The Road Less Traveled

May 30, 2011 Memorial Day
Fredericksburg VA to Millersville MD  100 miles via US301
Day #18

It's brutally hot, and going to get hotter, so they say.  Oh joy.

Leaving Fredericksburg KOA

We moved up the road a little, 100 miles.  Because it's Memorial Day, because most of the population of all the states north of Washington DC traveled to somewhere south of Washington DC for the holiday,  because they were ALL ON I95 HEADING BACK TODAY, because we are over 50 feet long, because it's sizzling hot and people are getting crazed on the highways....we decided to go another way.

I looked at the map, then checked with TOMTOM.  When did I lose map reading  superiority to that little voice in box?  We both decided US301 would be much, much better for the mental heath of all parties within the aluminum walls of the 30 foot box, to go that way and avoid the interstate.

The ride was nice, peaceful, pastoral and historic.  This highway was started in the early 1930's and grew over the years.  Now it stretches from Delaware to Sarasota Florida. 

 I remember years ago, when traveling from Rhode Island to Florida, or even to relatives in Wilmington NC, that parts of I95 were not complete and we would have to take US301.  We'd travel through little Mayberry type towns that were speed traps. 

Around the time Jim and I got married my father in law, traveling with my mother in law and their pre-school age daughter,  got stopped in Stony Creek NC, a stereotypical small southern town. 

 He was pulled over by the sheriff and taken to a kangaroo court...garage that also doubled as a 'courthouse'.  The sheriff announced to the 'judge', "Got me another one, Amos!"  He was fined for exceeding the speed limit...they asked how much money he had on him, (this was in the days before credit cards) then took all but $30, which they decided was enough to buy enough gas to get him home....no food, just gas.   Stoney Creek is a long way from Rhode Island, over 700 miles.


We still laugh when we pass the exit for Stoney Creek when traveing  on I 95 through North Carolina.

Our little one hundred mile trek today was a pleasure.  I just plugged the address into TOMTOM and away we went.  I'm thinking that these navagational devices are probably saving marriages.  When *I* was the sole navagator, getting through a tricky area was much more stressful.  I would have the route mapped out, when suddenly the huge green highway signs would appear with 10 different routes to choose from.  Sometimes we'd have less than a mile to figure out where we were going.  I'd be scrambling to get the atlas, find the right page, figure out where we were on that page and tell 'the driver' which way to go.  All the while he'd be screaming to hurry up.  If I gave him bad info he'd act like it was a HUGE deal, then I would get mad a him...

Now, it's all TOMTOM's fault (TOMTOM is ususally right) if we make a wrong turn.  He can yell at TOMTOM, not me and TOMTOM's feelings don't get hurt.   Perfect.

We made it to Millersville KOA , the closest one to Washington DC, set up and found a Giant grocery store to do some restocking.

Tomorrow we will go back to Washington DC on the Metro, this station is only about 15 miles away, to visit the National Zoo, and the Newseum , a private museum featuring all facets of the news media.