July, 2002

(Ok, that settles it then).

MM 0: Westford, MA-East Hartford, CT (MM 103)

6/29/02 — Decided to drop off the dog in East Hartford (Scott's parents) a day early, and stay overnight there. Gave us a chance to see the folks, and cut a 100 miles and a couple of hours off the trip. Nice dinner in a neighboring town. Early to bed, early to rise.

MM 103: East Hartford-Staunton, VA (MM 645)

Kutztown
 

6/30/02 — Despite a 7:30am planned departure, we finally got off right around 8:00. As lunchtime neared, Scott spotted Kutztown, PA's weeklong "German Festival". Seemed like a fine place to find a bratwurst or something. Well, we weren't the only ones with this idea. After driving 10 miles or so to the thriving metropolis, we were met with traffic jams, police coordinating parking... it was a mess. Access to the fairgrounds was $9.00 per person; not a retirement breaker, but we thought it a bit much on top of the cost of a sausage. We instructed our trusty GPS to get us back on the road. She (don't ask) went slightly berserk, sending us this way and back, that way and this... an hour or so net of our getting off the road we were finally "found" again. It was now about 1:15 in the afternoon, and we still hadn't eaten. She would fail us again, before the trip was over.

Along comes... Hershey PA. Kathy hadn't been there before (it's been 20+ years for Scott), it almost had to have a place for a picnic (we'd brought food). Found "Hershey World" without GPS incident — but we weren't looking for an amusement park. Aha! "Hershey Gardens". "What will it cost?", we wonder. We're Pensioners, after all. The threshold was set at $5 each; but the cost was $6. Well, so far we've saved $15 each on amusements today. That'll pay for a week of meals in Thailand. We pulled into their lovely parking lot, spied a lovely tree on lovely grass mere feet from our parking spot, and commenced to have lunch. All it needed was a jug of wine.

West Virginia... a new state for both of us. It's a beautiful state but we're just loping off a corner of it and just from the highway. Maybe we'll give it a better viewing another time.

Virginia... for Lovers, perhaps, but not for radar detectors. Against the law. "Robert E. Lee didn't own no ray-dar detecter!", we fantasize the Trooper explaining to us. We slow down a bit (haven't been speed demons in any case) and secret the new detector in the car's map pocket. It'd already saved Scott's butt the first day it was put to use in New Hampshire, so we'll probably keep it. Technology so enriches our lives, when its not busy making a mockery of it. "There is more to life than increasing its speed"

Staunton, VA is our resting spot for the evening. We'd hoped to get a little further, but we really don't have to be anywhere else, it only affects the amount of time we can spend at points further down the line. Scott had purchased (updated from the '79 trip) a book called "Roadfood", "The coast-to-Coast Guide to 500 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners and Much More". It brought us to Mrs. Rowe's Family Diner, which closes at 7 on Sundays (we arrived at 7:30), then to a drive-in burger joint. It was "an interesting cultural experience"; the burger wasn't bad, either.

MM 645: Staunton, VA-Asheville, NC (MM 1019)

[The Big Watering Can, I guess (Asheville?)]
We drove down a couple-hundred miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's really beautiful, but there are perhaps hundreds of hair-pin curves, fabulous if hair-raising in a new BMW, but at several points we ended up behind folks doing 25 or 30mph, which can get pretty dreary after an hour or so. For most of the ride tho' there was practically nobody else on the road. It was a bit spooky. We're glad we did it, and thank Kathy's sister Joan and her husband Jeff, for recommending the parkway so whole-heartedly. They bicycled it  (twice, both north and south-bound), which explains (partly) why they have leg muscles the size of Virginia hams.

At the end (of the road; of Scott's patience) was Asheville, North Carolina. We were both fried from the trip. We pulled into a wine shop (it's 6:55, closes at 7), bought a nice bottle of Merlot, and for dinner we basically nibbled the cheese we had, and some slices of ham; pickles — and the entire bottle of wine.

MM 1019: Asheville-Birmingham, AL (MM 1389)

[They don't have signs like this, in our parks (Chattanooga)]

Back to highway driving, we departed Asheville at a civilized hour, picked up picnic-lunch stuff for our cooler, then stopped in Chattanooga TN in the mid-afternoon for a bite at a riverside park. Tonight we're in Birmingham, AL. Tomorrow is our first real "destination" - we'll be at the Honeycomb Suites, Gladewater, TX. The South is, well, hot in the Summer, and as we get deeper into it, the temp readout in the car continually rises until it hits the 100 degree mark. The aircon works smashingly, however.

MM 1389: Birmingham-Gladewater, TX (MM 2002)

We were betrayed by a Seductress, who's been hitching a ride in the car all this way. Throughout the trip, she has guided Kathy and I to our destinations, giving us the "best" routes from city to city. Up until today. Beast.

Today we gave her (this "lady" is our GPS system; "she" speaks directions in a female voice) our next stop — Gladewater, TX. And she dutifully routed us there. The route seemed a bit odd, heading a bit north before going south and west. We'd have thought the best route would be south then west, but we (read: Scott) gave her the benefit of the doubt, over-riding Kathy's good sense to double check. Big mistake.

Well, turns out she had a joy-ride in mind today, and it took us an extra two hours — about 150 miles — out of our way. The trip to Gladewater took about 12 hours. Scott was exhausted by that point but we stayed at the bride & groom's house for a couple of hours before finally getting to bed after midnight. We'd started the day (in Birmingham) around 8am.

Gladewater — the Big Event(s)

In past years (two times before), we've flown to Gladewater to be with our diving friends for a party around the 4th of July (this is Texas; it's a big deal). But this one was extra special; as our Hostess and Host got married on July 6th. The "4th" celebration was lovely (we even made the boat parade this year — first time) — and the wedding was just wonderful, with all the kids (and a few loaners) serving all the important roles (Ushers, Bride-giver-away, ring-bearer). A reception followed, and it was extra special for two reasons: we hadn't really had a reception of our own (so we borrowed Nancy & Charlie's), and our Innkeepers Bill & Susan were having their 30th anniversary that day, too! We sat with them at the reception, talked food and travel and travel and food and innkeeping. It was a great time.

MM 2002: Gladewater-Little Rock, AR (MM 2277)

Little Rock is the world headquarters of Heifer International, a charitable organization about-which we've waxed poetic a number of times (wedding gifts, first visit, Chiang Mai II) in this website. They deserve it. We stop here for three days to visit our wonderful friends (there we go again) Terry and Judy (on the right side of this photo), and to discuss volunteer opportunities in their international arena. Scott had one meeting then skipped town the next morning; Kathy stayed on two more days and had more great interactions with the staff.

Scott scored a sinus infection along the way, so he's pretty miserable but coping at the moment while driving 400 miles/day. Kathy flies to Chicago on 7/11 to meet him on their way back home. Our GPS (screen at left/above) continues to amuse.

MM 2277: Little Rock-Kansas City, KS (MM 2720)

Scott made it from Little Rock to "KCK" in about 7 hours, pretty good time because we'd been warned it could be a 10 hour drive, and he stopped 3 times and took a scenic detour to boot. He now understands why 1st class hotels are inexpensive in KC in the summer; that number at right isn't twice Scott's IQ, isn't the "proof" of his fancy gin — it's the outside temperature in the late afternoon, according to the car.

While Kathy was being wined and dined by Heifer dignitaries, Scott drank fine beer and ate excellent beef with his ex-Astral Point buddies in KC. Worth the trip, even just for the buds. The only downside to all this was he didn't make it back to his room until about 11:30pm, was still up at 1am, and had a 7am breakfast with just-as-nice-as-his-parents small-wonder, Andy Wollen. A good soul (which is not at all surprising).

MM 2720:Kansas City-Davenport, IA (MM 3095)

[It may be sunny and dry in Kansas, Toto, but I think it's going to rain on Iowa. (It did).]

The plains (OK, Iowa) were just beautiful (really! after the clouds dissipated) to cross today, and Davenport — what a nice town! Davenport is one of the "Quad Cities" (Bettendorf IA, Moline IL, Davenport IA and... who knows). The cities have both the Mississippi and the Rock River running thru, at least one casino, what looks like a vibrant riverfront — which I'm not out enjoying because the heavens are about to open and pummel at least one of those quad cities. Tomorrow I pick up Kathy in Chicago; it's only supposed to be a 2 1/2 hour drive from here, so even if I allow a little extra time I've still got the morning to look around. What this hotel (Clarion) lacks in "outside" care (the common areas are kind of beat up) it makes up for in character: my room lacked a phone (jack yes, telephone instrument no). I asked at the Front Desk and when one didn't appear after a while I went back down, and pointed out that I'd have called to ask about it... but I didn't have a phone. The Manager got the joke and said she would find me one, and not only found me a phone, but found me in the hotel (Laundry room). She said "we can go to install it anytime you want"; I suggested that after six years in the Telecom industry, I felt I could probably plug in a phone — so she happily handed me the phone, and I went up and plugged it in. Meanwhile (photo right), this phone-less room does have a microwave oven — but it was just sitting on the floor. Fortunately I didn't need to iron anything. We adapt.

MM 3095: Davenport-Chicago-Ann Arbor, MI

The morning brings a bright blue sky, temperatures in the low 70s, and gentle breezes.

I wish. It's the one day I've got a couple of spare hours for some exercise, and a pretty place to take it, and it's grey and pissing rain. Are we annoyed? Read the paper, check the email, update the web, drive to Chicago. Sigh.

You read it here first: the GPS says it's 2:35 to Chicago Midway Airport; Kathy's flight is due at 1:15pm. If I allow an extra 15 minutes for slack time, and half an hour in advance (park; more slack time) — my lovely wife will not be kept waiting (and if she is, it's the GPS's fault). I'll leave at 10am — unless I get my act together earlier.

Well, the scheduled pickup of Kathy at Chicago Midway airport went without a hitch, 'cept for her flight was about 10 minutes early — had I not been as well, we might have "misconnected'. Midway is a pretty big airport now, choc-a-bloc with signs that hope to mitigate the confusing set of entrances and exits, elevators and escalators, passengers and pick-ups all going about their ways, as if no one else mattered and no one else was more important.

The trip to Ann Arbor was fine, it was nice to have company in the car and yet at the same time I (Scott) missed the solitude offered The Lone Driver, where I could stop when I felt like it, crank the stereo — and throw used tissues in the space once again occupied. On the other hand, she's cute.

We had a nice escorted tour around the University of Michigan campus, where most of Kathy's family (save for herself and her brother) attended, and my Dad as well — both our Dads in the same curriculum, a couple of years apart. Kathy's sister Joan and her husband Jeff both work at that campus, and each showed us their respective work areas and favorite spots. Its a beautiful campus and it was nice to get out and do something, rather than the combination of lengthy drives interspersed with bacchanalia.

We decided that rather than staying a 2nd night with Joan and Jeff, we'd head on to Niagara Falls that afternoon. Also an uneventful if long drive, with a wrong turn or two around Detroit, just before entering Canada, we arrived in the early evening.

Ann Arbor-Niagara Falls, Ontario

Kathy'd made a number of phone calls around the Detroit area (good thing we gotten lost so she had the extra time before entering Canada with that cell phone, no?). Seemed difficult to find a hotel room in Niagara for less than about US$150 plus taxes. Ultimately we compromised on our lifelong (ok maybe just 15 minutes or so) dream of a Niagara hotel with a with a big, heart shaped Jacuzzi for us almost-newlyweds. Kathy booked us into the Best Western, a promising-looking, new property just a couple of miles from the falls. No heart-shaped Jacuzzi, just a CDN $130 (with tax — about US$75) rate. We were crushed of course, but accepted dashed hopes in exchange for a room rate that wasn't in the stratosphere.  Then, fate interceded!

When we arrived at the Best Western, the Front Desk Clerk told us that alas, a water pipe had recently burst in the hotel and made a mess of quite a few rooms (including ours', apparently). But... they'd already made an arrangement with the Hampton Inn, just down the road. The Hampton (a nicer place; Kathy'd already checked, but no rooms within our grasp) had its own set of problems ("our key encoder broke, they're bringing one in from Toronto") — but we got a room — with the heart-shaped tub. Swoon!

Both of us were pretty beat, Scott more-so because he'd driven all the way but wanted to have one "really nice" meal sometime on this trip — and we were quickly running out of trip). We both agreed on the Marriott Hotel's "Terrapin Lounge" restaurant. It promised (and delivered) a great view of the Falls and their fireworks — but most aspects of the dinner were just mediocre. Kathy complained quite gently about her meal (Scott's was fine if unremarkable), and they removed the price of her entree from the bill. That left us with CDN $135 — for one meal and a large carafe of also mediocre wine. That's forty bucks for an entree and another forty for a $8 carafe of wine. As I (Scott) write this we're almost home (but that's a story for the "final" chapter coming up next) — and I'm pondering how we can "make it up to ourselves" by having a really nice meal back home. Of course, we are headed for Tuscany in another week...

And yes, Kathy is driving as I type. This is in fact only the 2nd time I've asked her to drive since we started, 4209 miles ago. Let's not go into why.

Niagara Falls-Westford

We woke up late, around 9am, and scurried to pack up, get something to eat, and head to the "centre of the action" (we're on the Canada side, remember, they spell stuff funny, and their money isn't worth very much). Kathy wanted to revisit the "Maid of the Mist" boat she'd been on 20 years earlier, which takes a couple-hundred blue-rain-poncho-clad-Tourists at a shot, literally within spitting distance (the Falls are doing the spitting) of the base of both the Niagara and Horseshoe Falls. It was really an interesting experience: it's one thing to gaze at the "pretty" Falls from the shore, another entirely to feel the power of it from a yards, err, metres, away. Afterwards we walked the kilometre (are we not tres international?) or so to where the car was parked, eyeing the Falls and the polyglot of Tourists along the way. Got to the car, popped the GPS onto the dash for the final time this trip, and headed East.

Which is where we find ourselves at this moment. The GPS says we'll be home by 8:00pm, it's about a 500-mile day, but one that gets us home a full day earlier than planned.

Epitaph

We had fun. We drove too much (of the total time). We didn't kill each other. The car didn't break down, it didn't get damaged (might have a new paint-nick or two, and it's filthy). We visited with friends and relations in four states, and traversed 18 states* , and the Province of Ontario. Perhaps that ratio would have been better reversed. Despite our whining about the GPS, it was actually a wonderful tool, and we'd be lost without it (instead, we just go in circles sometimes).

Would we do it again? Sure. Would do repeat it just so? No. Less stuff, in tow, fewer miles/day. More flowers, less asphalt.

*Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan ahhhhhhhh!