I've stopped putting dates in the titles because the trip ended on October 5th. Anything written further relates to details following the trip or reflections.
Returning the rental car was an adventure in and of itself...
Unpacking the Car
I reserved the car until 9pm on October 6th. The first step today was emptying the car of all the junk I brought. I brought far too many clothes. I brought so many that had I not washed any clothes since I returned, I would still have plenty of clean clothes right now....just counting what I brought along. I always tend to bring too much with me. But, when I left for this trip I didn't know what I'd need and how long I'd be gone. So, I wanted to be prepared. On the next trip, I'll know enough not to take that much with me.
When I would swap cars during the trip, it took at least an hour to move everything to the next car. In this case, I had taken a number of things into the house the night before. It STILL took an hour to empty the car.
The Oil Change Saga
In my October 3rd report, I noted that the oil change was important. It was not just a minor detail. Apart from that oil change, I had three others. The contract required an oil change every 3,000 miles. They preferred that the customer simply swap out the vehicle at an Avis location so Avis could do the oil change.
The first was in North Dakota. The car could not be swapped in North or South Dakota because there are only Avis franchisees in those states. They cannot take a corporate-owned car. I had to get the oil changed and just turn in a receipt.
The next was in the Idaho Panhandle. After the deer incident, I had been given the only corporate car available at a franchise in Montana. They forgot to change the oil. I only found this out after I had driven about 200 miles west of the office. So, I had to get a quick oil change since I would be putting hundreds more miles on the car that evening, heading to central Washington.
The third was in Wichita, KS. They have a corporate owned Avis office, but I was told they could not guarantee a comparable car for me if I swapped it. They were unable to do an oil change at the office until a few days after I called.
The fourth, as noted, was done on October 3rd in West Virginia. I only had a few days left and didn't have the time to deal with swapping a car. I also would likely have to go out of the way to Charleston to do a swap.
Final Mileage for Overall Trip: 14,858
Arriving at the rental car location, I got the final mileage for all the time spent in a rental car: 14,858. That's amazing. The largest amount of miles I drove on any previous single trip was 5,500 when I flew to the Midwest last year and visited a little over a dozen states.
Returning the Car
When I returned the car, the clerk who handled returns was quite cold when he saw the damage to the car. (I probably didn't write about this in the blog. On the fourth car, someone backed into me, while I was in the car. The car was raised up for a few seconds.) He coldly informed me that I had to go into the office and provide an accident report. He stated that I would be charged for this if I didn't fill out a report, etc. I already had the report written.
But I went to the office for other reasons. With oil change receipts totalling $141, I wanted reimbursement as promised by the office.
SLOW Photocopying
I asked the clerk to provide me with a photocopy of the accident report and then a copy of the oil change receipts. That was a BIG MISTAKE. Something told me I should have made my own copies rather than relying on them. They apparently have an "ancient copy machine" and it took a half hour to make five copies!
Reimbursement for the Oil Changes and a Blank Stare
They were shocked at the oil change receipts. The clerk asked me why I didn't just swap the car. I tried to explain the issues of franchisees, the vastness of the West (there are no Avis offices for hundreds of miles sometimes, and sometimes they don't have sedans available to swap out), etc. I just got a blank stare.
Priceless Question
Then she said the most priceless thing "Did you ever think of calling roadside assistance?" You cannot call roadside assistance to change your oil! If you lock your keys in the car, yes, you would call them. If you need a tow, then you'd call them. But they are NOT going to do an oil change on the side of the road or in a parking lot somewhere! I told her that I was advised by this office to get the oil changed and bring in a receipt.
Wasting Lots of Time
Both clerks at the desk conferred for quite a long time, wasting my time and that of the individual who was waiting to drive me home. Finally, one of them decided to call in a manager. She first told the manager that I had several receipts for "repairs" on the vehicle. I interrupted her and said they were oil changes, not repairs. Then she told the manager that I had a car with a broken windshield. That was the previous vehicle and that one had been dropped off in Idaho in August! I interrupted her and explained that.
The Efficient Manager
The manager quickly came in. I started explaining to him the reasons for my oil changes. He reassured me that they would take them off the final bill. He added them up and then printed out a new copy with the $141 taken off. They should have called the manager in sooner.
Overall Review of the Event
This took over an hour of haggling. When the manager came, I was getting prepared for an argument. But, at least he had some sense. I still cannot believe that the first clerk thought an oil change could be dealt with by roadside assistance!
The blank stares I got when I explained the vast emptiness of the west and more importantly, the franchise issue (related to their own business), was king of annoying for a business that deals in travel. I'm sure I was one of the most complicated situations they've had, doing a mini-lease plus a few extra days. Of course, I also had four different cars, three of which sustained damage that was out of my control. Thankfully, I purchased the liability damage waiver.
But the clerks really ought to be familiar with company policy regarding oil changes and mini-leases. One of the clerks I dealt with (the one who said I had "repairs" done) was one of the ones who advised me to just bring in a receipt for oil change #2.
So, the big question is this....would I rent from Avis again, considering my experience? I was not happy with aspects of the experience (particularly the time it took to return the vehicle), but I probably would. Their price seems to be lower than some of the other agencies. They did provide adequate service. However, if Alamo came in with a lower price, I'd likely go with them. I've been equally satisfied when renting from that agency.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Wisconsin Photos Complete
My visit to Wisconsin was at the beginning of this trip (7/30 - 8/2/2008). In the midst of traveling, not all of the photos were loaded. They are finally complete. New photos are mostly from August 1st and 2nd at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. See the photos.
On August 1st, I was finally able to meet Archbishop Burke. He is now in Rome, serving as the Chief Justice of the Vatican Supreme Court.
On August 1st, I was finally able to meet Archbishop Burke. He is now in Rome, serving as the Chief Justice of the Vatican Supreme Court.
October 5, 2008 - Lancaster's Amish Areas and the Long Drive Home
This would be my last day traveling. I went to Mass at St. John Neumann Church in Lancaster, PA. This was close to the hotel and that eliminated the worries of not finding it in time as has happened with other churches.
The Amish Areas
After church, I tried to find the Amish areas. These are also known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Last night I found a brochure for the Dutch Village which boasted of lots of nice food and other attractions. With limited time, it seemed like a good place to get an all-around feel for things. I plugged the address in he GPS. When I arrived, it was just a modern shopping area. I saw a sign pointing down a side road to an "Amish Village." Perhaps this was it? When I got there, it was a place where you could tour a mock Amish Village and have lunch later. I really didn't feel like going on a tour today.
I parked and looked through my other brochures. I found a restaurant in a town called "Bird-in-hand." That sounded interesting, even for the name alone (sort of like Fifty Six, Arkansas). I plugged that into the GPS.
As I drove along, I encountered the "Dutch Village" that I originally wanted to see. This is a set of restaurants, gift shops, furniture shops, etc. along a particular road. I stopped at a restaurant called "Jakey's Amish Barbecue." It seemed like the only restaurant around (I later found there were others) so I went there. Primarily, it was a place where you could get burgers and hot dogs. But, it had some genuine Amish dishes. I ordered Bot Boi which was a stew. It was nice. I then had shoo-fly pie, which is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch desert. It was delicious.
After leaving Jakey's Amish Barbecue, I drove back through the Dutch Village. I found that I missed a better opportunity. There was a larger Amish restaurant with a buffet. That would have been better for the purpose of sampling different things.
I stopped in and picked up some fudge and rolls. Both tasted really well over the next few days.
I saw the horses and buggies. In one case, a teenager dressed in modern clothes was at a gas station and "parked" his horse and buggy while going in to get a sandwich. This seemed like the oddest sight. He sat outside the buggy and slowly ate his sandwich. This seemed so strange. If the horse and buggy were gone, this teenager would look like an average teen in any location. The Amish typically dress a certain way so this seemed like a real curiosity.
After driving around a bit further, I was definitely ready to get home. It would be a five or six hour drive, depending on which route I took.
The Long Drive Home
The shortest route would involve I-78 and I-287. I did not feel like driving close to NYC, especially on a Sunday, when the roads might be crowded as people might be driving home from a nice weekend, preparing for the work week.
I plugged Binghamton into the GPS. I was taken on a number of local roads and the GPS often seemed to "lose" me by showing the vehicle traveling off roads. It constantly had to recalculate. The mountains here were nothing like the Ozarks!
Finally, it got me to an interstate....and my heart sank. It brought me to I-476. I drove I-476 in October of 2007 when I visited a handful of states like PA, VA, MD, KY, WV, etc. The road often had traffic jams, went through tunnels, etc. But most annoying of all, it's a toll road.
In looking at the map on the GPS, I decided not to go all the way to Binghamton, adding an extra hour to my trip, just to avoid tolls. At a rest area, I adjusted the GPS to point to my home address. I got off at an exit for I-80 and then took it to I-380.
At I-380, I missed the exit I was supposed to use and had to take the next one. I was so glad it was still daylight. There were deer everywhere. They were feeding on lawns and just looked up at me as I drove by. In one case, two deer walked right up to the front door of a house as I went by. This was a long road full of twists and turns, mostly going through forest areas. Finally, I got to I-84.
The rest of the ride was mostly uneventful. While there was still daylight, the views of the leaves changing along I-84 were very nice. By the time I got to the Thruway, it was dark so I didn't see much in terms of foliage.
After all this time, it was kind of odd to see such familiar road signs and to think about the fact that I was only a short distance from home. At one point I was over 3,000 miles away (48 hours of driving time) near Neah Bay, Washington state. But, I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about these things. I just wanted to get home and not have to worry about driving for hours the next day.
I finally arrived home around 9:30 or so. This was the end of a very long trip. I determined that I had been away for 71 days. I was gone for two whole months (August and September) and parts of two more (July and October). This was the longest trip I've ever taken.
I was absolutely exhausted. I still had to turn in the rental car the next day. Unlike any previous trip, I did not have to go to work the next day. I had paid consulting projects waiting for me but I needed to wait a day before immediately starting them.
More To Come
Stay tuned to this blog as turing in the rental car was an adventure all in itself. I'll have an entry all about that. I will also have some concluding posts now that I have had a few days to think about my adventures.
The Amish Areas
After church, I tried to find the Amish areas. These are also known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Last night I found a brochure for the Dutch Village which boasted of lots of nice food and other attractions. With limited time, it seemed like a good place to get an all-around feel for things. I plugged the address in he GPS. When I arrived, it was just a modern shopping area. I saw a sign pointing down a side road to an "Amish Village." Perhaps this was it? When I got there, it was a place where you could tour a mock Amish Village and have lunch later. I really didn't feel like going on a tour today.
I parked and looked through my other brochures. I found a restaurant in a town called "Bird-in-hand." That sounded interesting, even for the name alone (sort of like Fifty Six, Arkansas). I plugged that into the GPS.
As I drove along, I encountered the "Dutch Village" that I originally wanted to see. This is a set of restaurants, gift shops, furniture shops, etc. along a particular road. I stopped at a restaurant called "Jakey's Amish Barbecue." It seemed like the only restaurant around (I later found there were others) so I went there. Primarily, it was a place where you could get burgers and hot dogs. But, it had some genuine Amish dishes. I ordered Bot Boi which was a stew. It was nice. I then had shoo-fly pie, which is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch desert. It was delicious.
After leaving Jakey's Amish Barbecue, I drove back through the Dutch Village. I found that I missed a better opportunity. There was a larger Amish restaurant with a buffet. That would have been better for the purpose of sampling different things.
I stopped in and picked up some fudge and rolls. Both tasted really well over the next few days.
I saw the horses and buggies. In one case, a teenager dressed in modern clothes was at a gas station and "parked" his horse and buggy while going in to get a sandwich. This seemed like the oddest sight. He sat outside the buggy and slowly ate his sandwich. This seemed so strange. If the horse and buggy were gone, this teenager would look like an average teen in any location. The Amish typically dress a certain way so this seemed like a real curiosity.
After driving around a bit further, I was definitely ready to get home. It would be a five or six hour drive, depending on which route I took.
The Long Drive Home
The shortest route would involve I-78 and I-287. I did not feel like driving close to NYC, especially on a Sunday, when the roads might be crowded as people might be driving home from a nice weekend, preparing for the work week.
I plugged Binghamton into the GPS. I was taken on a number of local roads and the GPS often seemed to "lose" me by showing the vehicle traveling off roads. It constantly had to recalculate. The mountains here were nothing like the Ozarks!
Finally, it got me to an interstate....and my heart sank. It brought me to I-476. I drove I-476 in October of 2007 when I visited a handful of states like PA, VA, MD, KY, WV, etc. The road often had traffic jams, went through tunnels, etc. But most annoying of all, it's a toll road.
In looking at the map on the GPS, I decided not to go all the way to Binghamton, adding an extra hour to my trip, just to avoid tolls. At a rest area, I adjusted the GPS to point to my home address. I got off at an exit for I-80 and then took it to I-380.
At I-380, I missed the exit I was supposed to use and had to take the next one. I was so glad it was still daylight. There were deer everywhere. They were feeding on lawns and just looked up at me as I drove by. In one case, two deer walked right up to the front door of a house as I went by. This was a long road full of twists and turns, mostly going through forest areas. Finally, I got to I-84.
The rest of the ride was mostly uneventful. While there was still daylight, the views of the leaves changing along I-84 were very nice. By the time I got to the Thruway, it was dark so I didn't see much in terms of foliage.
After all this time, it was kind of odd to see such familiar road signs and to think about the fact that I was only a short distance from home. At one point I was over 3,000 miles away (48 hours of driving time) near Neah Bay, Washington state. But, I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about these things. I just wanted to get home and not have to worry about driving for hours the next day.
I finally arrived home around 9:30 or so. This was the end of a very long trip. I determined that I had been away for 71 days. I was gone for two whole months (August and September) and parts of two more (July and October). This was the longest trip I've ever taken.
I was absolutely exhausted. I still had to turn in the rental car the next day. Unlike any previous trip, I did not have to go to work the next day. I had paid consulting projects waiting for me but I needed to wait a day before immediately starting them.
More To Come
Stay tuned to this blog as turing in the rental car was an adventure all in itself. I'll have an entry all about that. I will also have some concluding posts now that I have had a few days to think about my adventures.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
October 4, 2008 - A True Coast-to-Coast Trip
This evening would be my last evening away from home. I would be in five states in one day. The events of today would also cause this to be a true coast-to-coast trip.
The Drive to Delaware
I left Martinsburg, WV, headed for a coastal city in Delaware. I plugged Lewes, DE into my GPS. This is not at the southern border of DE but is on the coast. This would be about three to four hours away.
Until this day, I have not been to Delaware yet. It has been a bit annoying as it is so close to my home (compared to places like Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, etc.) yet it always seems to be out of reach in these trips. Even in this trip, I was questioning whether I would really have time to go as far east as Delaware.
Having already been to the Pacific Ocean in mid-August, I really wanted to squeeze in a visit to the Atlantic Ocean before the trip ended. This would make it a true coast-to-coast trip.
However, I also wanted to see Assateague Island which is in Maryland. There are wild horses that roam this island. Wild horses are expected out west (and I saw some in North Dakota's Badlands), but not on the East Coast.
The GPS had some problems. It started taking me down local roads when it was obvious I needed to go down a nearby highway. Finally, I just turned there and let the GPS pick up the route from there. It added about twenty minutes to the arrival time. I only had half a tank of gas. This really concerned me as there did not seem to be a lot of exits on the highway.
View Larger Map
Charles Town, WV
I passed through a place called Charles Town, WV. This seemed almost silly considering the fact that the capital city of WV is Charleston. Wouldn't Charles Town and Charleston be ripe for confusion?
As I drove further, there were many beautiful sites. I went over bridges and saw people whitewater rafting below. It was an absolutely beautiful day.
View Larger Map
Virginia Was Not a State I Planned to Include on This Trip
As I drove along further, I noticed a sign that said "Welcome to Virginia." I was a little astonished. I had not planned to visit Virginia on this trip and really did not expect my route would bring me that close. Only a few minutes later, I saw a sign that welcomed me to Maryland. So, I never got out of the car when I was in Virginia. Do I count this as one of the states I visited on this trip or not? I decided to count it. Still, like Oklahoma and Illinois (and maybe even Mississippi), it was just a token visit. In any event, I've been to Virginia on previous trips with actual destinations (several presidential homes are in Virginia).
My path took me through US 301/US 50, on a long bridge near Annapolis. The views were absolutely beautiful. I was so happy to be this close to the ocean. This was a toll bridge and drivers were required to stay in the same lane. (On the much longer Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, drivers were not restricted to the lane where they started.)
I Finally Entered Delaware
Finally, I saw the sign welcoming me to Delaware. It was a great feeling to have finally made a visit to DE. I have now visited 45 U.S. states in my life. DE is the 29th state on this trip.
At a certain point, I decided I ought to see Assateague Island first and then work my way back up. This is past Delaware's southern border with Maryland. I plugged that into my GPS.
There are a number of farm areas in Delaware. I almost thought I was back in the Midwest. It was interesting to see. I expected that with a state this small, it would consist of a lot of cities.
Assateague Island
Finally, I crossed into Maryland again. There was a short bridge to Assateague Island. Seeing this bridge, I wondered how the wild horses were kept off the bridge. Once I got there, I found the answer. The forest areas of the island are surrounded by an electric fence. In my opinion, this is nothing like the West where the horses can just roam free and undisturbed. Yes, they may be wild in that they eat their own food, but they are basically in what amounts to a large pen.
I never saw any horses, though I did see signs warning people not to feed the horses.
I spent some time on the beach. It was great to see the Atlantic Ocean. Officially, it was now a coast-to-coast trip. At least one person was actually swimming. Someone else was water skiing on a glider. The water was a bit cool, but warmer on October 4th than it was along the beaches of Washington and Oregon in mid-August. On the West Coast, it was absolutely freezing at that time. I waded in the water a bit but did not actually swim. See the other photos.
I wanted to stay here longer. But, I also wanted to actually do something in Delaware rather than just drive through it. So, I decided to head up to Rehoboth Beach. That was near the MD/DE border but most importantly, it was in DE. It was about 45 minutes away.
Ocean City, MD
I passed through Ocean City, MD. This is a resort area with all sorts of activities including restaurants, amusement park rides, etc. There were people everywhere. Parking areas were available but each one cost money. Besides, I didn't have time to stop as I wanted to get to DE. Finally, I saw a sign welcoming me to DE. It indicated that DE was the "home of tax free shopping." That's nice. I remember Montana also did not have sales tax.
Expensive Parking
There were a few public beaches. However, it cost $8 to park there! I was not going to spend $8 for probably only fifteen or twenty minutes. I began to think that perhaps my trip to Assateague Island would be my only visit to the Atlantic Ocean on this trip.
I noticed some neighborhoods that were along the beach. When I visited the southern states last spring, I remember being able to park along the road in neighborhoods in western Florida. I looked around. At first, I didn't find anything. There was a stop sign at every cross road. When there is a stop sign, one must stop. I had a very angry person behind me who kept raising his hand every time I stopped. He tried to go around me but there wasn't room. I pointed to each stop sign and he seemed very angry. Finally, I gave up and got back to the main road. I almost thought he was going to follow me and perhaps ram my car. But thankfully, he drove further in the neighborhood.
A Free Beach in Delaware
I tried another neighborhood and found a public parking area. Permits were required from May to September. I got to the beach and found the water was actually warmer than it was at Assateague Island. Of course, Assateague Island was further south, so this was surprising. I wish I had found this spot sooner and I wish I had been prepared to swim. It was definitely warm enough for swimming. I spent some time here and then had to leave as I had a three hour drive to my hotel in Lancaster, PA. See the photos.
I drove north through Delaware's Route 1. As I got to the northern part of the state, it became a highway with toll charges. Every so often there would be a toll booth with a $2 fee.
View Larger Map
Cheap Gas
Gas in DE was the cheapest I've seen on the whole trip. I purchased gas as low as $3.21. But, after filling up I found one for $3.17.
The Last Evening
I finally got into Lancaster, PA. There was a bar inside the hotel where I stayed. The clerk seemed to slur her words quite a bit. She could have been overly tired. She may have had a cold. Or, she may have just been drunk from the bar....
My final hotel room for the trip was very large. There was plenty of space to work on the computer for a little while. But I also wanted to get some sleep as I had a LONG drive ahead of me the next day....
Lancaster, PA is an Amish area. The next day would primarily be focused on driving home. However, stay tuned for the next blog entry as there will still be more sightseeing reports. There will also be more postings following that which contain my concluding thoughts for the overall trip.
The Drive to Delaware
I left Martinsburg, WV, headed for a coastal city in Delaware. I plugged Lewes, DE into my GPS. This is not at the southern border of DE but is on the coast. This would be about three to four hours away.
Until this day, I have not been to Delaware yet. It has been a bit annoying as it is so close to my home (compared to places like Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, etc.) yet it always seems to be out of reach in these trips. Even in this trip, I was questioning whether I would really have time to go as far east as Delaware.
Having already been to the Pacific Ocean in mid-August, I really wanted to squeeze in a visit to the Atlantic Ocean before the trip ended. This would make it a true coast-to-coast trip.
However, I also wanted to see Assateague Island which is in Maryland. There are wild horses that roam this island. Wild horses are expected out west (and I saw some in North Dakota's Badlands), but not on the East Coast.
The GPS had some problems. It started taking me down local roads when it was obvious I needed to go down a nearby highway. Finally, I just turned there and let the GPS pick up the route from there. It added about twenty minutes to the arrival time. I only had half a tank of gas. This really concerned me as there did not seem to be a lot of exits on the highway.
View Larger Map
Charles Town, WV
I passed through a place called Charles Town, WV. This seemed almost silly considering the fact that the capital city of WV is Charleston. Wouldn't Charles Town and Charleston be ripe for confusion?
As I drove further, there were many beautiful sites. I went over bridges and saw people whitewater rafting below. It was an absolutely beautiful day.
View Larger Map
Virginia Was Not a State I Planned to Include on This Trip
As I drove along further, I noticed a sign that said "Welcome to Virginia." I was a little astonished. I had not planned to visit Virginia on this trip and really did not expect my route would bring me that close. Only a few minutes later, I saw a sign that welcomed me to Maryland. So, I never got out of the car when I was in Virginia. Do I count this as one of the states I visited on this trip or not? I decided to count it. Still, like Oklahoma and Illinois (and maybe even Mississippi), it was just a token visit. In any event, I've been to Virginia on previous trips with actual destinations (several presidential homes are in Virginia).
My path took me through US 301/US 50, on a long bridge near Annapolis. The views were absolutely beautiful. I was so happy to be this close to the ocean. This was a toll bridge and drivers were required to stay in the same lane. (On the much longer Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, drivers were not restricted to the lane where they started.)
I Finally Entered Delaware
Finally, I saw the sign welcoming me to Delaware. It was a great feeling to have finally made a visit to DE. I have now visited 45 U.S. states in my life. DE is the 29th state on this trip.
At a certain point, I decided I ought to see Assateague Island first and then work my way back up. This is past Delaware's southern border with Maryland. I plugged that into my GPS.
There are a number of farm areas in Delaware. I almost thought I was back in the Midwest. It was interesting to see. I expected that with a state this small, it would consist of a lot of cities.
Assateague Island
Finally, I crossed into Maryland again. There was a short bridge to Assateague Island. Seeing this bridge, I wondered how the wild horses were kept off the bridge. Once I got there, I found the answer. The forest areas of the island are surrounded by an electric fence. In my opinion, this is nothing like the West where the horses can just roam free and undisturbed. Yes, they may be wild in that they eat their own food, but they are basically in what amounts to a large pen.
I never saw any horses, though I did see signs warning people not to feed the horses.
I spent some time on the beach. It was great to see the Atlantic Ocean. Officially, it was now a coast-to-coast trip. At least one person was actually swimming. Someone else was water skiing on a glider. The water was a bit cool, but warmer on October 4th than it was along the beaches of Washington and Oregon in mid-August. On the West Coast, it was absolutely freezing at that time. I waded in the water a bit but did not actually swim. See the other photos.
I wanted to stay here longer. But, I also wanted to actually do something in Delaware rather than just drive through it. So, I decided to head up to Rehoboth Beach. That was near the MD/DE border but most importantly, it was in DE. It was about 45 minutes away.
Ocean City, MD
I passed through Ocean City, MD. This is a resort area with all sorts of activities including restaurants, amusement park rides, etc. There were people everywhere. Parking areas were available but each one cost money. Besides, I didn't have time to stop as I wanted to get to DE. Finally, I saw a sign welcoming me to DE. It indicated that DE was the "home of tax free shopping." That's nice. I remember Montana also did not have sales tax.
Expensive Parking
There were a few public beaches. However, it cost $8 to park there! I was not going to spend $8 for probably only fifteen or twenty minutes. I began to think that perhaps my trip to Assateague Island would be my only visit to the Atlantic Ocean on this trip.
I noticed some neighborhoods that were along the beach. When I visited the southern states last spring, I remember being able to park along the road in neighborhoods in western Florida. I looked around. At first, I didn't find anything. There was a stop sign at every cross road. When there is a stop sign, one must stop. I had a very angry person behind me who kept raising his hand every time I stopped. He tried to go around me but there wasn't room. I pointed to each stop sign and he seemed very angry. Finally, I gave up and got back to the main road. I almost thought he was going to follow me and perhaps ram my car. But thankfully, he drove further in the neighborhood.
A Free Beach in Delaware
I tried another neighborhood and found a public parking area. Permits were required from May to September. I got to the beach and found the water was actually warmer than it was at Assateague Island. Of course, Assateague Island was further south, so this was surprising. I wish I had found this spot sooner and I wish I had been prepared to swim. It was definitely warm enough for swimming. I spent some time here and then had to leave as I had a three hour drive to my hotel in Lancaster, PA. See the photos.
I drove north through Delaware's Route 1. As I got to the northern part of the state, it became a highway with toll charges. Every so often there would be a toll booth with a $2 fee.
View Larger Map
Cheap Gas
Gas in DE was the cheapest I've seen on the whole trip. I purchased gas as low as $3.21. But, after filling up I found one for $3.17.
The Last Evening
I finally got into Lancaster, PA. There was a bar inside the hotel where I stayed. The clerk seemed to slur her words quite a bit. She could have been overly tired. She may have had a cold. Or, she may have just been drunk from the bar....
My final hotel room for the trip was very large. There was plenty of space to work on the computer for a little while. But I also wanted to get some sleep as I had a LONG drive ahead of me the next day....
Lancaster, PA is an Amish area. The next day would primarily be focused on driving home. However, stay tuned for the next blog entry as there will still be more sightseeing reports. There will also be more postings following that which contain my concluding thoughts for the overall trip.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
October 3, 2008 - More time visiting small cities in the mountains
I had to get one final oil change today. While the vehicle could go for a little while without an additional oil change, it would take at least 700+ miles to get home (since I'm not going the most efficient way). This is a minor detail but it will become important in one of the later blog postings.
I went back to the US 33 area to see more of the small cities. Ripley is very small but it's a city right off I-77 and is a county seat complete with a huge courthouse. There is lots of traffic going through. While driving around there, after stopping at a stop sign I turned onto US 33. The car suddenly stopped working, right on the road. The oil and the battery indicators were lighted on the dashboard. From the last bit of momentum of the car, I was able to get it into a parking lot. Otherwise, I likely would have been rear-ended. After turning off the car and restarting it, everything seemed to be fine. Something must be wrong with the computer system.
I headed further east on US 33 and went to Spencer again. After that, I visited Grantsville for a brief time. From there, I went back to US 33 and then went further east. There is a lot of beautiful mountain scenery along the stretch of US 33 between Grantsville and Weston. Unfortunately there is no place to pull over and take pictures. This is an area where you MUST pay attention while driving because the road twists and turns a lot. There are long stretches where there are no homes or civilization of any kind. As I got closer to Weston, there was a small city called Glenville. That sounded a bit familiar.
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Weston was a much more substantial city than what I was used to seeing along US 33. It was much bigger, with various chain stores, banks, gas stations, etc. Of course, it was right off I-79 so that would be expected.
After seeing a bit of Weston, I got on I-79 and headed up to Bruceton Mills. This is a "city" with a population of 74, but I had stopped there for dinner last spring as I headed into West Virginia. For the purposes of tradition, I stopped at the same place for dinner.
After dinner, I headed along I-68 through Western Maryland. I had to get to I-81 and head south from there. I would be back in West Virginia again, in the Eastern Panhandle. My hotel was in Martinsburg.
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The location of the hotel was a bit strange. It was a Comfort Suites hotel. The Choice Hotel brands (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo-Lodge, Rodeway Inn, etc.) are usually in business/shopping areas. This hotel was miles away from any business areas. It was in a primarily residential area at the corner of two rodes. But, the GOS got me there and that was the most important thing.
I went back to the US 33 area to see more of the small cities. Ripley is very small but it's a city right off I-77 and is a county seat complete with a huge courthouse. There is lots of traffic going through. While driving around there, after stopping at a stop sign I turned onto US 33. The car suddenly stopped working, right on the road. The oil and the battery indicators were lighted on the dashboard. From the last bit of momentum of the car, I was able to get it into a parking lot. Otherwise, I likely would have been rear-ended. After turning off the car and restarting it, everything seemed to be fine. Something must be wrong with the computer system.
I headed further east on US 33 and went to Spencer again. After that, I visited Grantsville for a brief time. From there, I went back to US 33 and then went further east. There is a lot of beautiful mountain scenery along the stretch of US 33 between Grantsville and Weston. Unfortunately there is no place to pull over and take pictures. This is an area where you MUST pay attention while driving because the road twists and turns a lot. There are long stretches where there are no homes or civilization of any kind. As I got closer to Weston, there was a small city called Glenville. That sounded a bit familiar.
View Larger Map
Weston was a much more substantial city than what I was used to seeing along US 33. It was much bigger, with various chain stores, banks, gas stations, etc. Of course, it was right off I-79 so that would be expected.
After seeing a bit of Weston, I got on I-79 and headed up to Bruceton Mills. This is a "city" with a population of 74, but I had stopped there for dinner last spring as I headed into West Virginia. For the purposes of tradition, I stopped at the same place for dinner.
After dinner, I headed along I-68 through Western Maryland. I had to get to I-81 and head south from there. I would be back in West Virginia again, in the Eastern Panhandle. My hotel was in Martinsburg.
View Larger Map
The location of the hotel was a bit strange. It was a Comfort Suites hotel. The Choice Hotel brands (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo-Lodge, Rodeway Inn, etc.) are usually in business/shopping areas. This hotel was miles away from any business areas. It was in a primarily residential area at the corner of two rodes. But, the GOS got me there and that was the most important thing.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Nevada and Utah photos complete
The photos from Nevada and Utah are now complete. New items include areas such as the drive to I-80 from Lamoille Canyon showing beautiful mountain and desert scenes as well as more scenes from the Temple Square area in Salt Lake City, UT.
Monday, October 6, 2008
October 2, 2008 - Small Cities in WV's Mountain Areas
I visited some small West Virginia cities in the mountains today. The scenery along US 119 is beautiful. There are a number of small unincorporated communities along the way. I recall driving this road last year and describing Walton as "a string of eight houses." Last year, I went by a bit too fast. (I had to get to southern WV before dark last spring.) This year, going a bit slower, I found Walton to be much more than a few houses. It had several houses, plus a bank, sheriff's substation, a Mexican restaurant, a library, and a couple of small stores. It was situated around a bend in the road.
There were other small communities like Speed. This could be described as a "string of around sixteen houses." Gandeeville was another one like that.
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Finally, I got to Spencer. This is a city of about 2,000 people along US 33. The houses are in the mountains and almost seem "stacked" on top of each other. They were getting ready for their Black Walnut Festival. It begins on October 8th. The city suddenly becomes crowded at that point.
I decided to see a little more of this area and stay an extra day. However, there are no chain hotels directly in Spencer or any of the other small cities. The only hotel in the area is very run down. I couldn't stay there (even the locals say it's bad), and besides, I couldn't use my points there. This week has been another freebie week. So, I had to go up to Mineral Wells, WV. This is a hotel I stayed at during my visit to WV last spring. It's a very nice hotel and only takes a reasonable amount of points.
Instead of going up to Mineral Wells via I-77, I decided to go up the back way. I also wanted to see the town of Reedy. I wanted to see Reedy last spring. Reedy is north of US 33. The GPS (last spring) kept taking me south of US 33 on dirt roads with warning signs saying they could wash away in a flood. Some of those roads were so narrow that I decided not to try them last year. And in the end, they would not have gotten me to my destination anyway.
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Reedy was a nice small town. It was mostly houses. The area is surrounded by beautiful mountasins.
Finding a hotel for Friday evening was an adventure. I wanted another freebie night. When I looked through the map of available hotels, it seems as though every one of them was booked solid....when I used the free night as my rate program. If I was willing to pay, it was a different story. Yet, the policy for freebie nights is "no blackout dates." I decided to call in the reservation. That worked and allowed me to get a $104 night for free.
We're told about the supposed bad economy. Yet, people are willing to pay over $100 for a hotel night (in an average hotel) in the fall, during the school year.
My hotel for the next evening would be in Martinsburg, WV. Martinsburg is in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. I would work my way east along US 33 until I got to Weston. From there, it would be just over three hours to Martinsburg. I could have stayed in a hotel room in western Maryland, but I had read some negative reports about the available hotels in Tripadvisor.
There were other small communities like Speed. This could be described as a "string of around sixteen houses." Gandeeville was another one like that.
View Larger Map
Finally, I got to Spencer. This is a city of about 2,000 people along US 33. The houses are in the mountains and almost seem "stacked" on top of each other. They were getting ready for their Black Walnut Festival. It begins on October 8th. The city suddenly becomes crowded at that point.
I decided to see a little more of this area and stay an extra day. However, there are no chain hotels directly in Spencer or any of the other small cities. The only hotel in the area is very run down. I couldn't stay there (even the locals say it's bad), and besides, I couldn't use my points there. This week has been another freebie week. So, I had to go up to Mineral Wells, WV. This is a hotel I stayed at during my visit to WV last spring. It's a very nice hotel and only takes a reasonable amount of points.
Instead of going up to Mineral Wells via I-77, I decided to go up the back way. I also wanted to see the town of Reedy. I wanted to see Reedy last spring. Reedy is north of US 33. The GPS (last spring) kept taking me south of US 33 on dirt roads with warning signs saying they could wash away in a flood. Some of those roads were so narrow that I decided not to try them last year. And in the end, they would not have gotten me to my destination anyway.
View Larger Map
Reedy was a nice small town. It was mostly houses. The area is surrounded by beautiful mountasins.
Finding a hotel for Friday evening was an adventure. I wanted another freebie night. When I looked through the map of available hotels, it seems as though every one of them was booked solid....when I used the free night as my rate program. If I was willing to pay, it was a different story. Yet, the policy for freebie nights is "no blackout dates." I decided to call in the reservation. That worked and allowed me to get a $104 night for free.
We're told about the supposed bad economy. Yet, people are willing to pay over $100 for a hotel night (in an average hotel) in the fall, during the school year.
My hotel for the next evening would be in Martinsburg, WV. Martinsburg is in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. I would work my way east along US 33 until I got to Weston. From there, it would be just over three hours to Martinsburg. I could have stayed in a hotel room in western Maryland, but I had read some negative reports about the available hotels in Tripadvisor.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
October 1, 2008: Huntington and Beckley, West Virginia
I forgot to note that I entered the Eastern Time Zone on September 28th, as I was working my way to the Shepherdsville, KY hotel.
Although I'm heading east, I drove west today by nine miles. I wanted to see the Carter Caves Resort Park. There are several caves. Some can be explored without a guide (for a fee). Others are guided. The two caves open outside of the summer tourist season are Cascade Cave and X Cave. From what I read, X Cave is a little smaller and involves a lot of stooping. If this was the beginning of my trip, I'd probably be up to it. (This was necessary in the Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana.) But at this point, I'm getting tired of sightseeing, so I just want a nice, easy walk through a cave. Cascade Cave would be the one I'd tour.
I arrived at noon. I had a number of other things to do today and assumed this would be an hour long tour. Because the heavy tourist season is over, tours are limited. X Cave (the one I didn't want to see) was having a tour at 1pm. Cascade Cave (the one I wanted to see) was not having a tour until 2:30pm. This would not allow me enough time to do everything else I wanted to do. There is also practically nothing in the area other than a few antique shops. So, it would be a lot of driving if I decided to wait. Therefore, I decided to skip the cave tours today.
I headed east along I-64. I crossed into West Virginia and did some shopping in the Huntington (second largest city in WV) metro area. This area is a big shopping and city area indistinguishable from any other city I've seen.
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After that, my next stop was Beckley, WV. This is in southeastern WV. I wanted to visit Tamarack, which is an upscale shopping area selling goods made in West Virginia. They have lots of carvings made out of coal. They also have absolutely delicious food.
My hotel for the evening was in Charleston, the capital. The capitol dome is lighted up at night and looks beautiful from the interstate. I had gone southeast on I-64 to get to Beckley. So, I was doubling back northwest to get to Charleston.
Although I'm heading east, I drove west today by nine miles. I wanted to see the Carter Caves Resort Park. There are several caves. Some can be explored without a guide (for a fee). Others are guided. The two caves open outside of the summer tourist season are Cascade Cave and X Cave. From what I read, X Cave is a little smaller and involves a lot of stooping. If this was the beginning of my trip, I'd probably be up to it. (This was necessary in the Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana.) But at this point, I'm getting tired of sightseeing, so I just want a nice, easy walk through a cave. Cascade Cave would be the one I'd tour.
I arrived at noon. I had a number of other things to do today and assumed this would be an hour long tour. Because the heavy tourist season is over, tours are limited. X Cave (the one I didn't want to see) was having a tour at 1pm. Cascade Cave (the one I wanted to see) was not having a tour until 2:30pm. This would not allow me enough time to do everything else I wanted to do. There is also practically nothing in the area other than a few antique shops. So, it would be a lot of driving if I decided to wait. Therefore, I decided to skip the cave tours today.
I headed east along I-64. I crossed into West Virginia and did some shopping in the Huntington (second largest city in WV) metro area. This area is a big shopping and city area indistinguishable from any other city I've seen.
View Larger Map
After that, my next stop was Beckley, WV. This is in southeastern WV. I wanted to visit Tamarack, which is an upscale shopping area selling goods made in West Virginia. They have lots of carvings made out of coal. They also have absolutely delicious food.
My hotel for the evening was in Charleston, the capital. The capitol dome is lighted up at night and looks beautiful from the interstate. I had gone southeast on I-64 to get to Beckley. So, I was doubling back northwest to get to Charleston.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
September 30, 2008 - Moving Further East in Kentucky
Today was mostly devoted to driving further east. I stopped in the city of Pendleton and then worked my way to I-64. Along the way, I saw some beautiful Kentucky countryside.
I briefly stopped in Frankfort, KY, but did not get a chance to see the capitol building. I was rushed because I needed to get to Lexington, KY before 5pm.
My goal for Lexington was to see the grave of Henry Clay. Henry Clay was a former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was also a Secretary of State and ran for President multiple times. He was one of the main founders of the Whig Party and vigorously opposed Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren (7th and 8th presidents). Clay and Jackson never liked each other, but he and Van Buren became somewhat friendly. Both expected to run against each other in the 1844 presidential campaign....but the Democrats decided against running Van Buren at the last minute.
Last year, I visited Lexington and saw a replica of Henry Clay's home, called Ashland. By the time I got to the cemetery, it was closed. This time, I got in just in time to see the huge monument. As I left, the guard was waiting to close up the gates. See the photos of the monument.
My destination for the evening was Grayson, KY. This is about thirty miles from the Kentucky/West Virginia border. Originally I planned to actually be in Huntington, WV by the evening. However, this hotel allowed me to save 4,000 points. So, I figured it was worth pushing the extra thirty miles to the next day.
As I drove to Grayson, I noticed a sign for the Carter Caves Resort Park. It was only about nine miles west of the hotel. I figured it may be worthwhile to see a cave in Kentucky the next day before I left the state.
I briefly stopped in Frankfort, KY, but did not get a chance to see the capitol building. I was rushed because I needed to get to Lexington, KY before 5pm.
My goal for Lexington was to see the grave of Henry Clay. Henry Clay was a former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was also a Secretary of State and ran for President multiple times. He was one of the main founders of the Whig Party and vigorously opposed Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren (7th and 8th presidents). Clay and Jackson never liked each other, but he and Van Buren became somewhat friendly. Both expected to run against each other in the 1844 presidential campaign....but the Democrats decided against running Van Buren at the last minute.
Last year, I visited Lexington and saw a replica of Henry Clay's home, called Ashland. By the time I got to the cemetery, it was closed. This time, I got in just in time to see the huge monument. As I left, the guard was waiting to close up the gates. See the photos of the monument.
My destination for the evening was Grayson, KY. This is about thirty miles from the Kentucky/West Virginia border. Originally I planned to actually be in Huntington, WV by the evening. However, this hotel allowed me to save 4,000 points. So, I figured it was worth pushing the extra thirty miles to the next day.
As I drove to Grayson, I noticed a sign for the Carter Caves Resort Park. It was only about nine miles west of the hotel. I figured it may be worthwhile to see a cave in Kentucky the next day before I left the state.
Friday, October 3, 2008
September 29, 2008 - Indianapolis: President Benjamin Harrison's Home
I had chosen a hotel just outside Louisville since that's about two hours south of Indianapolis. Indianapolis is a large city (population of around 700,000). But I had 0one thing in mind for Indianapolis: visiting the home of the 23rd President, Benjamin Harrison. I also did not want to go all this way and leave Indiana as an unvisited state surrounded by visited states. At this point, the only Midwest state I did not visit was Iowa.
Last year, I was supposed to visit Benjamin Harrison's home. I had seen the home of his grandfather, William Henry Harrison (the 9th president) in Vincennes, IN, earlier that day. As far as I knew, Vincennes was in Central Time. When I got to Indianapolis, I did not realize I was in Eastern Time. I-70 was under massive reconstruction and miles of exits were closed. I did not have a GPS at that point. The home was off I-65. I-65 and I-70 ran together for three miles. I was in the wrong lane, missed the sign showing where they split, and ended up on I-70. With so many exits closed, I had no idea how to get back to the home. I had to get help from a gas station attendant just to get to I-74 in order to go to my next hotel.
Anyway, this year, everything went smoothly. I got to Harrison's home on time for a tour. The home is a large mansion on a double lot in the city of Indianapolis. Unlike most presidential homes, the home passed from the Harrison family directly to a foundation. The foundation was actually created by his heirs. Much of the furniture belonged to the Harrisons, though there were some period pieces.
It was a cloudy day. But on top of that, there was not much natural lighting in most of the rooms. Photographs were allowed, as long as the flash is not used. Therefore, the pictures are not so great. See the photos.
The tour focuses on how Harrison lived in the house but not much about Harrison himself. The guide explained that he was a warm, kindly, caring person. The historical record claims he was very cold and did not have much of a personality. He may have been warm and caring toward his family, but he was an unpopular president.
The Harrisons (William Henry and Benjamin) are the only case in U.S. history where a grandfaher and grandson served as president. Benjamin Harrison is also the only president to be sandwiched between two non-consecutive terms of another president. Harrison beat Grover Cleveland in the 1888 election. Harrison became the centennial president, inaugurated almost 100 years after George Washington. When the Clevelands left the White House, Mrs. Cleveland told the staff to take care of everything because they WOULD be back in four years. Her words proved to be correct as Cleveland defeated Harrison in the 1892 election. There were no term limits back then. Cleveland became unpopular in his second term and the Democrats abandoned him.
Benjamin Harrison was given a cane featuring profiles of every president, up to himself. Since Cleveland was his successor, it was technically accurate up to the president that came immediately after him. The cane is displayed in his study.
The home seemed to have quite a focus on William Henry Harrison. There were multiple paintings of him hanging on the walls. William Henry Harrison was president for only one month. He developed pneumonia and became the first president to die in office. His wife never even made it to the White House. She was in mourning because all but one of their children died before both her and the president. The only child to survive them was Benjamin Harrison's father.
The home was recently given an original invitation to the inauguration of William Henry Harrison. The home also contains the original cradles which were used for both Benjamin Harrison and his father.
The third floor serves as offices for the foundation and a display on presidential campaigns throughout history from the John Quincy Adams/Andrew Jackson election up to the 2004 Bush/Kerry election.
The barn contained Harrison's carriages and sleds. Another room in the barn contained a display on women's suffrage. See the photos.
After the tour ended, my destination was my next hotel in Carrollton, Kentucky. This was about two hours southeast of Indianapolis. I got out just before rush hour traffic (something I haven't dealt with since mid-August when I visited the West Coast).
I saw a lot of farmland and small towns along the way. Indiana is mostly flat. However, near the Indiana/Kentucky border, there are mountains on the Indiana side. Once I crossed into Kentucky, much of the driving was parallel to the Ohio River, which forms the border between Indiana and Kentucky.
Finally, I arrived in Carrollton. This was a fairly small town. I had begun to enjoy staying in new hotels. This one was okay, but it was definitely not new.
Last year, I was supposed to visit Benjamin Harrison's home. I had seen the home of his grandfather, William Henry Harrison (the 9th president) in Vincennes, IN, earlier that day. As far as I knew, Vincennes was in Central Time. When I got to Indianapolis, I did not realize I was in Eastern Time. I-70 was under massive reconstruction and miles of exits were closed. I did not have a GPS at that point. The home was off I-65. I-65 and I-70 ran together for three miles. I was in the wrong lane, missed the sign showing where they split, and ended up on I-70. With so many exits closed, I had no idea how to get back to the home. I had to get help from a gas station attendant just to get to I-74 in order to go to my next hotel.
Anyway, this year, everything went smoothly. I got to Harrison's home on time for a tour. The home is a large mansion on a double lot in the city of Indianapolis. Unlike most presidential homes, the home passed from the Harrison family directly to a foundation. The foundation was actually created by his heirs. Much of the furniture belonged to the Harrisons, though there were some period pieces.
It was a cloudy day. But on top of that, there was not much natural lighting in most of the rooms. Photographs were allowed, as long as the flash is not used. Therefore, the pictures are not so great. See the photos.
The tour focuses on how Harrison lived in the house but not much about Harrison himself. The guide explained that he was a warm, kindly, caring person. The historical record claims he was very cold and did not have much of a personality. He may have been warm and caring toward his family, but he was an unpopular president.
The Harrisons (William Henry and Benjamin) are the only case in U.S. history where a grandfaher and grandson served as president. Benjamin Harrison is also the only president to be sandwiched between two non-consecutive terms of another president. Harrison beat Grover Cleveland in the 1888 election. Harrison became the centennial president, inaugurated almost 100 years after George Washington. When the Clevelands left the White House, Mrs. Cleveland told the staff to take care of everything because they WOULD be back in four years. Her words proved to be correct as Cleveland defeated Harrison in the 1892 election. There were no term limits back then. Cleveland became unpopular in his second term and the Democrats abandoned him.
Benjamin Harrison was given a cane featuring profiles of every president, up to himself. Since Cleveland was his successor, it was technically accurate up to the president that came immediately after him. The cane is displayed in his study.
The home seemed to have quite a focus on William Henry Harrison. There were multiple paintings of him hanging on the walls. William Henry Harrison was president for only one month. He developed pneumonia and became the first president to die in office. His wife never even made it to the White House. She was in mourning because all but one of their children died before both her and the president. The only child to survive them was Benjamin Harrison's father.
The home was recently given an original invitation to the inauguration of William Henry Harrison. The home also contains the original cradles which were used for both Benjamin Harrison and his father.
The third floor serves as offices for the foundation and a display on presidential campaigns throughout history from the John Quincy Adams/Andrew Jackson election up to the 2004 Bush/Kerry election.
The barn contained Harrison's carriages and sleds. Another room in the barn contained a display on women's suffrage. See the photos.
After the tour ended, my destination was my next hotel in Carrollton, Kentucky. This was about two hours southeast of Indianapolis. I got out just before rush hour traffic (something I haven't dealt with since mid-August when I visited the West Coast).
I saw a lot of farmland and small towns along the way. Indiana is mostly flat. However, near the Indiana/Kentucky border, there are mountains on the Indiana side. Once I crossed into Kentucky, much of the driving was parallel to the Ohio River, which forms the border between Indiana and Kentucky.
Finally, I arrived in Carrollton. This was a fairly small town. I had begun to enjoy staying in new hotels. This one was okay, but it was definitely not new.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
September 28, 2008 - Western Kentucky
There are a number of lakes a few miles away from Benton, KY, where I stayed. There is an area called the "Land Between the Lakes" nearby which has a large number of activities. I didn't have a lot of time to see much there. I was also losing interest as I am back to sightseeing overload. However, I did get a few photos.
I later visited a park in the Kentucky Dam Village. See the photos.
The rest of the trip was mostly making my way to the next hotel which as in Shepherdsville, KY. Much of the driving was via the Western Kentucky Parkway. I remember driving this last year when I visited Kentucky. However, last year I drove it in the dark so I missed much of the scenery. At this point the leaves are just starting to turn so it's very pretty.
Shepherdsville is just outside of Louisville, Kentucky's largest city. This hotel was even newer than the one in Marion, AR. It was only open for two weeks by the time I arrived. Again, I have to ask...what recession?
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I later visited a park in the Kentucky Dam Village. See the photos.
The rest of the trip was mostly making my way to the next hotel which as in Shepherdsville, KY. Much of the driving was via the Western Kentucky Parkway. I remember driving this last year when I visited Kentucky. However, last year I drove it in the dark so I missed much of the scenery. At this point the leaves are just starting to turn so it's very pretty.
Shepherdsville is just outside of Louisville, Kentucky's largest city. This hotel was even newer than the one in Marion, AR. It was only open for two weeks by the time I arrived. Again, I have to ask...what recession?
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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
September 27, 2008 - Southeast Missouri to Benton, Kentucky
Cotton
I wanted to see the countryside in southeast Missouri. I drove to Malden, MO, which allowed me to see a bit of the area. It was very nice. But what was most interesting was that I saw cotton growing on plants for the first time in my life. I have been to the south before but it's usually in the spring, likely before the cotton has come out. This is the first time I've been around farms in the south in the early fall. See the photos.
As I drove further, I noticed pieces of cotton all over the sides of the road just as we might see dandelion fuzz. They looked like cotton balls that were pulled apart. Of course, I decided this was a nice chance for a free souvenir. I helped clean up the environment a bit as well. :)
Mississippi River
I also wanted to see the Mississippi River. While I have crossed the Mississippi River on a bridge before (going from Wisconsin to Minnesota earlier in this trip) I wanted to have a chance to actually see the river for more than a couple of minutes. Additionally, there is a small piece of land that is part of Kentucky which is not attached to the rest of the state. It is bordered by Tennessee and Missouri. I stopped at a spot by the Mississippi River in MO where I could see that part of Kentucky from across the river. See the photos. See the map below and zoom out...
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Cape Girardeau and Sikeston
From there, I went to Cape Girardeau. I went to Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary.
On the way up to Cape Girardeau along I-55, I saw signs for "throwed rolls" (yes, they wrote it that way). Apparently, Sikeston, MO is one of the few places where you can get these. I thought this was worth trying for dinner. Evidently this must be a popular place on a Saturday. By the time I got there, the parking lot was practically full and there were lots of people waiting outside the restaurant. From a loudspeaker, I found that the wait time would be forty minutes. I didn't have time for that. I found another restaurant (with no wait time) that specialized in southern cooked food.
On to Illinois
After dinner, I headed back to Cape Girardeau for a few minutes. Then I had to get to my destination, which was in Benton, Kentucky. I passed through southern IL (my only stop was at a grocery store). As I was driving through, I noticed a big deer waiting to cross. Thankfully, he stayed off the road while I passed.
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I passed Metropolis, IL as I approached the border with Kentucky. I visited that city last year. They have a giant Superman statue. This is far from the Metropolis in the Superman comic books. Parking is free on the main road and at least last year, gas stations did not even require customers to pay before pumping.
Kentucky
Once I got into Kentucky, I went through Paducah. I visited that city last year. Finally, I arrived in Benton, which is near a tourist area called the Land Between the Lakes. When I checked in, the hotel clerk provided me with two large bottles of water. That was very nice.
I wanted to see the countryside in southeast Missouri. I drove to Malden, MO, which allowed me to see a bit of the area. It was very nice. But what was most interesting was that I saw cotton growing on plants for the first time in my life. I have been to the south before but it's usually in the spring, likely before the cotton has come out. This is the first time I've been around farms in the south in the early fall. See the photos.
As I drove further, I noticed pieces of cotton all over the sides of the road just as we might see dandelion fuzz. They looked like cotton balls that were pulled apart. Of course, I decided this was a nice chance for a free souvenir. I helped clean up the environment a bit as well. :)
Mississippi River
I also wanted to see the Mississippi River. While I have crossed the Mississippi River on a bridge before (going from Wisconsin to Minnesota earlier in this trip) I wanted to have a chance to actually see the river for more than a couple of minutes. Additionally, there is a small piece of land that is part of Kentucky which is not attached to the rest of the state. It is bordered by Tennessee and Missouri. I stopped at a spot by the Mississippi River in MO where I could see that part of Kentucky from across the river. See the photos. See the map below and zoom out...
View Larger Map
Cape Girardeau and Sikeston
From there, I went to Cape Girardeau. I went to Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary.
On the way up to Cape Girardeau along I-55, I saw signs for "throwed rolls" (yes, they wrote it that way). Apparently, Sikeston, MO is one of the few places where you can get these. I thought this was worth trying for dinner. Evidently this must be a popular place on a Saturday. By the time I got there, the parking lot was practically full and there were lots of people waiting outside the restaurant. From a loudspeaker, I found that the wait time would be forty minutes. I didn't have time for that. I found another restaurant (with no wait time) that specialized in southern cooked food.
On to Illinois
After dinner, I headed back to Cape Girardeau for a few minutes. Then I had to get to my destination, which was in Benton, Kentucky. I passed through southern IL (my only stop was at a grocery store). As I was driving through, I noticed a big deer waiting to cross. Thankfully, he stayed off the road while I passed.
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I passed Metropolis, IL as I approached the border with Kentucky. I visited that city last year. They have a giant Superman statue. This is far from the Metropolis in the Superman comic books. Parking is free on the main road and at least last year, gas stations did not even require customers to pay before pumping.
Kentucky
Once I got into Kentucky, I went through Paducah. I visited that city last year. Finally, I arrived in Benton, which is near a tourist area called the Land Between the Lakes. When I checked in, the hotel clerk provided me with two large bottles of water. That was very nice.
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