Watch out, Midwest, Here We Come!

July 28. Headed west into rain. The wipers battle it out with a rapid staccato  beat. We attempt to avoid the big trucks as limited visibility gets worse. The kids sleep in the back seat after staying up until midnight celebrating their last hurrah. We are tuned into Syracuse University's NPR station. I got a few things downloaded our last stop, but nothing for the adults. Our sanity rests on the happiness of our children.

Hours later and miles down the road it continues to rain, so much so that not only do we NOT use the AC that Rich fixed once the leak was found (YAY RICH!!!) but we now have the heat on!!!!  We drive through New York villages where we witness people pumping out their basements with large barrel hoses, streets closed due to flooding, even driving through an eighteen inch deep parking lot lake. Relentless, this rain, and not something we westerners are accustomed to. So far still on track for camping, although doubt is starting to creep into my mind.

Off of the interstate we travel back highways through farmland and villages of considerable age. Beautiful brick buildings line downtowns hosting large glass storefronts. Beautiful restored homes hold court over main thoroughfares. Corn in various stages of growth have accompanied us since leaving Utica this morning. As we passed through Mt Morris this afternoon Rich spied a sign marking the house where John Wesley Powell, explorer of the Grand Canyon, was born. The history we encounter here seems much older, exotic, even important than the West.