the last road trip of the summer

This summer I had four long road trips, and the longest one was earlier this week - from Kent, Ohio to Miami Beach, Florida. It took me 35 hours (21 driving, 14 eating/sleeping/staring forlornly at road atlas), covering 1,230 miles. I didn't take too many photos, but I have a few to share.

my car Otis at a rest stop in West Virginia

Most of the pictures I took, including the ones above and below, were at a rest stop in West Virginia. This was one of the most interesting and beautiful stretches of highway, running through the mountains, and I found a pleasant place there to stop for lunch.

West Virginian nature, just off I-77

My credit card was getting brutalized at the gas stations, but luckily I found a cheap motel to stay Monday night - the Plantation Inn of Ridgeland, South Carolina. So many of the motels on the highway try to lure you in with "Wireless internet! Free hot breakfast!" Clean and cheap was enough for me - and I got 1 of 2 at the Plantation Inn.

the cheapest motel in South Carolina

This little photo show perhaps doesn't quite do justice to the tediousness and boredom of driving across the country by yourself. Still, you can share my joy in the next photo, which I took while operating the steering wheel with one knee.

finally arriving in Miami Beach