Love's is a truck stop/travel center for those of you unfamiliar...or more prone to appreciating your local Flying J. It's amazing how much I notice a simple thing like not being able to buy gas from a recognizable company. It's nothing like the cross-cultural shock of trying to find gas in a foreign country -- don't get me wrong -- but there's still something oddly unsettling going from one unfamiliar commercial establishment to another.

I'm sitting in the Arby's eating section at Love's, about 20 miles outside of Nashville. I took a short nap in the parking lot and will now catalogue for you the pros and cons I discovered this afternoon while traveling sans Bertha:

Pro: I can whip along at 75 and pass at will. I also went through traffic in Birmingham without white knuckles.
Con: I have to stop and find a public restroom which may or may not be sub-par.
Pro: I filled the gas tank for less than $100.
Con: Pretzeled in the front seat under the baking windshield, my catnap was of a lesser quality than I've become accustomed to.
Pro: While the car was on cruise control I didn't almost get up and grab an apple from the kitchen, which I unfortunately almost did once in Bertha.
Con: I'm lingering under the apprehension that I've forgotten something since I'm not accompanied by my entire household. ;)