ok, so it turns out that stephan was right about grackles- on the news tonight it was reported that west nile virus has been found in 2 dead grackles in some rural location in ky- west nile virus rarely kills humans according to this report- jst flu like symptoms. of course, it appears to be deadly to grackles.......

stephan called tonight- he and ernst rode 61 miles today. they had a bit of excitement yesterday while still driving on the interstate- someone was smoking outside the reststop bathrooms, and through a lit cigarette into the bushes, and started a fire- right there in front of ernst and stephan- they helped the staff put it out, but not before there was a large patch of grass left in charred ruins. stephan said that everything is very dry- they are actually in wyoming- they started the colorado ride across the border- for reasons known only to themselves..he was mostly interested in the cracker barrel openign- i forgot to tell him about the dog burial....maybe next time.