Road Trip: The East

Drowsy driving through drizzled fog mountains, old window wipers smearing. Suddenly a loud bang shocks and uncomfortable rattling knocks under the truck hood. Dan guides us to a remote gas station as I fidget nervously and the noise continues. A spark plug has been completely blown loose of its socket. Dan manages to fix it by sheer force of will and the aid of a lanky teenager’s borrowed tools.

Google map’s prescribed route becomes perilous, narrower and steeper as we continue. Soon it is nothing more than a country road as we brave the lift and fall of the hilly West Virginia Appalachians. The campsite is remote, and the mountain people we meet rarely venture out of their hidden villages. We are offered the “honeymoon suite” campsite, and given extra firewood in exchange for some of Dan’s precious $2 bills. In the morning, we skip stones across a wide shallow river before leaving the very inhabited wilderness.
DC at last. Cool comfort, rest, and a nice dog. King of the feet! Too hot to hold, iridescent blue-greens dance across the bronze surfaces of Dan’s giant masterpiece sculptures. Fantastic food and million dollar sky mall idea. Erratic in and out driving through a maze of construction and intertwining highways.Baltimore: hot and muggy in the afternoon. Anxious leaving the truck and all life belongings on the street, but no robberies occur. Many parts of the city are abandoned. Rows upon rows of empty houses with infrequent interspersings of someone on a lived in front step. We are not dressed right for the fancy opening night sushi experience; too many waitresses hover and replace each plate we touch. Lovely to see talented nurse Greta and master chef Blitz.The Catskills are crowded on a Saturday night. No more space at planned campsite, but another is found: expensive, but ah well this is New York. Crabbiness is counteracted by a hilarious situation as our hostess praises our staying together through this road trip. A beautiful fire flickers late into the night, and we are awakened by heavy rain.High in the remote Adirondacks we wiggle our way to Upper Saranac Lake. As rain continues to fall, it is good to be inside with a warm fire, meeting Dan’s grandpa and the fiery Dee. Origami and Italian food. The next day struggles clear; we visit a large rock and canoe on the lake. Big old turtle is not thrilled at being held, he shakes his long dinosaur tail.

Boston first homecoming is rained out. Grey, wet midwinter weather was not expected. But our new home is cozy and welcoming, as a collaborative dinner with sweet roommates hits the spot. We look out across the wide expanse of Somerville through a curtain of shimmering Aspen leaves, from the nestled nook of our porch in the Cherry tree.