August 24th me and Seamus ventured out towards Wisconsin via Chicago. Destination: Eau Claire. My apprehensions about Seamus blowing up from overheating were very real and I imagined I would be stranded on the side of the road in some po-dunk part of the US with a seized engine and nothing but my knitting to keep me company.

With new tires, full oil and a newly re-attached voltage regulator I was packed up and gone by 6am, headed for the Sarnia border. Then ten minutes in I realized I had NO cash on hand either in Canadian or US currency, so I pulled off the highway before leaving Canada to get some cash and as soon as I crossed the border and stopped for gas I took out some American cash.

First observation: Americans are aggressive and discourteous drivers as a whole. I was cut off more times than I can count and nearly side swiped several times, which angered me given the relic vehicle I was driving. I thought driving in Toronto was bad but compared to here, Toronto drivers are lovingly patient and safe (which they are not).

Crossing the Blue Water Bridge:

The bank I went to in the US is “the fifth third bank”, which had me re-reading the name several times trying to make sense of the name. Then I saw that the logo was “5/3” and it made a bit more sense, but not much. Every time I come to the US I feel like an alien. I don’t seem to know how anything works. I always think Canada and the US are so similar but really we are not. Buying gas here requires me to pre-pay inside, then go out and pump the gas. We don’t do this in Canada, its pump and go in the North!

Driving through Illinois was Illannoying! There is a toll station so frequently that I can barely get the bus up to 60 miles an hour before having to pull off again and pay another $1.50. I could barely wait to get into Wisconsin just so I could make better time not having to pull off and pay a toll every 5 minutes.

The bus needs to cool off about every 3 hours, not because it has broken down by driving longer, but because I feel like it needs a rest. I find I am unwilling to push it too far beyond what I have already, not wanting to tempt fate into giving me a breakdown. On a gas note, higher octane makes the engine run more smoothly and when I turn off the ignition it does not sputter for an additional billion seconds like some dying cow hanging on to life with its hooves.

Just after one of the billions of Illinois toll stations, I pulled over and put my feet up for half an hour while Seamus cooled off, with open engine hatch to speed the cooling off period a bit. I also had to pee so made use of my unique patented system (not really) but it is neat. More to come on that later.

By about 7:30 pm or so I realized I was not going to make it all the way to Eau Claire. I had already been driving for so long. I needed to find a safe place to pull over and sleep.

I find the signs on the side of the highway a bit redundant and obvious. Things like “avoid rear end collisions” and “Stay on road” seem to be stating what anyone with a license should already be doing. Then the sign that said “highway, do not follow” seemed confusing. It was in a construction zone and I think it meant to NOT follow the highway because it was being diverted from its normal pathway. Duly noted.

My all time favourite thing about driving the bus is that now and then someone will give me a salute, thumbs up, head nod, or will straight up yell “I love the bus” in affirmation. Seamus makes people smile. At least once a trip I am asked if he is for sale. Hells bells no he’s not. He’s mine all mine!

So, I looked on my map for a green blob of colour on my route and came up with the Rock Cut State Park in Illinois, just south of Madison Wisconsin. I drove there and asked if they had a place I could park my bus and sleep and for 12$ I got a front row seat to the lake.

It was a beautiful sleep. The next day I woke up and drove to Madison where I met a friend for coffee and a photo of me beside the iron statue of Hans somebody, a well sculpted specimen of man. His beard was well shaped.

Madison is a pretty city, with water in it and nice buildings in the capital square. After coffee was done, I headed off to Eau Claire. And now I am in bed, a real bed, ready to sleep.