James Fowler

5 Sep, 2017, 1110 Into Pennsylvania

We cross into Pennsylvania, exit for lunch at the Milford Diner. The chicken-Portobello sandwich is delicious. We go past grocery stores unknown to me, Giant Eagle, Wawa, Aldi. Near Scranton we switch to I-81 South. The semi ahead snakes around a shredded tire, Nancy dodges it too. Now I notice, shredded tires are more plentiful. This one leads to four more. We bypass Harrisburg, switch to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-76 West. Nancy didn’t take into account toll ways when she laid out the route. Soon I-70 joins us. Tree trunks wrapped in red-leafed vines appear. Virginia creeper. When I was young, mom planted some along the garage. Maybe she dug them up down here. We used to visit Uncle Fred in Canton. The bright red caught my eye.

blue station wagon
back seat kids
faces lit by hand-helds

A thunderstorm slams into us. We pull off at the next rest stop. The parking lot fills as we rush inside. Seems that everyone on the highway joins us. I wait in line for coffee. Toll-way rest stops have gas, food, stores. When the rain lessens, we leave. Through the Tuscarora Tunnel. Rain finished on the other end. We pass a Mair Company Semi that we passed before we pulled off. Someone drove through the storm. A $21 toll to exit at Bedford. Check into a Super 8 Motel.

Supper at the Twisted Trout Martini Bar & Restaurant. Not many people, good food, remote feel.

first night on the road
children run
across the room above