Thursday, June 23
Departed at 9:30 AM  (later than we had hoped, but the car had to be packed and I had to make a CVS run to get prescriptions for Glen).

It took me three years, but I managed to sneak the guitar-shaped cake pan into the trunk.  I bought the darn thing at a yard sale 6 years ago for 5o cents, so it’s a precious possession.  I don’t know why Glen thinks it should go to the dump.

I thought we did a good job this year. You can’t see the 7 glass pie plates wrapped in bubble wrap and tucked into the trunk, but they’re there. I’ve been collecting them all winter.  There is also a banjo, guitar and violin, plus assorted bags of music.

3 miles:  Glen realized he’d forgotten his cell phone charger, so we turned around and went home to get it.   I was in the middle of painting my bug bites with clear fingernail polish when we discovered we weren’t exactly on our way.  The night before while we were watching recorded episodes of Masterchef (Glen’s favorite) I saw itchy red bumps popping up on my feet.  By the time we finally got in the car to leave, huge quarter-sized bites were all over my legs, too.  And since I’ve had experience with bug bites (yeah, highly allergic), I always carry nail polish.  Just in case chiggers attack me.  Which I guess they did.

Anyway, Glen waited 45 whole minutes before asking me a map question. Stopped for coffee in Connecticut.  And by noon we’d crossed into New York, where the rain was still coming down in torrents.  I painted 29 bug bites with calamine lotion, which is not a good look when wearing capris.

200 miles:  We stopped for lunch at a Wendy’s in Pennsylvania.  One of the best things about road trips is looking like a drowned rat (I forgot to pack my hooded sweatshirt) wearing socks and sandals, with pink-spotted legs, and knowing you’re not going to see anyone you know.

234 miles:  I drive while Glen takes a nap.

244 miles:  I wish I’d splurged on satellite radio.  Maybe it’s not too late?

245 miles:  I start counting road kills.

416 miles:  Glen wakes up.  We stop for gas and I inhale a bag of potato chips.  I itch.  I scratch.  I think I’m going to throw up.  I eat an Atkins cinnamon bar.

508 miles:  We arrive in Clarion, PA and stop at Walmart for oatmeal bath powder, yogurt, and 3 college football magazines.  I sit in the tub for an hour, call Mom, eat yogurt, and then spend an hour and a half trying unsuccessfully to insert a google map into this blog.

Hotels:  1 Comfort Inn

Restaurants:  1 McDonalds (coffee), 1 Wendy’s, 1 Subway

Road Kill Count:  4 deer, 1 groundhog, 4 unknowns.