17 July 2017
With high hopes for making miles, I set out (sans podcasts / music, giving my ears a break) down US209...and was almost immediately frustrated. Not by tourists, but commuter traffic was almost as bad--although they knew where they wanted to go, too many of them had to get there. And there was the occasional slowpoke that didn't know... The first 120 miles took three hours. At one point there was some huge farm tractor taking up the whole lane, doing 20 mph, and double-yellow up and down hills and around curves, so nobody passed him, and there was nowhere for him to pull off (if he was even so inclined)--grrr!
I've been using AccuWeather's "Driving Directions" to more-or-less predict weather on my general route--I also have an app (and its webpage) called "Weather On Wheels," except that pretty much every time I try to use it, it finds the route ok, but is "unable to reach weather servers" (working this morning, of course).
Anyway, AccuWeather showed a small possibility of sprinkles later in the day--not sure if it was my slow progress, or inaccurate forecasting, but the 'sprinkles' started just about when I needed gas, in Penn Township. I had some trouble finding gas there--I didn't see any stations as I was driving through, so had to go back in to get it. And after I'd filled up the rain got somewhat more serious, to the point where I put away vulnerable electronics and put on my rain gloves.
It never cleared up, and 'ad hoc' electronic signs alongside the road warned of "Severe thunderstorms." Most of that looked like it was to the east, and more gradually, behind me, but it remained muggy and turned hot--low to mid-nineties most of the rest of the day.
By mid-afternoon I was about 40 miles west of Washington, D.C., far enough away that its traffic didn't bother me, and finally got onto a divided highway (although not limited access) where the speed limit was a heady 60, and started grinding out some more reasonable mileage--except for the stoplights every few miles. Many were green, but occasionally not--still, on this stretch I averaged 45 instead of the first leg's 40--and it wasn't quite as frustrating.
After 230 miles I needed gas, though. There was supposed to be a station where I pulled off, but I didn't see it at first. There looked to be a stately southern mansion...oh, wait, there are pumps there. Stuck my card in, and repeatedly pressed the "No" button when asked "Debit?" Didn't register the press, then timed out--repeated tries were futile, so I had to go inside and pay at the register.
By now it's 1800, and although I haven't made 400 miles, it's time to think about stopping. Nuvi finds me a Knights Inn down the road a piece; there's a Wal*Mart a couple miles away, guess it'll do.
As I pull off the road, rain starts sprinkling. I duck under the portico and go in; while I'm filling out the registration, the rain comes a bit harder, then slacks off enough for me to unpack without getting too wet. A check with the "Storm" app shows a nasty-looking cell pointed right at us, so before it hits I schlep across the street to a gas station convenience store that has a reasonable selection--even some pre-packaged coleslaw that wasn't horrible--and was considerably cheaper than that resort boutique a couple of nights ago. (And the motel clerk says they have 'honey buns and muffins' for breakfast, so I don't need that.)
When I check the 'Storm' app again, there's no sign of that cell, so perhaps I could have made the Wal*Mart run after all--C'est la vie.
Motel: $60.67
Groceries: $10.34
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