Saturday, March 29, 2008

And now for your questions

A and J,

Since I did not get you to answer quesitons after each blog...I will ask you some now.

1. Give me one nickname for Chicago (I gave you three)

2. Name for me the Chicago Airport

3. What major college tournement has a series of games in Indianapolis?

4. What major Non-NASCAR race is held in Speedway Indiana?

5. What does Indianapolis mean?

6. And finally, look on a map and tell me what road mostly connects Chicago to Indianapolis? I say almost cause it almost does...but not quite.

Shoot me your answers in the comments...be well my friends!!

Rick/Da Knome

Snow..Snow...Snow

Well, from time to time I get to haul into a storm...this one was not all that much fun either.
The photos are from my trip from Rockford IL ending up in Oshkosh WI:

I 39 above Madison, just at first light



Near Wisconsin Rapids WI

A Snowy Peaches

Nera Oshkosh WI...the haze you see is snow

I hope you enjoyed these pictures....it was fun, but snow is always dangerous to drive in.
Be Well,
Da Knome

Indianapolis IN

Well, here we are in Indianapolis (Which means Indian City).


My Mother is from Indianapolis...so I know a good number of things about this town.

For one thing, Indianapolis was laid out by an apprentice to the City planner who laid out Washington DC. From wikipedia: The capital moved from Corydon on January 10, 1825 and the state commissioned Alexander Ralston to design the new capital city. Ralston was an apprentice to the French architect Pierre L'Enfant, and he helped L'Enfant plan Washington, DC.

Both Washington DC and Indianapolis are laid out as a kind of circle with a monumnet (The Washington Monumnet in the case of DC and the Soldiers and Sailor Monument in the case of Indy) as it's center.

Indiana is called the "cross roads of America", and rightly so. Indianapolis is encircled by I 465 while I 70, I 65, I 74 and I 69 alleither cross or end in the city. Here are some pictures of the downtown area:





Since you two are sports fans, it should come as no surpise to you that Indianapolis is home to the first phase of the NCAA basketball tournement. It is also home to the Indianapolis Colts(Football) and Indiana Pacers (Basketball).
Additionally, on the Sunday before Memorial Day, in Speedway, Indiana; the Indianapolis 500 is run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is a car race, but it is not NASCAR!!!
Well, take care and keep smiling...catch ya later!
Da Knome

Chicago town

Hi there,

One of the cities that I visited recently was Chicago. Now, Chicago is known, variously, as the City of Big Shoulders, The Windy City and Chi-town (Pronouced Shy-town). So, lets see what wikipedia has to say about Chicago:

Chicago (IPA: /ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ/), is a city in the state of Illinois and the largest in the Midwest. With a population of nearly 3 million people located almost entirely in Cook County (a portion of the city's O'Hare International Airport overlaps into DuPage County), Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. The population of Chicago's metropolitan area, which covers several counties (and commonly called Chicagoland), contains over 9.7 million people in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the U.S.[1] Chicago has been classified as an alpha world city for its worldwide economic influence.[2]
Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837. Its location at the site of a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed aided the city's rapid growth. Today, Chicago is a leading global city and a major transportation hub, as well as the business, financial, and cultural capital of the Midwest.

Chicago has always been in the center of things, so to speak. A century ago rail travel from east to west went thru Chicago. It was a major center for butchering of Cattle and the shipment of various farm commodities.

Today, Chiago has O'Hare airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. It is the confluence of 4 interstate Highways, not to mention a port on the Great Lakes and still a major rail hub in the center of the country.

If you look at a map of Chicago, the size is somewhat overwhelming. I mean it's Huge!!! The Chicago Land reference in the article above is more than just refering to the counties...it also regards the villages and small towns that make up the metro area. It can literally take 2 hours to drive acorss the area known as Chicago...even on good traffic days.

An interesting thing you can try when the night is clear, sometime soon. Get an AM radio and tune it to 720 am. That is the frequency for WGN radio. It's a 50,000 watt station, and on a clear night you should be able to hear it after sunset. If you are lucky, you might catch a Chicago Cubs game on it!

I was going to post some pictures for you...but I can not find them...but never fear. Next blog has some pics of a town not too far away.

Be Well
Da Knome

Catch up

Greetings A and J,

Howdy from Laredo TX. I am down here waiting of frieght and will finally get the chances to catch up on my blogging.

Unfortunately, I don't always get to park in places where I can get online...hence the blog gets a little behind at times.

This quarter, the first three months of the year, I have traveled a little over 32,000 miles. The longest run I have had was out to Fontana CA (It was just a little over 2200 miles.) So, over the next couple of blogs I will try to Catch up on a couple of the cities I have visited.

Take care,
Rick/Da Knome

Thursday, March 13, 2008

I meant blue water!

HI A and J!
This is kind of a mini-entry...I crossed back into the US via Port Huron MI/Sarnia ON yesterday. I think I mentioned the bridge I had to cross was called the Blue Water Bridge. Well, here are some pictures of the area...notice the ice and the water...It really is blue!
From the pictures...North is looking at Lake Huron (The Great Lake) South or under the bridge is a the channel that feeds Lake St. Clair, which is just above Detroit, and eventually goes into Lake Erie.



Looking north...see the ice?
The Canada bound span
The water under the bridge...really blue
Another shot to the north...

Well, keep smiling!
Rick

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Roaming right out of the country!

Greetings from Guelph Ontario Canada!

Ok, first off, this town is pronounced GW-ELF. Yep, it’s strange. Also, while I added Canada to the end of “Guelph Ontario Canada”, it is not really needed. Ontario is the province, like Texas is a state. The largest city in Ontario is Toronto…and Ontario is home to the Federal Capital of Canada, Ottawa.

Guelph is home to our only terminal outside the US. Currently, I am about 90 miles north of Buffalo NY…and it is snowing!

So, how did I come to be here? Well, I picked up a load of toilet paper in Beech Island SC (that is about 10 miles from my house.) It went to Brampton Ontario (ON), about 30 miles from here. To get here, I drove thru South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York.

When you drive to Canada you have to remember two cities at a time…the one on the US side and the one on the Canadian side. In this case I crossed at Buffalo NY/Fort Erie ON. For some crossings the bridge has a unique name. In this case it was Peace Bridge.

Tomorrow I am heading back to the US. My load goes to Green Bay WI. To do this, I will cross at Sarnia ON/Port Huron MI over the Blue Water Bridge.

Here are some interesting pictures from today:

The Snow in Western PA, south of Erie.

The Buffalo Skyline

The exit for Canada from Buffalo
Canadian Customs area at Fort Erie

Now, when you cross a border with another country you must pass thru Customs. After all, if you are coming in the country, then that country should know who you are and what you are bringing in. In my case, I have documents for the load and my passport.

Customs Inspectors are like police officers. They enforce the laws of their nation to ensure nothing bad comes in. For example, if you have had a conviction in a court then Canada requires you ask permission in writing to enter. If you try to enter with out this permission then you will be denied entry.

Well, I need to go and catch some sleep…but see if you can answer the following questions:

Canada uses a different system of measurement than the US does. What is this system called? (Hint: its french)

What is the name of the bridge at Port Huron MI?
What is the Federal Capital of Canada?
Name the Queen of Canada.

And finally Sports Fans! Name the only Major League Baseball Team in Canada!

Be Well and Take Care,

Rick

Good Job A and J!

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond, but I went home for a few days and...well I did not get on line much.

Very well done on the answers to all of the questions!

The Air Force Academy's team is the Fighting Falcons I think.

I did not know the head waters of the Rio Grande were clear up in Colorado! So you taught me something, thank you!

As far as Smokey Bear's Museum...it is in Capitan, New Mexico...about 70 miles north of El Paso TX. According to what I read Smokey is buried there.

Tonight, I am out of the country and in my next post I will explain.

Thanks for the responses!

Rick

PS: So far I am not sure what Mr Gnome wishes to be called...any ideas...agree on one name (between the two of you) and let me know.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Greetings from El Paso!

Greetings from El Paso TX,

Yep…El Paso…the sun…the 70 degree weather!

I traveled here from Denver hauling a load of adult beverages (Ask your Mother).

On the way down, I drove thru the state of New Mexico. Actually, I had never driven over some the roads I used today…so it was a bit of a learning experience for me, too. I entered New Mexico thru Raton Pass (it crosses the mountains at about 7834 feet above sea level…Denver by comparison is only 5280 feet above sea level).

As you study the states and their histories consider this: How was it to travel west in a horse and wagon?

Raton Pass on I-25 and Loveland Pass on I-70 west of Denver (at over 11,000 feet) were hard climbs. For example, Peaches pulled very hard climbing Raton last night…she was down to 20 mph a one point. She weighed 79,000….but her heart is 370 horsepower diesel engine. Imagine hauling 1000 pounds up a mountain with only 2 or 4 horses!

Another thing to consider is how people lived…what they faced…and how they achieved! It is awe-inspiring when you think about it. I understand that you recently went to "Frontier Texas". I bet that was interesting! So you can see what I mean.

Now, once I was in New Mexico the land looks a lot like the Pan handle of Texas around Amarillo. As I went south it gets flater and more desert like. Here are a couple of pictures:



Now, here are a couple of questions for the two of you:

What major river beings in New Mexico (Up around Albuquerque) and then creates the southern border of Texas?

Name for me the one place in New Mexico where the Space Shuttle (Columbia, STS-3, 1982) has landed…hint…its just north of El Paso TX.

What is the capital of New Mexico?

Until Next time…be well and have fun!

Knome

P.S. Picked up a new friend…here is his picture. Nothing like Hanging with my Gnomies!!

Answers to A and J

A & J,

Very well done on the states that border the Mississippi. Considering most children your age would be hard pressed to find that river on a map, you did excellent. I can see that you G-Ma’s praise of you two is well founded!

Iowa and Wisconsin are both interesting states.

For one thing my company is based in Green Bay...not very far from Lambeau Field (Home of the Green Bay Packers!!!!) People know all about the cheese and milk products produced up there in Wisconsin...but they miss the paper. Yes, paper and wood products are produced in the forest of northen Wisconsin.

Iowa is part of the bread basket of our country. Farming is the primary industry and the state is largely rural. In someways, Iowa is very much like Texas...many miles of open land...rolling hills.

A, I would like to meet you, too. As your G-Ma can tell you I pass thru on occasion. If I have time and things work out it could happen. How are you liking Laura Ingalls Wilder’s story? I have been to Mankato, Sleepy Eye and Walnut Grove, they are in South West Minniesota. They are all on US 12, named for Mrs. Wilder.

J, I heard you play basketball and football. I hope you find it fun. While you play sports I grew up being in the Boy Scouts, sports just wasn’t my thing. Honestly, I don’t follow basketball much. The only sport I really follow is baseball and I am an Atlanta Braves fan. I do like to catch Rangers and Astro’s games when I can. If I had to give you one mascot I like it’s the old Braves Mascot “Chief Knoc-A-Homa”.

Well, take care and catch up with ya later!

Be well,
Knome

Greetings from Denver...written 2/25/08

Greetings from Denver, Colorado,

I am writing this in advance because I don’t have internet access tonight. As I write this I am sitting in a truck stop about 5 miles from downtown Denver. Here are a couple of pictures of the downtown area.


A and J, I know that you are dealing with states as they come into the union, but I also know you have been to Colorado before. It is a beautiful state, so long as you can avoid driving in the snow!
Denver is the capital of Colorado and its largest city…but for more info let us check Wikipedia:
The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/) is the capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States. Denver is located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains. The Denver downtown district is located immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek with the South Platte River, approximately 15 miles (24 km) east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Denver is nicknamed the Mile-High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile (5280 feet or 1609.344 m) above sea level.

The
United States Census Bureau estimates that, in 2006, the population of the City and County of Denver was 566,974, making it the 26th most populous U.S. city. The Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated 2006 population of 2,408,750 and ranked as the 21st most populous U.S. metropolitan statistical area, and the larger Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area had an estimated 2006 population of 2,927,911 and ranked as the 17th most populous U.S. metropolitan area. The city claims to have the 10th largest downtown in the United States.

It sits on the “front range” and for that reason has strange weather. For example, today 2/25/08, its about 50 degrees and tomorrow it will be in the 40’s….but 70 miles away, and 6000 feet higher, they are expecting 10-20 inches of snow.

One of the oddities of mountain ranges is that depending on the direction of the weather, they can either be a source of shelter or make the weather a lot worse. In the case of the storm that is coming, the mountains actually block some of the worst of storm and force it further north. While on the other side of the mountain the conditions will be bad for driving.

Now, A! I understand you did some pretty impressive picking for the NCAA tournament! And since you are interested in sports here is a question for you. Name for me the 4 big teams in Denver. One is football, one is baseball and one is hockey and one is basketball. You can see the football stadium below! “Invesco Field at Mile High”!


J, I have not forgotten you! Name for me the Mountain range to which I keep referring. Also at the foot of the mountains, south of Denver is a town called Colorado Springs. It is home to a major military academy…can you tell me what it is called, or what branch of the military it is related to?

Don’t know where I am heading yet…but I will tell you about it when I get there. Be well and Keep Smiling!

Knome

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Westward Hooo!

Howdy!

Well, today I crossed four states and traveled a little over 600 miles. I destined for the Kansas City Mo area.

A and J, I hope you are well. While I am sure you know who I am, let me introduce you to my partner...my truck...Peaches.












As I traveled west I crossed a big river, The Mighty Mississippi. From Wikipedia:

The Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States, with a length of 2,340 mi (3,766 km) from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth in Gulf of Mexico. The longest is its tributary the Missouri River measuring 2565 mi (4,128 km).

The Mississippi has a long and rich history that includes some of the first Europeans who explored this land. Even today the river is still used to transport goods up and down its length. Some of the things carried on the river are coal, grain, and other things in large bulk sized quanities.

Normally, I cross it at one of a few points: Vicksburg MS, Memphis TN, St Louis MO or the Quad Cities of IL and IA. Today, it was St Louis! You can always tell St Louis because of the Arch, Gateway to the West!













I hear you two are learning the states...can y'all tell me what states border on the river?

As I travel, Peaches pulls a trailer loaded with cargo...on the river a Tug Boat pushes these vessels that carry cargo...what are they called?


I hope you like the picture...I will try to post more soon. As I write this I am near Kansas City and it is snowing.

Be well,
Da Knome

Greetings All

Greetings!

This is a blog of a truck driver....who one day typed in the mis-spelled username "theroamingknome"...and yahoo accepted! So, before I see a question about the name...it is pronouced "The Roaming Gnome"...as in Travelocity, but not related to them at all!

A friend of mine has grand children who are home schooled and very smart. So, I figured if they would like to see some of the places I go, then I would provide them a place to see them through the photos I take. Also, for them to ask and answer questions as time allows.

As this is a public site...I encourage anyone to ask questions...but please any questions asked or comments made need to be family friendly...or they will be gone as soon as I find them and reported shortly there after.

Well, that said, I hope you enjoy this blog

Take Care,
Da Knome