After a few detours in the mountains of North Carolina with some very ‘interesting‘ drivers who have kept us on our toes, we had arrived in Ashwill, a new town, where we thought we would stay for the night. This wasn’t meant to be, and by the time it was dark we found ourselves 150km away having dinner at a truck stop. Louise kept running to the trucks which we could see refuelling from where we were eating. Finally she was lucky, while Franca was still sitting on a rock chewing her food. Matt, a 22 year old trucker, was happy to help a girl in need, and was even happier when he found out that she wasn’t accompanied by a dog, but by a second girl. Matt was convinced that his flat-bed truck would make a comfortable bed for us and we then joined him to eat at a Mexican place.

Franca had mixed feelings about presenting herself as a tasty sleeping-bag-ready-meal amongst all those parked trucks. She would have been happier to camp in the forest. However we followed his suggestion and after a long discussion set up our tent on the back of his truck to sleep. In the early hours we set off for Toledo and he told us everything about life as an American trucker – 1400 miles with two tanks, 200 Dollars for every 500 miles, seven weeks work and then eight days off. Sadly, Matt was sacked two days later because we were too much of a presence on the camera which permanently records in the driver’s cabin.

We made it right on time to Toledo, where we met with Charlyn and Jack for the next leg of the journey north to Detroit. In Detroit there was a big exhibition opening with lots of famous glass artist.