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Behind Enemy Lines

87 Penn St8

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2009
2,004
2,397
1
Chester County, PA
Drove 2111 miles with my son from Salt Lake City to SEPA from Thursday morning to last night. Some interesting tidbits:

1) Drove into Laramie Wyoming and looked around campus/ stadium/ bought a ball cap. Incredible setting for a game- very similar to BYU in terms of location- BUT 180 degrees polar opposite in terms of bars/ cowboy town! We had a local kid go to school there with the intention of playing football- but never did follow through. Someday I'd like to see a game there...

2) Driving over The Continental Divide with high winds and snow isn't fun. Saw at least 6 jackknifed tractor trailers and sat through some of the infamous closures near Rawlins for a bit. As soon as I finally decided to "check under the hood" to take a long overdue leak....of course the traffic started!

3) There was a whole lot of nothing along Wyoming Rt. 80 and it was oddly beautiful. Most find it "boring", which it is, but it is also wonderful too.

4) Cheyenne is a fun Cowboy town. Went out for beers/shots with the former student from above. Neat local scene. Wyoming Pork and Chop house was wonderful.

5) Windmills are everywhere- from Wyoming to Somerset PA

6) Stopped in downtown Lincoln for lunch and wore my PSU ski cap in just for fun. Got some looks but no comments. A woman at an adjacent table walked up to me on her way our and whispered something...kind of caught me off guard and I didn't really hear her. Then it dawned on me that she said "We Are." As she walked by the front window I smiled and waved and she pulled out her white PSU knit cap on a cold and blustery day. We Are indeed everywhere!

7) Took the obligatory shot of me on the steps of Memorial Stadium with said PSU ski cap and a #1 sign...

8) Was going to sleep in iowa City but they had a game and hotels were too expensive. In general the presence of Iowa and/or ISU gear in roadside rest stops and C-stores is not nearly on the level of Nebraska- where it felt like you could get NU gear anywhere along 80 in the state. Favorite stop was Fat Dogs in Neb whose slogan is "You Are In The Middle of Nowhere." And we were...

9) Driving a Honda CRV with tinted back windows, and wrinkled rear quarter panel, backseats down and packed to the roof and California plates is a cop magnet. I got pulled over in Joliet, Ill for "speeding" in a 55 MPH zone where I was being passed all over the place. Unmarked white Excursion- had apparently been trailing me for awhile. Officer told me that I was going 79....which was unlikely but possible....but others would have been going 85+....I was in the middle of the pack.

She also said that even though I used my turn signal- that I moved "too quickly" across two lanes after going through a toll scanner. Turns out she was a NARC, fishing for a reason to let her drug dog walk around our vehicle. She talked with us to get our story...then "invited me" to go into her truck to "have a conversation since it was too loud by the side of the road." Part of me thought that I had scene this in some low budget XX flicks- but she really just was interrogating me- rehashing the same info three different ways as she was printing out a "warning" for the 2 moving violations.

I was just happy to get off without a ticket- but she definitely targeted and profiled us. In doing some research on the officer she is a decorated state trooper. She and her dog "Trigger" have been in numerous articles etc and were Officers of the Year in 2020. I wonder how it would have gone had it been my son and another young person? What if we were people of color? In hindsight I appreciate her doing her work, but also felt violated....it was a speed trap without the intention of catching "speeders." In any case it was a 20 minute delay...that is all

10) Rural Indiana, Illnois and Ohio are interchangeable. Thought of Ohio Lion when I passed the Archbold exit...and Obli near Cleveland

11) The snow and rain that impacted the games yesterday sucked to drive through- especially the Western part of the PA turnpike- which was a marvel in 1940 but should be blown up now...all of the polish in the world won't fix that turd

12) PSU Football Radio Network coverage was awful...two weak stations around Pittsburgh and then nothing for awhile until we picked up 1210 WCAU from Philly in the Laurel Highlands.

13) Listening to Steve and Jack felt like "home" for the end of a long 3 days of driving! Saw some neat things. Got my son and his stuff home. Glad to live where I do.

"We Are!" was a highlight!
 
Tip for you, can download the PSU sports app and listen to all broadcasts free over your phone.
I was actually watching the start on my son's phone on Fox....pretty incredible technology to this late 50's old man...but then the signals got weak and the picture was buffering...easily found the game on the radio as we were near Cranberry. Some day I'll figure all of that out- thanks for the tip.
 
Sounds like a great road trip with your son. I have lived in Omaha since 1977. Both of my sons went to UNL and I have to say that the last 10 - 15 years of Husker football as humbled a lot of their fanbase. Most are still loyal to the Big Red but not nearly as obnoxious as they used to be. I guess being irrelevant will do that to you.
 
Drove 2111 miles with my son from Salt Lake City to SEPA from Thursday morning to last night. Some interesting tidbits:

1) Drove into Laramie Wyoming and looked around campus/ stadium/ bought a ball cap. Incredible setting for a game- very similar to BYU in terms of location- BUT 180 degrees polar opposite in terms of bars/ cowboy town! We had a local kid go to school there with the intention of playing football- but never did follow through. Someday I'd like to see a game there...

2) Driving over The Continental Divide with high winds and snow isn't fun. Saw at least 6 jackknifed tractor trailers and sat through some of the infamous closures near Rawlins for a bit. As soon as I finally decided to "check under the hood" to take a long overdue leak....of course the traffic started!

3) There was a whole lot of nothing along Wyoming Rt. 80 and it was oddly beautiful. Most find it "boring", which it is, but it is also wonderful too.

4) Cheyenne is a fun Cowboy town. Went out for beers/shots with the former student from above. Neat local scene. Wyoming Pork and Chop house was wonderful.

5) Windmills are everywhere- from Wyoming to Somerset PA

6) Stopped in downtown Lincoln for lunch and wore my PSU ski cap in just for fun. Got some looks but no comments. A woman at an adjacent table walked up to me on her way our and whispered something...kind of caught me off guard and I didn't really hear her. Then it dawned on me that she said "We Are." As she walked by the front window I smiled and waved and she pulled out her white PSU knit cap on a cold and blustery day. We Are indeed everywhere!

7) Took the obligatory shot of me on the steps of Memorial Stadium with said PSU ski cap and a #1 sign...

8) Was going to sleep in iowa City but they had a game and hotels were too expensive. In general the presence of Iowa and/or ISU gear in roadside rest stops and C-stores is not nearly on the level of Nebraska- where it felt like you could get NU gear anywhere along 80 in the state. Favorite stop was Fat Dogs in Neb whose slogan is "You Are In The Middle of Nowhere." And we were...

9) Driving a Honda CRV with tinted back windows, and wrinkled rear quarter panel, backseats down and packed to the roof and California plates is a cop magnet. I got pulled over in Joliet, Ill for "speeding" in a 55 MPH zone where I was being passed all over the place. Unmarked white Excursion- had apparently been trailing me for awhile. Officer told me that I was going 79....which was unlikely but possible....but others would have been going 85+....I was in the middle of the pack.

She also said that even though I used my turn signal- that I moved "too quickly" across two lanes after going through a toll scanner. Turns out she was a NARC, fishing for a reason to let her drug dog walk around our vehicle. She talked with us to get our story...then "invited me" to go into her truck to "have a conversation since it was too loud by the side of the road." Part of me thought that I had scene this in some low budget XX flicks- but she really just was interrogating me- rehashing the same info three different ways as she was printing out a "warning" for the 2 moving violations.

I was just happy to get off without a ticket- but she definitely targeted and profiled us. In doing some research on the officer she is a decorated state trooper. She and her dog "Trigger" have been in numerous articles etc and were Officers of the Year in 2020. I wonder how it would have gone had it been my son and another young person? What if we were people of color? In hindsight I appreciate her doing her work, but also felt violated....it was a speed trap without the intention of catching "speeders." In any case it was a 20 minute delay...that is all

10) Rural Indiana, Illnois and Ohio are interchangeable. Thought of Ohio Lion when I passed the Archbold exit...and Obli near Cleveland

11) The snow and rain that impacted the games yesterday sucked to drive through- especially the Western part of the PA turnpike- which was a marvel in 1940 but should be blown up now...all of the polish in the world won't fix that turd

12) PSU Football Radio Network coverage was awful...two weak stations around Pittsburgh and then nothing for awhile until we picked up 1210 WCAU from Philly in the Laurel Highlands.

13) Listening to Steve and Jack felt like "home" for the end of a long 3 days of driving! Saw some neat things. Got my son and his stuff home. Glad to live where I do.

"We Are!" was a highlight!
Wow, you went through a lot of enemy territory. Drove through Laramie and Cheyenne a month ago. It is strangely barren and beautiful. Thanks for the write up.
 
Wow, you went through a lot of enemy territory. Drove through Laramie and Cheyenne a month ago. It is strangely barren and beautiful. Thanks for the write up.
I found myself wondering why in the hell Elon Musk wants to create a colony on Mars when there is so much space in Wyoming...but I'm sure locals would rather send folks to space!
 
Drove 2111 miles with my son from Salt Lake City to SEPA from Thursday morning to last night. Some interesting tidbits:

1) Drove into Laramie Wyoming and looked around campus/ stadium/ bought a ball cap. Incredible setting for a game- very similar to BYU in terms of location- BUT 180 degrees polar opposite in terms of bars/ cowboy town! We had a local kid go to school there with the intention of playing football- but never did follow through. Someday I'd like to see a game there...

2) Driving over The Continental Divide with high winds and snow isn't fun. Saw at least 6 jackknifed tractor trailers and sat through some of the infamous closures near Rawlins for a bit. As soon as I finally decided to "check under the hood" to take a long overdue leak....of course the traffic started!

3) There was a whole lot of nothing along Wyoming Rt. 80 and it was oddly beautiful. Most find it "boring", which it is, but it is also wonderful too.

4) Cheyenne is a fun Cowboy town. Went out for beers/shots with the former student from above. Neat local scene. Wyoming Pork and Chop house was wonderful.

5) Windmills are everywhere- from Wyoming to Somerset PA

6) Stopped in downtown Lincoln for lunch and wore my PSU ski cap in just for fun. Got some looks but no comments. A woman at an adjacent table walked up to me on her way our and whispered something...kind of caught me off guard and I didn't really hear her. Then it dawned on me that she said "We Are." As she walked by the front window I smiled and waved and she pulled out her white PSU knit cap on a cold and blustery day. We Are indeed everywhere!

7) Took the obligatory shot of me on the steps of Memorial Stadium with said PSU ski cap and a #1 sign...

8) Was going to sleep in iowa City but they had a game and hotels were too expensive. In general the presence of Iowa and/or ISU gear in roadside rest stops and C-stores is not nearly on the level of Nebraska- where it felt like you could get NU gear anywhere along 80 in the state. Favorite stop was Fat Dogs in Neb whose slogan is "You Are In The Middle of Nowhere." And we were...

9) Driving a Honda CRV with tinted back windows, and wrinkled rear quarter panel, backseats down and packed to the roof and California plates is a cop magnet. I got pulled over in Joliet, Ill for "speeding" in a 55 MPH zone where I was being passed all over the place. Unmarked white Excursion- had apparently been trailing me for awhile. Officer told me that I was going 79....which was unlikely but possible....but others would have been going 85+....I was in the middle of the pack.

She also said that even though I used my turn signal- that I moved "too quickly" across two lanes after going through a toll scanner. Turns out she was a NARC, fishing for a reason to let her drug dog walk around our vehicle. She talked with us to get our story...then "invited me" to go into her truck to "have a conversation since it was too loud by the side of the road." Part of me thought that I had scene this in some low budget XX flicks- but she really just was interrogating me- rehashing the same info three different ways as she was printing out a "warning" for the 2 moving violations.

I was just happy to get off without a ticket- but she definitely targeted and profiled us. In doing some research on the officer she is a decorated state trooper. She and her dog "Trigger" have been in numerous articles etc and were Officers of the Year in 2020. I wonder how it would have gone had it been my son and another young person? What if we were people of color? In hindsight I appreciate her doing her work, but also felt violated....it was a speed trap without the intention of catching "speeders." In any case it was a 20 minute delay...that is all

10) Rural Indiana, Illnois and Ohio are interchangeable. Thought of Ohio Lion when I passed the Archbold exit...and Obli near Cleveland

11) The snow and rain that impacted the games yesterday sucked to drive through- especially the Western part of the PA turnpike- which was a marvel in 1940 but should be blown up now...all of the polish in the world won't fix that turd

12) PSU Football Radio Network coverage was awful...two weak stations around Pittsburgh and then nothing for awhile until we picked up 1210 WCAU from Philly in the Laurel Highlands.

13) Listening to Steve and Jack felt like "home" for the end of a long 3 days of driving! Saw some neat things. Got my son and his stuff home. Glad to live where I do.

"We Are!" was a highlight!
Thanks for sharing....driving across country is the best. I have been pulled over due to profiling many times. Such BS.
 
I lived in northeast Wyoming for almost eight years and saw all of the state while living there. What I miss most are the starry nights that are unbelievably clear and crisp. I don't miss the wind. I now live on the gulf coast in Florida and after these past two hurricane near misses, we got several calls from back there to see if we were ok. My response was ,"..a good bit of rain, but the wind was barely Wyoming grade"
 
I lived in northeast Wyoming for almost eight years and saw all of the state while living there. What I miss most are the starry nights that are unbelievably clear and crisp. I don't miss the wind. I now live on the gulf coast in Florida and after these past two hurricane near misses, we got several calls from back there to see if we were ok. My response was ,"..a good bit of rain, but the wind was barely Wyoming grade"
In my limited time there the wind was formidable......got windburn on my face from simply pumping gas and walking back and forth from C stores for soft drinks/coffee. Most places near the Divide were out of window washer fluid and their outside squeegees were all frozen. My LA based son had crappy wipers...I flipped out on him but he logically said "Dad...it never rains in So Cal so it didn't matter." That changed when the snow was flying at high altitude...

We pulled off onto one of those small exits with an old fashioned Gas Station/Grocery Store and 2 pumps that was located next to the only restaurant/saloon maybe in the county. As we finished trading out the wipers we were delayed getting back onto I 80. A crew of cowboys riding ATVs were moving cattle down the road, under the highway to a pasture on the southern side. It was crazy and funny at the same time. Two school busses were caught in the middle of the mayhem....ATVs revving, cowboys yelling, cows trotting....we just smiled and enjoyed a slice of Americana. There was maybe 300+ head of cattle moving....really neat sight.

I have a former business colleague who grew up in Riverton. He loved his childhood, skied a ton in Jackson, ended up going to Georgetown as highly competitive schools try and get kids from every state- and he was in the upper 5% of Wyoming kids. He had lots of great college choices....

He eventually worked for the US Ski and Snowboard team and an NBA franchise. Guy lives in Park City and his folks are still up the road in Wyoming. I'm glad I got to experience it- I had no real preconceived notion- but ended up having a great (albeit short) visit.
 
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Turns out she was a NARC, fishing for a reason to let her drug dog walk around our vehicle.

It's very common. I got pulled over in South Carolina going south to work in Florida. January '10. Car was covered in slush, mud, and salt (it was snowing in Virginia) and when the cop scared the fast lane traffic into dropping from 70 to 45 abruptly, he just happened to think I was "following traffic too close" and pulled me over.

After the typical traffic stop questioning, he them hit me with the "do you have any alcohol, drugs, or large amounts of cash in excess of $5000 in the vehicle." He then asked me to get out and asked how well I trusted my passenger (fellow railroad guy, carpooling to work for the week with me).

Eventually, he quipped that my buddy needed to put his seat belt on and we could go. I don't think he checked my license, but I may have forgotten that. Definitely thought I was going to the Florida pill mill doctors as was common at the time. Used to travel quite a bit. One of the more unusual occurrences.
 
In my limited time there the wind was formidable......got windburn on my face from simply pumping gas and walking back and forth from C stores for soft drinks/coffee. Most places near the Divide were out of window washer fluid and their outside squeegees were all frozen. My LA based son had crappy wipers...I flipped out on him but he logically said "Dad...it never rains in So Cal so it didn't matter." That changed when the snow was flying at high altitude...

We pulled off onto one of those small exits with an old fashioned Gas Station/Grocery Store and 2 pumps that was located next to the only restaurant/saloon maybe in the county. As we finished trading out the wipers we were delayed getting back onto I 80. A crew of cowboys riding ATVs were moving cattle down the road, under the highway to a pasture on the southern side. It was crazy and funny at the same time. Two school busses were caught in the middle of the mayhem....ATVs revving, cowboys yelling, cows trotting....we just smiled and enjoyed a slice of Americana. There was maybe 300+ head of cattle moving....really neat sight.

I have a former business colleague who grew up in Riverton. He loved his childhood, skied a ton in Jackson, ended up going to Georgetown as highly competitive schools try and get kids from every state- and he was in the upper 5% of Wyoming kids. He had lots of great college choices....

He eventually worked for the US Ski and Snowboard team and an NBA franchise. Guy lives in Park City and his folks are still up the road in Wyoming. I'm glad I got to experience it- I had no real preconceived notion- but ended up having a great (albeit short) visit.
After living out west in Wyoming and Colorado I advised people to send their children east to school and for those back east to send their children out west. You learn so much living in different parts of the country. I guess i should add living in Australia to that equation
 
After living out west in Wyoming and Colorado I advised people to send their children east to school and for those back east to send their children out west. You learn so much living in different parts of the country. I guess i should add living in Australia to that equation
Maybe suggest coastal schools vs fly over country schools. That would be cultural shock.
 
In my limited time there the wind was formidable......got windburn on my face from simply pumping gas and walking back and forth from C stores for soft drinks/coffee. Most places near the Divide were out of window washer fluid and their outside squeegees were all frozen. My LA based son had crappy wipers...I flipped out on him but he logically said "Dad...it never rains in So Cal so it didn't matter." That changed when the snow was flying at high altitude...

We pulled off onto one of those small exits with an old fashioned Gas Station/Grocery Store and 2 pumps that was located next to the only restaurant/saloon maybe in the county. As we finished trading out the wipers we were delayed getting back onto I 80. A crew of cowboys riding ATVs were moving cattle down the road, under the highway to a pasture on the southern side. It was crazy and funny at the same time. Two school busses were caught in the middle of the mayhem....ATVs revving, cowboys yelling, cows trotting....we just smiled and enjoyed a slice of Americana. There was maybe 300+ head of cattle moving....really neat sight.

I have a former business colleague who grew up in Riverton. He loved his childhood, skied a ton in Jackson, ended up going to Georgetown as highly competitive schools try and get kids from every state- and he was in the upper 5% of Wyoming kids. He had lots of great college choices....

He eventually worked for the US Ski and Snowboard team and an NBA franchise. Guy lives in Park City and his folks are still up the road in Wyoming. I'm glad I got to experience it- I had no real preconceived notion- but ended up having a great (albeit short) visit.
One final point about the wind. When the hoisted flag was still, we assumed the wind was blowing downward
 
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