roadtrip !



photos by Elaine A. Russell... taken at the Lancaster Farmer's Market

webshot of Shamoken dam

First, I apologize for not posting yesterday. I got up early (6am) and had breakfast with the family. After visiting for awhile, my niece and my brother in law's new wife and I went to the Lancaster Farmer's Market. This is a huge thing that happens every Tuesday. On one side of the grounds, it is all antiques, flea market type stuff and more. You wouldn't believe all the cool stuff I saw ( and even bought a couple things !). On the other side of the grounds are all kinds of fresh vegetables, fruit, crafts and even a music group or two. In spite of it being unbearably hot and humid.. it was awesome.
Then I was on the road again. Having gotten some fresh fruit and food, I was ready to travel.. but was having a bad allergy problem still. Between my eye swelling shut, sneezing my fool head off.. and sweltering in the heat... the drive became a nightmare. Couple with tons of rain, mist, fog and even hail.... the road became hazardous as well.
The road was unfamiliar to me too. I was mostly on I-76.. which is a toll interstate throughout the bottom of PA. It was a great road.. but expensive ($13 toll fees). I was a bit confused as well... traveling in parts of PA, and in parts of Virginia all in the same day. As it turns out, I was on the right roads... it just felt awkward at times.
A bonus... was that I got to go thru a series of tunnels. They were huge.. and went thru various peaks of the Appalachian Mountains. Incredible. I also went all around Shamoken Dam (huge)... lots of pretty Amish countryside.. and lots of fertile farm land.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamokin_Dam,_Pennsylvania
I stopped early for the night at a Super 8 in Cambridge Ohio. The management (Ms. Fry) and crew were very nice, the room was really nice, and in spite of not having internet (it was down due to the storms)... was great. I got dinner from a nearby KFC, and enjoyed a relaxing night in the room.