As I drive across the US I'm constantly amazed at the diversity of the terrain, the weather, and the architecture. But with Independence Day approaching I started to think about just how much freedom we have and how little we take advantage of it... at least in some respects.

Last week I was motoring south on I-75 through Cincinnati. I was ready for lunch but couldn't find a Skyline Chili open yet, so I kept going. Finally, at about 11:30 as I cruised through Erlanger, KY I couldn't wait any longer and pulled into Dixie Chili. Chili is a big deal in the Midwest, and I know lots of folks who spend their weekends and lunch hours sampling the different chili variations. While I love the food, I don't have the time do all the work of finding and testing myself, so I rely on people who are more experienced in the genre... my own kind of outsourcing.

I've been on hiatus for the last few weeks. Actually, I've taken some personal time in between consulting appointments and I foolishly decided to fly rather than use my normal mode of transport; driving. I reasoned that the distance involved made it more economical to fly, considering stopping for meals and paying for lodging on the coast-to-coast trip. I also thought that I would get to the California North Coast faster even though I would still have to rent a car and drive the remaining three hours to Mendocino. I was wrong.