Welcome to the River cities (river cities) 10.12.01

With the threat of further terrorist attacks on the American homeland looming and considering I had not left C.B. since I got here for anything longer than it takes to see "Memento," I decided to roadtrip it last weekend.
I was long overdue to visit friends in the Quad Cities so what better time to hit the highway.
I drive a sweet 1986, powder blue Chevy Caprice Classic. I know, I know. Impressive. It is a slow cruiser, the kind of wheels a man can do some big pimpin' in up and down broadway going 35 or 40 m.p.h.
Sure the ladies like it and I look cool behind the wheel, but my hoopte has way more than 100,000 miles on her. Constant cruising speeds of 65 to 85 m.p.h. make her use more oil than the road cast of "Grease" so I decided to rent.
When it comes to driving 10 hours at night at high speeds, I like the kind of security I get from a brand new rental car.
The last thing I need while driving long distances on a short vacation is to end up on the side of the road waiting for some towtruck driver from Keokuk to decide how much he can overcharge me for the honor of hauling me back to his service station to then charge me $100 for a $10 part.
No, for me renting a 2002 LeSabre is as much a part of the mini-vacation as the destination. No car worries, air-conditioned comfort, a tape player, a 2-litre of Mountain Dew and some shades... what more could a modern nomad ask for besides a bladder that can go more than an hour between stops?
I went to visit Pete and Denise Church of Davenport. Pete is formerly of Council Bluffs, my old college roommate and my attorney should I ever get into legal trouble while I am actually IN the Quad Cities.
What a town. I had been there a couple of times prior, but I had never been there with my own wheels able to cruise the lanes peering into every corner.
The Q.C. is four towns Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island and Moline, the first two in Iowa, the last two in Illinois. But the really cool thing about the Quad Cities is the people there do not spend much time caring about which side is Iowa and which side is Illinois.
All four have something to offer the whole and rather than nitpick, people just appreciate the whole thing. I went to The District in Rock Island for a microbrew and Biagge's in Davenport for Italian cuisine that is the finest this side of New York. I hit a Hardee's in Bettendorf and cruised the airport in Moline. At no time in the Quad Cities will you hear anyone from one of these towns slag off the others. The local affiliates are on both sides of the river and talk about soldiers from Iowa and Illinois or Quad Cities residents without rancor or division. That is pretty cool and quite a contrast to what we have here in the Omaha/Council Bluffs metropolitan area.
I think it's the name. That little slash between Omaha and Council Bluffs is just a symbol of division.
What this area needs is name like "The Quad Cities" or "The Twin Cities" or "Siouxland." We need a name that says, "We are all in this together" and "This is one big happy metro area and I would no sooner insult my neighbor than myself."
I propose something hip and forward thinking as well. This is the 21st Century after all and if this name is to stick, it must have an enduring classy quality to it .
How about "The River Cities," we could shorten it to R.C. "Where you going, Ethel?"
"I'm going up to the R.C. to do a little gambling, maybe see a show, and you?"
"Why I enjoy going to the River Cities for its rich pioneer history, great shopping and go-go clubs."
If you're like me (and I know I am), the R.C. would be a cool place to hang out where people on both sides of the river are cool and just like being apart of a community that spans two states and has lots to offer in the way of microbreweries, gambling, dog racing, international cuisine and reasonably priced hotels.
In the summer, we could have "River Cities" days and invite folks from the area to come and celebrate our specialness and new R.C. identity with a carnival and special musical guests like Boz Skaggs, Kansas and Journey.
And by calling ourselves the River Cities, we don't leave out Carter Lake, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Ralston or any of the fringe communities we might annex later on.
Many would seek to enter into our new and unique pack mentality.
So hop on board R.C. people. It's time for a new identity for a new millennium.
God bless America and the R.C.!
-Greg Jerrett is a Nonpareil staff writer. He may be contacted at 328-1811 ext. 279 or by e-mail at gjerrett@nonpareilonline.com.