Today was a beautiful fall foliage drive through rural Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland.  I hadn't realized that Maryland was part of this route.  I had a great time enjoying the weather and foliage and peaceful driving along US 50.  I had my windows down and enjoyed the fall air.  I wasn't speeding though--not in those mountains! Wasn't quite like a convertible, but I did enjoy having the fresh air blowing by!

Here are some of the scenes that I experienced today!

 

 

I had never driven through the mountains of West Virginia on US 50 before.  Like I said before, it was a beautiful drive, but the passes across the numerous mountains were seriously curvy.  I reminded me of the way US 33 winds as crosses the mountain at Swift Run gap—except it goes on for a hundred miles.  Lots of hairpin curves.  Karen, you would not be able to handle this road—not without a serious dose of “dramamimes” (quote from our cabin steward on a previous cruise)

Flexible – defined as susceptible of modification or adaptation.  

I have had to be flexible on this trip.  I must change my course again due to a situation over which I have no control!  My original plan was to take US 50 all the way to Ocean City, Maryland, then travel down the Eastern Shore and take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Virginia Beach.  However, I was unable to get a room within 40 miles of Ocean City.  When I couldn’t reserve on-line at any of my choices in Ocean City, I thought maybe people were just trying to squeeze one last time at the beach before winter.  So I tried nearby towns – like Salisbury and Pokomoke City.  Nothing was available there either.  So, I called the hotel that was my top choice in Ocean City and explained my dilemma.  She indicated that she wasn’t surprised—that there is the big car show (2012 Endless Summer Cruisin’) there this weekend!  Well that explained that!!

So, I will take US 50 east as far as Winchester, VA, and look around there for a while, then head south on US 11 and home.  I lived in Winchester when I got out of school, so it should be interesting to compare present day with the way it was in my day!

Tonight, I’m staying in a retro motel in Romney, West Virginia called Koolwink Motel.  It’s the kind where you park at your door, has jalousied window on door, real room key (not magnetic strip), turquoise bathroom fixtures and tile—you remember those!!  And the coolest eames era lamp in the lobby.

Cool lamp!