Prelude, PT 2

So, what are we going to do over these two weeks? Truth be told, I don't know. I plan to be about as laid back as a person can be, with no agenda nor specific place I need to be. Bar wants to see a few specific things (Boston, Philadelphia, Bar Harbor, Washington, etc), but mostly it's about being together and exploring what's out there.

I want to relive our childhoods, not literally, but figuratively. She has a sharp memory of much of our early years; mine is very fuzzy. I know talking about people and things will help bring some of our past back to life. Exploring the cobwebs of our minds, recalling events that happened and events that didn't happen will be great. There are still mysteries to my youth--things that I don't understand that might get explained on while with Big Sis. She will have much more information than I will. I look forward to our conversations with much anticipation.

While it may be a mistake (I've gambled on this before and lost), we hope to not make reservations in advance, allowing maximum flexibility for the day. I would like to start looking for a place to stay long before dark, allowing us to rest a little before dinner, and giving us a little time in the town we're in for seeing what is in that town. Most of my travels haven't allowed this, but I want to give this a try on this trip. Who knows, we might drink a beer or have a glass of wine before going out. Yes, A beer; I want to be safe.

We're taking her car, a Chevy on the trip. Mine, a Civic had a mysterious occurrence a couple of weeks or so ago, when it would not start. The battery would spin the engine just fine, but it would not start. It sat for a week, and when I tried then, it started (albeit not easily), and when it started, spewed out some foul, black smoke which indicated a flooding condition. What's weird is that fuel-injected engines should not flood. So, with something amiss, I was a bit concerned over it's reliability and we decided to play it safe by taking her newer, more reliable car. We'll have more space with her car as well.

I'll have my usual array of gadgets with me. A GPS (with updated maps) with traffic alerts; a SPOT locating device (so friends and family can follow us on the Internet), computer, camera, and assorted chargers. Not as much as I carry on my long trips on the bike, but enough to help me to know where we are and to take pictures along the way.

I'll close this post so there will be a little more to ramble on over the next few days before we hit the road.

Read on!