The deal

So on the way up to Chicago for the Fourth of July, I called up Brandon and told him The Deal. That basically, I've decided to be really positive about the move to Indy. I'm not that thrilled about having to leave Pittsburgh -- although I'm sure I can find a Steelers bar out here -- but such is life. I'm going to make the most of it. In that vein, we made a little deal:

Everytime I complain about something relating to Indiana or Indy or being far away from friends and family, I have to note the day/time/complaint and attach it to a dollar. Then put that whole bit into a jar. After three years, Brandon gets the jar.

He's already got a dollar.

So I'm driving up to Chicago and there's a toll (turns out that I didn't have to take the toll road, but whatever). Anyway, the toll is for 15 cents. They're making me stop for 15 damn cents. And, most annoyingly, they don't take my beloved EZPass. I feel that this was a legitimate reason to be outraged.

There are other uh, "things that are noticeably missing" from Indy, but I'm not going to complain. I'm simply going to point them out:

• No Sheetz or Wawa. So no touch-screen magic for lunch.
• No Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts (that I can find)
• No place like Shadyside (again, that I can find -- there's still much aimless driving to do)

There are a lot of things to like, the biggest of which is how bike-friendly the roads are. Unlike Pittsburgh with its potholes, traffic lights and narrow streets, the streets here are wide, smooth and flat. And out in Carmel where we live, you can ride for about a mile and suddenly end up in Lancaster-like country with open fields, less traffic and a total lack of traffic lights.