12 hours to Virginia

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This trip has been a long time coming, and finally it is here. We first began discussing the possbiilty of an American roadtrip 2 or 3 years ago, and over that time brought it from rough idea to fruition...we are in Roanoke Virginia afterall.

We got off to a later start then hoped, leaving home at 7:20am, crossing the border at 9:30 or so, and then promptly getting lost in Buffalo. We looped around, lost like fools through the various poorly signed highways and city streets of Buffalo. At one point we nearly got into an accident when a local driver jumped out into the road from behind some cars. I swerved, avoided the car, and a large traffic cone that was right in the way as well. In the end we found our way. And so we were off south on the 219 where we stopped in Hamburg NY for breakfast at the Comfort Zone Cafe. I had the breakfast scramble (a sort of hash with scrambled eggs, sausage, peppers, potatoes and onion), and Jackie the Breakfast Quiche. Both were good and came in at a great price.

The way south from there was picturesque but slow. Ellicotville and Salamanca NY, Bradford, Ridgeway and Phillipsburg PA all were quite lovely. Totally unexpected in fact. Altoon was a delight as well...we got to use the staff toilet at the MegaSave grocery...what a treat. Anyways... The trip began dragging, and before long we had been on the road for nearly 12 hours.

Once into Virginia we were roaring down the I81 at 75 miles an hour (the speed limit of 70mph is crazy but helpful), with the Blue Ridge Mountains looming beautifully above on either side. It was spectacular. The highway was a little crowded though, with truck after truck on their long haul trips cross country. At one point I was fully entombed in trucks, with one in front, one behind and one to the side. And that at 70 miles per hour.

We arrived finally in Roanoke VA, check in to the lovely Country Inn and Suites, and hurried out for dinner. Famous Anthony's is a quite popular local family restaurant, where you can get an enourmous amount of mediocre food for a crazy low price. I had the Chicken Parm with Pasta and a Side Salad, and Jackie had the Spaghetti and Meat sauce with a salad as well. The Pasta and Sauce was fine, too sweet for my taste, but the chicken was great; crispy and delicious. A hell of a deal at under 20 for all of that.

We picked up provisions for tomorrows adventure, and have settled in for the night. Tomorrow is set to be a great day hiking to McAfee Knob, possibly the most pictured spot on the Appalachian Trail.

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