Notes On A Cross Country Journey

Jeff and I, and are loyal cocker spaniel Jackson are in the midsts of driving from Vermont to South Dakota to visit relatives for the holiday.

Rain and fog accompanied us through the entire first
half of our journey Saturday from Vermont to South
Dakota. This photo was taken somewhere
near Erie, Pa. We didn't see anything different
anywhere else.  

We're driving because it appears certain airlines kill dogs when you try to bring them with you on trips.

Some notes on sitting in a vehicle for long periods of time:

Storms:

It seems we always schedule trips when an epic storm arrives. We escaped a huge ice storm in Vermont, but it poured all the way through New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, where we stopped for the night.

I don't suggest eight hours of the hypnotizing effect of windshield wipers flapping back and forth as a path to mental health.

Entertainment:

We came prepared for a long trip with satellite radio and smart phones and all that jazz. Of course I forgot to bring a car charger for the phone, so that didn't last long.

Forget regular radio stations. How many times can you listen to "Jingle Bell Rock" without throwing up? Satellite radio had talk shows, Broadway songs I've heard a million times and, on "Outlaw Country," a low point: A song called "Tomale Christmas in Texas." Really.

Cuisine:

We want to move fast, so we just hop out of the car and grab whatever we can when we're hungry. I've lived on a diet of power bars, potato chips, Tic Tacs and Diet Coke so far. (though we ate better at the hotel last night) Traveling is not the time to go Five Stars. We deal with it.

The Dog:

Poor Jackson the Cocker Spaniel is bored. He's cooped up all day in his doggie bed in the back seat. Mostly he slept, and sometimes he halfheartedly batted his toy, named John Boehner, to pass the time. He was so excited to get out of the Jeep after a long day of traveling that he ran in circles in the hotel room for an hour. Can't blame him. I felt like running in circles, too.

The Goal:

By tonight, we will hopefull by in Yankton, South Dakota, where I can immerse myself in a holiday visit with Jeff's side of the family. That's what keeps me going on this trip. A week with an awesome bunch of people. It makes the whole drive more than worth it.