Observations of a very common housewife in the fast lane of Minnesota today:

1.) In the Great American Mid-West it would appear that if you are not doing 85 in the slow lane you are not keeping up with the flow of traffic. In the fast lane one should try to remember to keep their speed upwards of 90-100mph or the people in that lane get really annoyed.

2.) You can go alot further on bald tires than you think you can. POH is living proof. Oh wait, maybe I should add the disclaimer that I pray while I'm driving.

3.) Bob Segar is the best value around for road trip music. I've been pretty much listening to him non-stop all spring and summer and I've yet to get sick of him. Just jack up Hollywood Nights or That Old Time Rock and Roll and it will carry you for HOURS. Seriously.

4.) Enough bird poop on the windshield makes things very messy and causes visibility problems. They need to make a law about that.

5.) Driving and talking on a cell phone is legal in Minnesota. It felt freaky to realize I wasn't breaking the law by using mine while driving in that state today.

6.) When you were raised in Rochester (New York) and lived all of your life there before moving to the Great American Mid-West (sorry, I'm stuck on that phrase at the moment), and you see signs all over for Rochester (Minnesota) it can be very disorienting.

7.) Chevy Cobalts get AWESOME gas mileage........but they still need gas once in a while. *wince*

8.) It pays to remember that in the Great American Mid-West gas stations on the interstates are much farther apart than on the East Coast.

9.) God loves to help stranded common housewives whenever they call on Him because they didn't fill up the tank before leaving for their destination.

10.) However, don't presume on God......fill the tank!

11.) Gas station attendants in the Great American Mid-West are the BEST. They LOVE to help stranded common housewives when they forget to fill their tank. They don't even make them feel bad and tell them that it's happened to them a time or two too. Come to think of it, almost everyone I have encountered in the Great American Mid-West has been awesomely friendly and helpful. I think I like it here.

12.) Road trips are always better with a companion in the shot gun seat but I am learning to like them even if I don't have one.

13.) I think I need a United States map to hang on my wall to keep track of all the states I've been to since I've been on my own. The number is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe I didn't need a camper after all. Now if I can just get that gear thing to stop stabbing me in the back when I sleep in my car instead of the camper in the Wal-Mart parking lot.