I’m back home now after a week-long absence from home and hearth, part for business, part for pleasure. So rather than go on for pages about various things seen, eaten, or visited, here’s a Harpers-esque rundown…
GMAPS Miles covered: 1140 by gmaps Odometer miles: 1290 Hours driving: 23 Average fuel mileage: 15.8mpg Estimated gallons of gas used: 81.6 Highest price paid for gas: $3.35 (Connecticut) Lowest price paid for gas: $2.85 (NJ) Estimated money spent on fuel: $252.96 Total nights away from home: 7 Days spent camping: 4 Total time spent sitting in traffic: 200 minutes-ish Volleyball games played: 6 States visited: 5 Miles biked: 10 Weight gained: 3lb :( Number of power windmills seen: 6 ! Problems with the van or trailer: 0
All in all, it was about as good as trip as possible given the huge mileage involved. I think my limit for long distance driving by myself is around 500-600 a day. And even that I don’t know if I could keep up for several days in a row without break. The drive out was much easier due to the 3 work days in NJ.
A quick note about NJ. While I was there I googled around and found a pickup volleyball group in Princeton that plays on Tuesday evenings. I got in a good 2+ hour session of indoor playing, which helped offset the slug-like demeanor I was adopting. Indoor volleyball is weird – nothing like a popped-up ball bouncing around in basketball fixtures like a pachinko setup. Sheesh.
As to the camping, southwestern PA is absolutely beautiful – we were almost in West Virginia, and the weather really was perfect for a large (150-people ish) outside event. Temperatures during the day stayed between 70 and 85, and at night it got down to the low sixties. It only rained the first night, and we had the trailer all set up by then.
And before the purists get on my case. Yes I was camping in the sense that I was sleeping in a non-fixed environment without plumbing or heat or electricity, in a place that had only rudimentary facilities. But yes, it was a camper trailer, yes there were hot showers and plenty of water, and yes there was a fixed building nearby. I still say there was a roughing element to it because of no fixed plumbing. Any place that necessitates the use of portapotties is still ‘camping’, so there.
And now we return you to your regularly scheduled life.
Footnote – no, I was not at BC. This was a different event. 🙂
