Nomad Life - Day 369

The Election Night Results watching last night did not make today very easy...  Even worse, I woke up at 0550 (before alarm) because a large truck started its engines just outside my door (I could smell the exhaust fumes).  Hoping to stay in some kind of a routine, I resisted the urge to try to go back to sleep and started teleworking immediately.  Like yesterday, I skipped breakfast in my room at Nendels Inn & Suites (Dodge City) but decided not to repeat my full day of not eating.  Instead, I worked until 1250 and left the hotel so I could have a real meal.  It was 65 F and sunny (very little breeze) during my short drive to the nearby "Miss Kitty's Cafe" (recommended by the hotel clerk).  At the lunch counter, I ordered the special ("Fajita Lunch") and eagerly consumed the first "real" food I'd had in a few days.  When I was done eating, I returned to my room to continue teleworking (1320).  Since I'd interrupted a project before I'd gone to eat, I stayed online until 1600.  I did feel better, though, when I departed the Nendels Inn just after that.  Initially, I drove north (up Boot Hill) and found a parking lot at the north end of Speirs Park.  The weather was great (67 F, sunny, no breeze).  From my car, I walked south on a cement path and, eventually, entered Chilton Park.  Along the way, I passed lots of signs and monuments that described the local history (Indian treaties, Chiton, Atkinson, etc.).  It appeared that the entire system in the area was covered under the umbrella of "Gunsmoke Trail."  When I reached the end of the local trail, I turned around (south end of second park) and walked all the way back to my car.  Not feeling ready to be done, I crossed over 14th Avenue and went walking on the campus of Dodge City Community College.  The sun was already dipping behind some terrain in the west by the time I got back to my car the second time (1710).  I should add that I reached 2.3 miles of walking and had a lot of good species to add to my eBird after this outdoor exercise.  It was time to do some errands!  To this end, I made my way to a nearby Walmart and did some grocery shopping.  After I was done (1730), I was leaving the huge parking lot and noticed the cheapest gas price I’ve seen in a long time ($3.81) at Murphy Gas.  Of course, I had to stop to fill up tank.  By then, the mileage gauge on my dashboard said 35.0 mpg (a manual calculation said 33.1 mpg)!  With food and fuel taking care of, I next drove to where I’d heard (online) that there was free air: Dodge City Motors.  When I arrived, however,  I found out from the nice young man who worked there (Luis) that the business had donated a compressor to the nearby VFW (that's where the free air was available).  Perhaps it was because he was about to close and was in a charitable mood but Luis ended providing me the necessary air "top off" for free.  We ended up talking (about life in Dodge City, the cattle business nearby and the oil rigs I'd been seeing).  As I've found with most young people I've met during the Nomad Life, Luis was very interested in my car, my process of deciding where to go next and how I passed my days.  Some interesting things I learned (or clarified) during this talk: National Beef (the huge meat production silos located right net to my hotel) and Cargill Meat Solutions (also in Dodge City) are apparently are connected with 20% of the Nation's supply; 13,000 cows are slaughtered in those local facilities every day; the holding yards ("feed lots") I'd been passing over the previous day were all connected to the "draw" for beef that is required each morning.  What a production!  I left from this great interaction feeling very nice - until I got the TPMS light (30 psi) as I drove away...  Oh well!  I next stopped at Dodge City Brewing and, once inside, ordered a flight of six beers (1815).  I'd already tried their 1872 Lager (yesterday at the Boot Hill Museum) and it was nice to try several more.  They were all great!  The brewery also seemed to be a locally popular source of wood-fired pizza - everyone else had at least one pie on their table.  But I was still feeling relatively full from my lunch at that point.  When I was done with my beer tasting, I drove over to the VFW and found the free air that Luis and I had earlier discussed - I was quickly able to get rid of the dashboard warning light (whew).  Since Mollie had asked if we could talk about a job situation she was having, I called her and we talked for about 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, I'd repositioned to the Central Station Bar & Grill (another place recommended by the staff at my hotel).  After wrapping up with my daughter, I went inside and ordered a club sandwich, chased down with a Michelob AmberBock (strangely, this was the first time I've had that drink).  On the TV, I noticed an NBA game and I got sucked into it, despite my best efforts.  The locals, who I normally end up talking to in these scenarios, were congregated with the lady bartender at the opposite end of the bar - so no local flair this evening...  Still, the restaurant had a good vibe and the food was good.  When I was done eating (2000), I went walking nearby at the old train depot (but they still have limited Amtrak service, I discovered).  Once back in my car, I arrived back at my hotel by 2015.  At that point, I still hadn't reached my step count goal for the day so continued walking until I reached four miles (2040).  In my room again, I did some Duolingo exercises and then watched movies until bedtime (2315).  Another good day in Dodge City!