I’ve driven 2400 miles in one week, and traveled through nine states.
I very happily arrived in western Massachusetts where my youngest two children live, grateful for the sights and experiences along the way. It was another rainy morning, but I had only 100 miles to go, and arrived in time for lunch, vegan sandwiches from a local shop. I’m so glad to see them.
I drove the back roads through the Green Mountain National Forest, thrilled by the changing fall colors.
We got sandwiches from a great shop for lunch, then hung out and enjoyed catching up and being together. My youngest rents a room, and her landlady invited me to sleep on the daybed in her upstairs room, an offer I gratefully accepted.
In the evening, my daughter went off on a previously planned commitment, and I had time alone with my other child and their partner, and enjoyed a delicious vegetable soup with pasta and tofu.
Me and my awesome Lavender
Me and my daughter Carol Anne.
I look forward to being here for the next couple of days, with these beautiful people.
Words and even pictures cannot capture the majesty of Niagara Falls. I had planned to go to Cave of the Winds, but after I spent an hour gazing on the Falls , and walking in the rain, I decided that I didn’t need to. I had gone on the Maid of the Mist 12 years ago and would love to do it again, but I knew that if I were to get to my next destination, I would have to get on the road.
If I’m close to a body of water, I have to go see it. I lived in an apartment with a view of a lake for four years and loved it. Only moved to be near the grandbabies. Thus, I took the more scenic and longer route so I could say hello to Lake Ontario.
After I found the park by Lake Ontario in Williamson, New York, I decided I’d better get back on the interstate or I’d be driving til midnight. It was rainy all day, but traffic wasn’t as bad as yesterday. When I was about 30 minutes from the airbnb I was aiming for, I got back on highway 5 to enjoy the last bit of my drive. I love looking at the old houses, driving through the towns, and crossing rivers. I was amazed that there were miles and miles, acres and acres of apple orchards that came right up to the road! So tempting, but I didn’t stop.
Fall colors are everywhere! Although most of the trees are still green, and the grass is a vivid green, yellows and oranges abound, and there are more and more streaks of red. Fall flowers in red, yellow, and purple beautify the roadside. I hope to get some pictures in the next couple of days.
Tonight I’m in a comfortable apartment all to myself, attached to a house, in Clifton Park, NY. Tomorrow, I arrive at my final destination, where I will stay for three nights before turning homeward.
The rain that I drove through most of the day was a delicious, misty, soaking-the-earth type of rain. I relished it, remembering the monotony of the dry climate when I was in Carson City in the summer. I love rain (but not if it is torrrential while I’m driving!)
I slept soundly in the wonderful airbnb bed, and really wouldn’t have minded staying there longer!
Wonderful house with lovely people
But, I still have people to see! So I packed up my stuff, and got a delicious coffee and a fig scone at Rising Star Coffee roasters. I tried to eat it outside, but had competition from bees so had to make a run for it.
The bees were interested!
Rising Star Coffee Roasters
I then got my first glimpse of Lake Erie at the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve – a really nice place to walk and reflect.
After that I drove east on Lakefront Road for a while, enjoying periodic views of the lake, and found a small park, perfect for a picnic lunch by the water.
Feeling satisfied, I got on Interstate 90, thinking I would make better time. That was horrible! So many 18 wheelers, and tons of traffic. So, when I got to Erie, PA, I got off that road and took Hwy 5 most of the way to Buffalo. My google map later told me I was very smart, because I was avoiding crashes on 90!
I was surprised to see acre after acre of lush vineyards between Lake Erie and the well-maintained two lane road I travelled on. Sometimes there were cornfields on the other side. I loved driving through the small towns, and looked enviously at the interesting homes with the Great Lake in their backyard. I wondered what it was like, waking every morning to that sight! I also wondered what it was like in the winter!
The rain got a little heavier, traffic in Buffalo was a mess, but I arrived in Niagara, happy to have another place to lay my head.
This guy was playing amazingly at the rest area/welcome center in Pennsylvania!
My friend moved to Ohio a couple of years ago. She told me which city she lives in, but never gave me her address. We’d been texting back and forth about me stopping by for a short visit on this trip, and were both excited! So, last night I was updating her with my plans, after I had booked a place to stay in Cleveland. Well….turns out, she lives in Cincinatti! I laughed at myself so hard, and laughed even more when I looked back at my texts that clearly say that’s where she lives!
I decided that I wanted to go to Cleveland anyway, to see Lake Erie. So this morning I got up really early, hit the road while it was still dark. Brought back some of my best childhood memories. My parents would pack up the family station wagon, the rented Uhaul, the cartop carrier that fit under the canoe, and get all us kids up and in the car along with the dog and be on the road by 5 am.
I wasn’t quite that early, but did get to her place by 10, after getting to experience a gorgeous sunrise. We chatted and caught up and took a walk and she gave me some great cookies. Then I was on my way and got to my airbnb in Cleveland by 4:30.
Cincinnati to Cleveland is about the same distance as Houston to San Antonio, but a bit more interesting. The Texas trip, which I’ve made quite a few times, is straight, flat, and just generally nothing to look at. The Ohio trip started out being kinda similar, but Columbus was along the way, breaking up the monotony, and after that, the trees were pretty with the start of fall colors
Right now I am very tired, and happy that tonight, I am sleeping in a comfortable bed in an awesome home. I have no idea what I’m going to do tomorrow!
My friend is a very private person so I’m not posting a picture with her, so here is the beautiful sunrise.
Smog hung heavy over Houston as I headed west out of the city. It was 80 degrees at 8 am, with the promise of heat and humidity. Mile after mile of flat grassland flashed past as I drove the familiar route down 290. I was super happy to be on the road again.
Can’t really take decent pictures when you’re driving
I always love it when I get to Washington County, known for being “the birthplace of Texas”. It’s like a magical change. The landscape morphs to rolling hills, with long white painted fences edging the roads, cows grazing on lush green grass, remnants of summer flowers still blooming. The sky, by this time, was blue with ever changing white clouds, and the sun was shining.
Not really a picture of rolling hills, but definitely prettier
I decided to stop in Brenham, at the Bluebell Creamery. It was only 9:30 in the morning, but I couldn’t pass by without getting a generous scoop of ice cream for only a dollar! I chose Millennium Crunch, an all time favorite. In case you didn’t know it, Bluebell ice cream is famous in Texas, and I was raised believing it was the best ice cream in the world. I guess I still think it is.
I enjoyed the rest of the ride to Austin, arriving at my daughter’s apartment just in time for her to fix me a delicious lunch sandwich. She is vegan and I am vegetarian, and we enjoyed lightly sauteed tempeh with avocado, lettuce, and tomato on rye bread, with plantain chips. I forgot to take a picture.
We just had the one afternoon, and really just wanted to hang out together. Since it was so hot (in the 90’s by then), we decided to stay in and watch a movie. We chose The Out of Towners with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis, and it didn’t disappoint. I’m going to have to check out the remake with Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn.
We wanted to go out and take a walk in one of the wilderness areas, but decided to wait til the sun was down. It was time to think about food again, and this time I was treated to a bowl of batter fried tofu, rice, and sauteed veggies. Again, deliciious and satisfying.
yum
After that we took a short walk through a forested area nearby.
Me and my daughter Gillian
I’ve been to Austin dozens of times in the 12 years since she moved here to go to college. Usually we and siblings who have been along go to restaurants, shops, events. It’s different now, and not just because of the pandemic. This time it was about just being with this one special person, and for me, experiencing anew the gratefulness I have for this human’s presence in my life.
Embracing Uncertainty 
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