Getting Back to the Midwest

Sept. 13-14, 2011

Never did see an MD welcome sign...so this will have to do.

Never saw a bear, either.  :(

Missed the official sign; saw this one done in rocks at the

rest stop.

Oh look - RAIN!  As though I hadn't seen

enough on this trip!

After my visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, it was time to head west.  Getting out of DC was the hardest part of the drive.  Yeesh.  Two lanes that split to 4 that split to 6, round-a-bouts, traffic going in every direction at warp speed.  And me, caught in the middle.  Of course, I missed my exit for I-495 and ended up, uh, where?  Too far south out of my way, which resulted in getting caught in a construction jam once I got back on track.  I made a brief stop at Antietam Battlefield and Cemetery - very interesting, and sad bit of Civil War history.  Closer to home on Wednesday, I also got in a major construction jam on I-65 just north of Indianapolis.  At least I knew the back roads there and although it was slow going, I found my way to Rt. 47N.

It was a hectic trip, many one-night stays (no, that does not say one-night stands) and unfamiliar roads. 

The stats:  13 days, 19 states (counting some more than once as I went in/out/in): 

Illinois to Missouri to Arkansas to Tennessee to Mississippi to Alabama to Georgia to South Carolina to North Carolina to Virginia to Maryland to Virginia to Washington, DC to Virginia to Maryland to West Virginia to Pennsylvania to Ohio to Indiana to Illinois!

Total miles:  3,225

New states not previously visited:  VA, MD, DC (yes, I know it's not really a state) WV, PA

Worst traffic - tie between Atlanta, GA and Washington, DC

Worst weather - Mississippi

Best weather - VA and DC

Best food - Bertucci's in Alexandria, VA (artichoke pizza - yum!)  And hushpuppies at Etta's in Chincoteague!

Best drink - Chincoteague Bay Breeze (coconut rum, cranberry and pineapple juice - yum2)

Best sightseeing - DC of course

Best for birdnerding - Chincoteague, VA

Worst for mosquitoes - Chincoteague, VA

Worst hotel - Quality Inn, Meridian, MS

Best drive - nature:  Cumberland, MD to Morgantown, WV.  Rolling green hills, mountains, Eastern Continental Divide - beautiful!

Best drive - manmade:  Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

Best graffiti - seen on boxes at an OH rest stop:

Best exit sign - Ohio seemed really glad that I was leaving

Best audio book on the road - "The Prince of Frogtown" by Rick Bragg

Best gas price - $3.29/gal in Mississippi.  Even DC has cheaper gas than IL!

Best thing about being back in IL - getting out of the car.  And OTIS!!!