My Cross Country Trip, part 5

Monday, July 26th

Left Aunt Lynne's around 8am. After being in her climate controlled abode all weekend, walking out that front door was not only hot, but a brick wall of humidity... On a side note, I'd like to say that I was already missing the Bay Area. This heat and humidity thing is very common, appearently, in the summer. There's no "dryness", no morning fog, and no ocean breeze, as experienced at my parents' house's wonderful East Bay location.... Anyway, it was hot. The radio people said it was well into the 80s w/ the heat index expected to be over 100 degrees. Air conditioning in the car is key.

I drove north east across OH and didn't hit much traffic, thanks to Cousin Tim's driving tips the previous night. As I drove, the trees became more dense, but the corn and soybeans stayed. Sorry Carolyn. When I reached the PA/NY border, I noticed a slight drop in corn fields and a new addition of grape vines. It was interesting to me to see the green vines w/ a sprinkle of yellow leaves on top. I've only driven through "wine country" as I went to and from HSU. I don't remember ever seeing the vines get yellow tops, though. It was pretty. Somewhere along that area was the introduction of a tall, thick grass which swayed nicely in the wind.

Reaching Buffalo, New York wasn't hard, but finding my hotel was. Having my trusty maps helped, but misreading the street signs didn't. I'd turned down the street before Niagra Falls Blvd, but hadn't noticed that little piece of info as I began to feel lost. Just as I was going to turn around, I found my street had dead ended into Niagra Falls Blvd. What luck. So, I turned left and drove back in the direction I needed and found my hotel soon after. I didn't go explore any of the town b/ I was tired. I just checked in, ate my lunch leftovers, discovered that I had no salsa to go with the tortilla chips that Aunt Lynne had given me, showered, and talked with a few people on the phone before I went to bed. It was an uneventful evening.


Tuesday, July 27th

The final leg of my journey.

I didn't spend any extra time in Buffalo or see Niagra Falls b/ Luke wants to go see these things one weekend after I've arrived. He was unable to meet up with me b/of vacation time and cost of airfare and was therefore bummed to be missing out. I wouldn't mind seeing Niagra Falls again, but I just didn't want to be "been there, done that".

I drove across NY and MA. I think that I was just sick of driving. I've done it all myself. Had I not been working with the time restrictions of other people's schedules while planning this trip, I would have spent more time sightseeing and making shorter distances between stops. If there's ever a next time, I'll be sure to do that.

Anyway, it was a long journey. I made lots of stops.

1. for Starbucks and to admire the fruit stand
2. for lunch and gas
3. for fresh fudge (very yummy and great sugar boost), for an ice cold bottle of Aquafina, and to see what Fresh City was - a fast food place that tosses salads and makes burritos, wraps, and smoothies. too bad i wasn't hungry. it looked good.
4. just to stop
5. to get a map of Mass. from the tourist center b/ I left mine on my bedroom wall and didn't know which freeway connected 90E with 3N

I called Luke when I reached the border of New Hampshire. He directed me home. I was grateful b/ I missed the exit last time I was here. I think I wrote about that in my blog in April. After I arrived, we went to dinner. Indian food! :>) I was hungry and very happy at the dining option. Carolyn and I intended to go in Chicago, but I think that was the night we ate hot dogs instead. I ordered a lamb kabab, basically. It was good, but not as good as at Krishneel's BBQ. His had more flavor and wasn't as crispy or charred. I told Luke about most my journey. We came home and watched the end of the Red Sox game. They're my adopted home team, now. No A's games unless they're playing the Red Sox or are on ESPN. Well, my new team in red won in extra innings and I went to bed.

Observations and extras:

• summer = humid + heat. This is true everywhere but in the wonderful East Bay
• sunblock + heat + altitude changes = explosion all over Amy
• When there is a parked car on the shoulder of the highway, for any reason, everyone gets out of the right lane. Unsure if this is law or common courtesy. Stopped seeing this around OH.
• No police or highway patrol at construction sites.
• Kum & Go is a gas station chain that starts in IA. Preferred to visit Sinclair w/ the cute green dinosaur logo or even Get & Go.
• No matter the hotel room or location, the lack of sleep before the trip and the hours of driving allowed even me to sleep through most the night.
• Hotel beadspreads and curtains never match
• The DIVERSITY in San Francisco may be too much for some people to handle.
• "Chicago is a cleaner NY", said Carolyn. True. In our area, many a sidewalk was pressure washed nightly. Yea tourism!
• "It looks so different. The snow's all melted." - Carolyn's comment as I drove to Kathy's house in UT.
• And, lastly, our opinions are based on views from the major highways of America, mostly. They may not accurately represent a state.

City Names:

• What Cheer, IA
• Peru, IL
• Cozad, NE
• Vrooman Rd, exit # 255 in OH
• New Castle, IN
• Lebanon, IN
• Morocco, IN
• Lodi, OH - not just for CA, looked like a farming area mostly, too
• Wooster, OH - not to be confused with Worcester, MA
• Hard Pain Rd, NY

License Plates:

• JUUUDDY
• LL8 AGN
• SCHRECK
• SWHEET
• SHY GIRL
• DLVRYN
• CAT MEOW
• TWO GONE
• COACH 66
• 77 ZT
• C ROSS 1
• JKL
• M+M
• CROG 1 - ????

Total miles traveled: 3,641.

My milage from Mom & Dad's in San Leandro, CA to Luke's in Nashua, NH. This includes our trip to Treasure Island, and back, of about 40 miles, and another good 20 from attempting to go to Chicago's O'Hare Airport instead of Midway. Total gas money was $270.29! This is under my estimate. Yea cheaper gas prices!!