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Almost Heaven
My more attractive, talented partner in marriage and myself were sitting around discussing what today’s social distancing hath wrought. And what to do about it. I had a stack of once-watched DVD’s on the table with Amadeus and Lawrence of Arabia on top — great films notable for their length. We both agreed that, in times of panic, go for the Directors’ Cuts.
But it just didn’t work. Is that all there is? So we arrived at the best (only?) solution for fearless, devil-may-care Americans. Road Trip!
(Cue Willie and “On the Road Again.”)
Off to Western Maryland, down to West Virginia and Winchester, VA (home of Patsy Cline), and back home. About 225 miles, three states, six hours with stops, and many breaths of fresh air.
We traveled through the extraordinary Cumberland Gap — a historic piece of American geography — and spent a lot of time saluting the people of West Virginia, now at the bottom of US states with … well, you know. We saw houses with the wealthy. We saw houses with the poor. We saw strip malls — some of which had people in them — and we saw a lot of Dollar General Stores — all of which had people in them.
So life after the big C-19 doesn’t have to be about visiting your inner couch potato or that $2,000 treadmill, and it doesn’t have to be irresponsible. There’s a world out there. Take advantage of it.
Published in General
Sounds good! You should have stopped by and met the iWe clan, in the City that Reads.
Charm City? Unfortunately, we didn’t get much closer than Frederick, but if Fells Point ever opens up again . . .
I see the mayor has asked civic minded crooks and drug dealers to stop shooting people for awhile to free up hospital space. You can’t make this stuff up.
AND they have formally decided not to prosecute the vast majority of crimes, AND they released as many criminals as possible because jails are unsafe places…
Sounds like a nice way to pass a few hours in calm. We are planning some day driving trips as well.
True. There’s practically no one on the road, you’re in an enclosed environment (with music), and we allocated two wipes and a rubber glove in case we stopped for gas or anything else. What’s not to like?
Winchester is near where we live.
You know, I remember that now from the discussion about VA counties seceding to W VA. I’ve never been but I assume her house has a little museum or something. That stretch of W VA from Romney into Winchester is a challenging drive–curvy and mountainous.
Yes, there’s a museum, and we have not been there yet. She’s buried in a cemetery about 5 miles from our house.
And we have to drive that curvy road a lot. Much of my remaining family on Mom’s side lives in or near Keyser, WV.
Please tell me that this is a joke. How sure are you that you didn’t infect others? You know better. You sound like one of the young immortals on spring break. Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!
One has to have the virus to infect others. Are you certain the @hoyacon’s are inflected?
Must . . . resist . . . commenting . . .
My sentiments exactly.
They…were…in…a…car…
To be fair, we did get out for a stretch at a couple of unpopulated scenic overlooks, which made it even easier to determine that we’d achieved at least 1500 feet of social distancing.
Then I am fine with that, but I sounded like, unaware of your own status, you just threw care to the winds and mingled with all those people hanging out in Dollar Stores.
What’s the saying? I was born at night but not last night.
One can generally tell how much business is being done by looking at the parking lot.
It sounds like a great way to kill a day. I’m tempted to do a drive myself, but the car I’d want to use is my MR2, and it’s still in winter storage at my 92-year-old mothers house, and I really shouldn’t be going over there for a while.
That, plus it’s snowing out. (just light flurries, but still).
I’m totally in favor of social distancing. I look so much better at a distance.
There is talk of rest stops being closed. I’d need reassurance that potty breaks would not be a matter of slipping into the piney woods, as in days of yore.
You said it more delicately than I was hinting at.
I ventured out for the first time today since Tuesday, going to the Dollar General. My first purchase was latex gloves, which I opened before paying for it. It was so great to be out, I was driving 20 mph below the speed limit.