I’m losing my reflexes already. Stopped for WiFi at a Kansas rest area to check email and forgot to post the 10/31 blog entry. Yes, even Kansas has a few hotspots along the highways. Last time I tried this one (I70 mile 338) the signal was so low as to be unusable. This time it was loud and clear. With a little luck I’ll never get to use it again. At least, not from a truck.

Which leads me to today’s topic.

It has been with a sick fascination that I’ve watched my standards of what we’ll call ‘a good day’ rapidly dwindle. A good day can mean coming across a scenic rest area just as it’s time to shut down for the day. What a come-downance for someone who used to consider a good day to be, say, 4000 feet of vertical to the top of Mount Rosa and 2000 words. A good day now can even mean getting an almond-scented shower at a Flying J, or finding a WalMart with easy truck access when the rations are running low, or finding a spot of WiFi that actually works.

Sad, Brian; very sad. Strike up the violins.

And so, in keeping with the spirit of things, here’s the highlight of today:

Back on the wrong side of the Mississippi, it was pleasant to see the change that had come over the foliage. The bright yellows and oranges and reds of early fall have given way to deeper reds and old bronzes and dusky coppers.

Forecast for tomorrow: more of the same.