2/20/99 - Day 12 -  I was lucky enough to find my friend in Virginia.  Thanks in no part to my calling card, which doesn't offer any access to information services like 555-1212.  I literally had to guess what area code he might be in, insert $1.25 into the nearest payphone ask for their name.  It was an educated guess that I picked that area code.  Fortunately it paid off after the first try.  Within a few minutes I was talking to my old friend.  His family was kind enough to let me stay, especially on such short notice.  But I am here now, about 30 minutes outside of Washington D.C. in Herndon, VA.  It's rather ironic.  I had decided that D.C. would be someplace that I would like to visit with friends when I had more time.  I actually had to drive 4 hours north to come just outside D.C.  In fact yesterday, my friend and I were driving around and had gotten lost.  We wound up coming to the outskirts of Washington and caught a look at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.  We followed a big circle roundabout back out of D.C.  Somehow, we managed to take a couple more wrong turns and ended up nowhere near where we were supposed to be.  We took a couple guesses and followed some signs to cities he remembered and ended back in his town of Herndon.

I've been mostly just hanging out and taking it easy here.  The break has been good.  I plan to leave either later today or tomorrow morning.  I'm not sure what my plans are for where to travel.  I've decided that I want to see more of the small towns.  I want to get off the big interstate and travel on the backroads and small highways.  I'll just have see what lies on the road ahead.

Quick Note: A friend who emailed me said my trip reminded her of a favorite book her father had read.  The name of this book is Blue Highways.  I was interested in what this book was about, so I stopped by a local bookstore here in Herndon, VA.  The book sounded very interesting, so I decided to pick it up.  Blue Highways is a real-life account of a man's journey through the back roads of small-town America.  I'm almost to page 20 and I've found it to be a very good book.  He captures the sprit of life in America's small town better than I ever could.  If you've religiously read my own accounts with interest, you'll probably enjoy this book very much.

2/25/99 - Day 17 - It's been a few days since my last update.  That's because there is not much going on right now.  My stay with my friend was pretty much a break in my trip.  On Monday and Tuesday, Mike (my friend) and I drove up to Carlisle, PA.  He had a couple days off work.  On the way up we stopped in Gettysburg.  We only got the 5 cent tour because we had to leave part-way through in order to arrive at Carlisle at a decent hour.   I really didn't get much on the history while I was there, but I do have a few photos you can see below.  I give my thanks to his family for taking me in.  They were very kind in offering me their home and food for five days.

I left their house yesterday.  I thought it would be a good to stop in West Virginia while I was so close.  I pulled out the Atlas and chose a place with an interesting name.  Lost City was my next destination.   I got to Lost City, but not without a little adventure.  I went on some backroads.  But these backroads were in the Appalachians.  I'm talking about one car wide dirt roads that go up and down the mountains.  I was nervous enough looking to my left and seeing a thousand foot drop to the next hilltop.  But add snow-covered roads and a rear-wheel drive vehicle that slides sideways when it loose traction.   That'll get your heart rate going.

There wasn't much in Lost City.  It was 5:00 pm and the General Store was already closed.  I drove a few miles further and stopped at Lost River.  I took a picture of the plaque and headed on.  After about 30 miles of driving North to a place called Three Churches, I decided it would be wise to start going South.  So I stopped, opened up the map, and chose a place to drive to.  I chose White Sulphur Springs, WV.  It was about 9:30 pm when I got there, so I got a room to stay the night.  The Village Inn is one of those small town motels.  I found a few annoyances.  The heater just wouldn't heat the room, so I was quite cold last night.  The bathroom floor is freezing - I mean freezing.

I think my next stop will be Charleston, SC.   I will visit my brother and grandparents, as well as look at a new car.  Can't say what long term plans I have, or what I will do after Charleston.  I'll get back to you on that.

2/27/99 - Day 19 - I'm in Charleston, SC.  The drive was uneventful - mostly interstate.   I'll be here for a few days.  I'm looking at a new car as well as visiting family.  Not much to report for now.  Will keep you updated if anything significant happens.

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