM Rest area near Des Moines, IA elevation 1011'
N41°35.264 W090°21.982 6:30PM At the Mississippi River (Iowa/Illinois border)
N41°54.036 W088°44.302 8:35PM Dekalb Oasis rest area on 88 East (Illinois) elevation 867'
N41°51.648 W087°58.759 10:00PM Motel 6 in Villa Park, IL elevation 731'
Welcome to the Next Stage of my trip
Archway Monument, Kearney, NE
Ain't she cute?
Near Archway Monument, Kearney, NE
At the Mississippi River
Standing on the Iowa side, with Illinois in the background
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