On driving (don't read this mom)

After experiencing civilization maybe twice in the last four days, your driving habits and abilities tend to change.

I forgot I was driving a manual transmission at least three times in the last three days. I almost gave myself a heart attack when I finally reached mountains. I thought my car was breaking down trying to get through the first mountain pass in Colorado. I had my foot all the way down to the floor at one point and it just kept decelerating! I was thinking "great, what could it be? Is my battery dying? Is the dang thing overheating?! I'm in the middle of nowhere!!! I'm not a mechanic!! What is going on HOBBES!!??!?!?" I'm about to put on my blinkers and pull over when I hear my salvation!

A huge semi passes me (I'm going THAT slow on a steep grade) and shifts gears...

.....oh yeeeaaaahhhhh this is stick shift! Hobbes! Why didn't you remind me?!

Shifted into fourth and blew that Popsicle stand!

I also have really gone down to the basics of driving. Remember "Mater?" Like "taaaa-mater, minus the teeee!" He had rear view meeeers. Lightning McQueen did NOT.

I'm here to say, turns out ya don't need 'em.

Other things I don't use:

In Kansas: my hands or knee.

In states with curves: just my hands, knees required.

Everywhere: turn signals (unless I'm bored)

Shifter (except in the mountains)

Sometimes I don't even use lanes! You see I drive like my dad. I'm usually looking over my left shoulder at the scenery and every once in awhile I check my progress with driving. Sometimes I find I've drifted into the other lane or I'm straddling the two. Sumthin different! Hey! Hang out in that lane for a bit, let myself drift back over...

Mom, I told you not to read this...

Anyways, rumble strips are awesome!

Mom, I'm just kidding...reeeeaaaallllyyyy.