Wednesday Medley: Road Trip!

Sitting here in my big, fuzzy winter bathrobe this morning because it's cold enough to make the furnace kick on. What.the.heck. Where did my nice warm weather go? This is also my late start (noon) day so I have the morning to get some things done and, of course, first on the list is celebrating National Road Trip Day the with Terri @ Your Friend From Florida and her Wednesday Medley.

1.  Have you ever done a spur-of-the-moment road trip?  Yes. Tim and I headed out for a long weekend a few years ago to celebrate my 50th birthday.  Where did it take you?  Gettysburg. I hadn't been there in years and Tim had never been there. It was the best trip I think we've ever had. It was just us and with no plan there were no expectations. It was very relaxing. We stopped to investigate anything that caught our eye, so the Flight 93 Memorial, an antique mall, a big "shed" company (they make everything from dog houses to horse barns to log cabins), and Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum. We toured the town and battlefield on the top of a double-decker bus, took in some of the tourist stops in town, and strolled the streets looking in shops. 

2.  If time and money wasn't an issue, what roads would you choose to travel and how long would you be gone?  Easy question! I have long had the dream of driving across the country on U.S. Route 30...originally known as the Lincoln Highway. It was the first cross-country highway and it's naturally on my radar because I live about 1.5 miles from it, but the dream of the trip began as a teenager after I saw the old episodes of I Love Lucy in which Lucy, Desi, Fred, and Ethel drive to California on the Lincoln Highway. Many of the cool, old tourist stops are long gone, but some still remain. I just think it would be a great way to see the country. I'd probably want to throw a drive on Rt. 66 in on the return home, too. How long? I think 2-3 weeks would be okay to hit the highlights. If money was not a problem, I'd make it a whole summer thing and really dig into each place I stopped.

3.  When you go on a long road trip, what snacks and beverages do you take? I usually try to pack a little of everything because you never know what you're going to be hungry for. We usually have a good supply of pop, bottled water, chips (or something crunchy and salty), something sweet (cookies or M&M's), cheese, pepperoni, veggies and dip. It's not only for the car, but for overnight hotel stops. It saves a bunch of money over buying snacks at the hotel.  Do you pack a picnic?  Only if we know we'll be on the road all day and that stops may be few and far between.  Does the back seat turn into a nest?  No, not since the kids are grown and we are on our own. It's usually just where we pile anything we buy that doesn't fit in the trunk.  Oh, and the snacks are back there to keep them handy.

4.  Please tell us about something interesting or strange you have seen on the side of the road.  One of the tourist stops along Rt. 30 that has survived the years, is Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum. It definitely qualifies as one of the strangest places I've ever stopped. It features a big collection of all things elephant, a candy and novelty shop that would make Willy Wonka proud, and a garden full of kind of weird stuff.

Get it?  Jon...Deer.

5.  Who does the driving when you head out in the car?  Usually, it's Tim. He does not like to ride with anyone else driving. If he gets tired enough he will let me drive, but then he goes to sleep. Do you stop in the rest areas along our Interstate highways when you have to use the facilities, or do you choose a fast-food restaurant or gas station instead?  Not TMI... inquiring minds want to know!  It kind of depends. If we're on the interstates, we stop at the rest stops. If we are on smaller roads we stop where we can...small, local restaurants are better than fast food places.

6.  Please share something with us about your week so far.  Yesterday, I took the little dog I bought at Goodwill to work. It is just like the therapy cats we have that cost a fortune, but I paid $10. The idea of them is that, thanks to batteries, they breathe (and the cats purr)...that combined with the weight is calming to some residents when they hold them on their laps. The cats haven't been a big hit, but the dog seems to be. Two or three of the ladies wanted to hold her. They named her Maggie. Not much else is going on this week. I'm off on Thursday and will spend the day running errands...doctor appointment (for the Adipex, but I need to ask about my back since it's giving me grief), car inspection, and I hope, getting the dog groomed. Tim and I are both working the weekend and Memorial Day. I have to. He decided to work since I am. Why not? I get paid double time for the day and he will get double time and a half! Money we can put away for our cruise.