Day 1: Not So Bad!

I've begun! It's almost unreal, this sense of beginning a journey I'd almost lost hope of ever taking. We left at 8:30 this morning - got out of NYC with hardly any traffic.

The open road stretched out in front of me felt like absolute, tangible freedom. I've never felt anything like it. Being present as the miles piled up between me and everyone and everything I know is utterly exhilarating. I never had a feeling and an act so closely related in my entire life. I guess this trip was something I needed even more than I'd thought (and I've definitely thought I needed it).

We stopped first at Falling Water, a house in Southwestern Pennsylvania that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. He designed it on a waterfall, as my picture shows. Not only that - everything he put into the design reflected the nature surrounding it. The structure itself was made to resemble the falling water beneath it. The floor on the first floor looked like the bottom of the river bed. It was really spectacular.

Towards the end of the tour, Troy and I realized we were famished. Our tour guide, Don (with his accent, it totally sounded like he was saying "Dawn"), told us there was nothing really around except for Pizza Huts and Burger Kings. Troy and I had decided when we started out that we want to only eat at local diners and restaurants during this trip, so we were bummed. But we got back on the road, stuffed our mouths with trail mix and tortilla chips, and made our way in the direction of our next stop: Peebles, OH. We were nearly out of gas. We drove around for awhile on one road that looked like the back country in Appalachia, until we passed a town called Ohiopyle. But we were in Pennsylvania. Maybe it was a place where there were piles of Ohians? Sorry - I'm deliriously tired right now. Anyway, this town had no gas station, so we pressed on. Troy almost had a heart attack. But then Dory somehow got some extra spark of life in her, and the gas light disappeared. We found gas shortly afterward.

We entered West Virginia, and immediately pulled into a restaurant called Twila's Fine Family Restaurant. We walked in and knew we'd hit the jackpot. There was a collection of teapots on shelves, a piano, statues of Laurel and Hardy! There was even country music playing, and our waitress had only half of her teeth! I felt so happy to be there, I couldn't stop smiling. Get this - I ordered a grilled chicken salad, and it came with a pile of french fries and melted cheese on top! Brilliant. I mean, I didn't eat the fries with the salad or anything, but just the IDEA of it was enough to make my night.


Back on the road, the sun was setting. Troy and I played a game where one person names two actors, and the other person has to guess what movie they've been in together. We are having a lot of fun together. My apprehensions about whether or not he'd be a fun travel companion have been put at ease. He laughs a lot, makes me laugh, and seems to be up for anything. We took a 7 mile detour to look for ice cream in Morganstown, WV (cute college town, btw), and then just changed our minds and got back on the highway.

We stopped at 10pm because the only road out of Parkersville, WV has been closed off for fireworks. We were beat anyway. After some price checking at the 4 motels that are side by side in the town, we decided on the Econolodge! Free continental breakfast, AND we get a 10% discount because Troy works for the government! Niiice.

So tomorrow is another day, but I'm excited for the next two weeks.