Long 563 Mile day to Kentucky. Slippery start to the day today. Blowing snow and black ice in Northern Ohio. Second-guessing my decision to drive, but stupidity took over and I plugged ahead. I took my sweet time, and things cleared up nicely south of Columbus, Ohio.

Hit a nice pothole, and a smattering of busted PVC pipe on the highway. and had to stop twice to find a gas station with a working air hose. Saw a lot of folks on the side of the road with flats after the PVC pipe area. Too damned cold out to be changing a tire! Low of 4 degrees here tonight. So much for heading south to catch some heat!

Got to Paducah and checked into the Econolodge and asked the nice kid "Al" behind the desk if he could recommend a tire place nearby. He got on the phone and called his buddy at Custom Automotive, just down the street. So, off I go. VERY nice guys there, law-enforcement friendly. Chatty customer at the counter was a firefighter. Business is family-owned and been there for 42 years The guys checked and inflated all my tires. They couldn't find a leak, but told me to come back at 0730 hours tomorrow for coffee and they will double-check it, for FREE! I have to find a place in the morning to pick up some donuts for those guys!

Hotel is old, room is clean. Heater is on full-blast and is making the bed vibrate; and not necesarily in a good way .... I feel like I am on an airplane. I just hope I have all my fillings when I wake up (that's IF I can get to sleep).

Off to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma tomorrow to see my friend, Cindy. She is one of my best friends from high school days in Ric*******, Texas. I will finally get to meet her husband and her son, who just became a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard.

Ciao! Or since I am in Kentucky - "see y'all".