Tires humming beneath me, chewing up endless miles as they roll west. The loneliness of the small hours of the morning, the only company my four-legged companions snoring contentedly in the back, and the music - Tom Petty, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, all whose lyrics I belt out at the top of my lungs, windows down to let the cool air wash over me and keep me alert.
Gas stops pared down to minutes - fill the tank, let the dogs stretch their legs, grab a drink to make sure caffeine levels remain high enough