Sunday, March 26, 2006 - Home to Burlington
The end of a wonderful trip! But my! It feels good to sit here with feet up and an ice pack on my knee.
There was a call on our answering machine saying that they had tried to reach me to say they can
move my operation up. I'd given them my cell phone number, but, ah well...so it goes. I've called the
answering service and hope they'll see that I'm home tomorrow morning.
Statistically, here's how it went. Total miles driven, garage to garage: 4204.5. Longest day's drive: two
of them @ 11 hours - one was Panama City to Venice. The other was yesterday - a shade longer but
only because we drove into Hagerstown, MD after dark at the wrong exit and had to go back out on
US81 to try again.
The little we saw of Hagerstown was wonderful: rows of old brick houses with porches coming right to
the sidewalks; interesting architecture - old brick mixed with Victorian wood; narrow hilly streets going
every which way (except our way). There was a Best Western, but it looked too fancy for our rumpled
state - and that's why we retreated to the highway, stopping at the next exit and a Hampton Inn. If we
had known how nice they are, we would have gone there in the first place.
Amazing! Here was a gracious motel, elegant in its simplicity. Plain carpeting; a muted two-toned
striped wallpaper; darker striped draperies over white glass curtains; and on the two
not-quite-double-sized beds, plain white covered duvets and four pillows each. Talk about restful, this
was it. Most of the other motels chafed for your rapt attention: wild carpet, zigzag wallpaper,
ultra-flowery bedspread, dark carved wood furniture plastered with rococo brass handles, raucous
pictures on the wall - nightmares in the making. Less is more.
The drive today was tiring. US 81 for the most part is an old road with the thu-bump, thu-bump of
concrete joints, even where it has been black-topped over. By-passing Harrisburg was easy, but the
rest of the time we encountered the annoyance of cars that would rush past, then pull ahead of you and
slow up - GRRR. By comparison, the big trucks were a joy; they do know how to drive. It became
necessary to stay in the left lane because once you pulled to the right, you could never get back in when
coming upon a slow car. I won't admit to any particular speed, other than to say I kept up with the traffic,
and it moved!
We did come across two events: one was an unusual accident on the westbound side. Apparently it
had just happened as there were no police on the scene (yet). In the ditch, we saw an overturned and
battered travel trailer and behind it, an overturned body...about the size of a large SUV. The ditch was
deep so we could only see the bottom of the SUV. Within minutes, the police cars were racing toward
it. We could only guess what had happened and the outcome. We were gone.
Earlier, we had rounded a bend and saw a familiar sight: three police cars on the side of the road with
blue lights flashing. Each policeman was interviewing the occupant of each of three cars they had
hailed. Around the next bend was the policeman Cor identified as "The Tattle Tale." 'Nuff said.
On we pushed, stopping only for gas until we reached Glens Falls. We gassed up again, then went
across the road to The Silo, a country store/restaurant. We decided to have a large lunch as we knew
we'd be too tired to eat when we got home. Cor had his love - hash with an egg, and I had an
interesting sandwich - "the Farm Hand" - ham, turkey and cheese on French toast bread with a "gravy"
made of cranberries. Very tasty!
Leaving there, we messed around a while as we tried to find the right road, cruising through a few
parking lots and backing and filling...but as always, like fools, we managed. The rest of the way was a
snap, although we stopped several times along US 22A to take pictures of the sun poking through dark
spooky clouds, with the rays fanning out right down to the hill tops. When we reached home, we
couldn't pass up a few shots of the sunset over Lake Champlain....We Were Home!
The end of a wonderful trip! But my! It feels good to sit here with feet up and an ice pack on my knee.
There was a call on our answering machine saying that they had tried to reach me to say they can
move my operation up. I'd given them my cell phone number, but, ah well...so it goes. I've called the
answering service and hope they'll see that I'm home tomorrow morning.
Statistically, here's how it went. Total miles driven, garage to garage: 4204.5. Longest day's drive: two
of them @ 11 hours - one was Panama City to Venice. The other was yesterday - a shade longer but
only because we drove into Hagerstown, MD after dark at the wrong exit and had to go back out on
US81 to try again.
The little we saw of Hagerstown was wonderful: rows of old brick houses with porches coming right to
the sidewalks; interesting architecture - old brick mixed with Victorian wood; narrow hilly streets going
every which way (except our way). There was a Best Western, but it looked too fancy for our rumpled
state - and that's why we retreated to the highway, stopping at the next exit and a Hampton Inn. If we
had known how nice they are, we would have gone there in the first place.
Amazing! Here was a gracious motel, elegant in its simplicity. Plain carpeting; a muted two-toned
striped wallpaper; darker striped draperies over white glass curtains; and on the two
not-quite-double-sized beds, plain white covered duvets and four pillows each. Talk about restful, this
was it. Most of the other motels chafed for your rapt attention: wild carpet, zigzag wallpaper,
ultra-flowery bedspread, dark carved wood furniture plastered with rococo brass handles, raucous
pictures on the wall - nightmares in the making. Less is more.
The drive today was tiring. US 81 for the most part is an old road with the thu-bump, thu-bump of
concrete joints, even where it has been black-topped over. By-passing Harrisburg was easy, but the
rest of the time we encountered the annoyance of cars that would rush past, then pull ahead of you and
slow up - GRRR. By comparison, the big trucks were a joy; they do know how to drive. It became
necessary to stay in the left lane because once you pulled to the right, you could never get back in when
coming upon a slow car. I won't admit to any particular speed, other than to say I kept up with the traffic,
and it moved!
We did come across two events: one was an unusual accident on the westbound side. Apparently it
had just happened as there were no police on the scene (yet). In the ditch, we saw an overturned and
battered travel trailer and behind it, an overturned body...about the size of a large SUV. The ditch was
deep so we could only see the bottom of the SUV. Within minutes, the police cars were racing toward
it. We could only guess what had happened and the outcome. We were gone.
Earlier, we had rounded a bend and saw a familiar sight: three police cars on the side of the road with
blue lights flashing. Each policeman was interviewing the occupant of each of three cars they had
hailed. Around the next bend was the policeman Cor identified as "The Tattle Tale." 'Nuff said.
On we pushed, stopping only for gas until we reached Glens Falls. We gassed up again, then went
across the road to The Silo, a country store/restaurant. We decided to have a large lunch as we knew
we'd be too tired to eat when we got home. Cor had his love - hash with an egg, and I had an
interesting sandwich - "the Farm Hand" - ham, turkey and cheese on French toast bread with a "gravy"
made of cranberries. Very tasty!
Leaving there, we messed around a while as we tried to find the right road, cruising through a few
parking lots and backing and filling...but as always, like fools, we managed. The rest of the way was a
snap, although we stopped several times along US 22A to take pictures of the sun poking through dark
spooky clouds, with the rays fanning out right down to the hill tops. When we reached home, we
couldn't pass up a few shots of the sunset over Lake Champlain....We Were Home!
Sun breaking through clouds over Adirondacks from US 22A - pics 1&2: Pic 3 - later from US 7
Snow-capped Mt. Mansfield awash with a glow from
the sunset and topped by a mirroring cloud.
the sunset and topped by a mirroring cloud.
Sunset in three stages: 1. 5:55 over the monkeys on the old RR Station
2. 6:00 - over the Waterfront Park from Lake Street and
3. 6:05 - past the fishing pier and lighthouse from the Moran Plant
2. 6:00 - over the Waterfront Park from Lake Street and
3. 6:05 - past the fishing pier and lighthouse from the Moran Plant
And so - we had a great time seeing so many good friends and regretted not being able to see many
more. After all, friends are what life is about. Driving along, we figured that everyone is made up of
everyone they have known, for better or worse. Every person, every experience leaves an imprint - and
that becomes YOU! With that bit of homey wisdom, we leave you to your own devices and thank you
for taking the time to come along on this winter to spring wandering. Love you all! Cor and Gail
more. After all, friends are what life is about. Driving along, we figured that everyone is made up of
everyone they have known, for better or worse. Every person, every experience leaves an imprint - and
that becomes YOU! With that bit of homey wisdom, we leave you to your own devices and thank you
for taking the time to come along on this winter to spring wandering. Love you all! Cor and Gail
More
skies
from US 7
skies
from US 7
BACK HOME TO VERMONT + Photos
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