Day 2: All I want is... mac and cheese

Those words were not made famous by Thomas Jefferson. More to come on that quote. Today's journey started with a tour of Monticello - the estate of Thomas Jefferson. It turns out TJ was a gadget guy and brought back some innovative ideas from his stay in France and Europe. Jefferson had a number of "inventions" (err... borrowed ideas) found throughout the estate, including double-paned windows, an automatic door, and a gravity & weight driven clock that kept the time of day as well as indicated the day itself. Saturday is in the basement - you  just have to trust us on that one. Along with buildings, there was an extensive span of crops which once included tobacco and wheat. Today, various vegetables are still grown, including the guinea bean or snake gourd - known to our family as cucuzza. The tours were educational and rather lively. Even Vinny and Cece seemed to enjoy it.

Following Monticello, we had a long drive ahead of us through Virginia and West Virginia and eventually to Kentucky. Along the way, we spotted a pink and green giraffe... probably the world's tallest one. The day ended with a drive thru Huntington, WV (home of said giraffe) as well as home to the Huntington Ale House which features an entire page on their menu devoted to mac and cheese dishes - an apparent homage to Kurt Cobain who was known to have said, "All I want is... mac and cheese." Our teen travellers honored Kurt by selecting the chicken parm mac & cheese. And like Kurt, there was nothing left.

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 1: Familiar territory

After some intense negotiation regarding the route to pursue, the 2015 Great American Road Trip was underway. We avoided the hustle and bustle of the east coast cities and traveled west thru Pennsylvania to Carlisle before heading south toward Charlottesville, VA. After a brief trek thru Maryland and West Virginia, we arrived in Virginia - the state where Cece was born.

We stopped in Winchester, VA - west of Leesburg where we used to live. The area is rich in civil war history, but more importantly, Winchester features the world's largest apple. After a few photo ops and bite to eat at the Snow White Grill, we made it to Charlottesville for a little swimming, bizarre teenage humor, and hopefully a good night's rest. Tomorrow we spend time at Jefferson's Monticello before the westward journey to Kentucky. See pics at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Road Trip Play List

We've estimated about 52 hours of drive time during our upcoming road trip. With four of us going, we get 13 hours of music each. Even though no one is following my strong recommendation for a playlist of American artists only, Sal is holding up his end and making sure the teenagers on the trip get a good dose of good music. Here's a list of featured artists on Sal's 2015 Great American Road Trip playlist: Addison Groove Project, Al Green, Alabama Shakes, Alicia Keys, America, Archie Bell & the Drells, Baby Huey, Barnes & Barnes, Beastie Boys, Bob Dylan, Bonerama, Bootsy Collins, Bruce Springsteen, Cake, Canned Heat, Cars, Charles Bradley, Chris Isaak, Chubb Rock, Commodores, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Darryl Hall & John Oates, Dazz Band, Devo, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Doobie Brothers, the Doors, Dr. John, Frank Sinatra, Galactic, Gap Band, Gladys Knight, Grandmaster Flash, Green Day, Guns 'n Roses, Highway Men, House of Pain, Indeep, Iron Butterfly, Isley Brothers, JJ Fad, Jackie Wilson, Jacksons, James Brown, James Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, John Legend, Johnny Adams, Johnny Cash, Justin Timberlake, Kool & the Gang, Lauryn Hill, Lenny Kravitz, Leon Redbone, Lester Flatt, Lightnin' Slim, LL Cool J, Lou Rawls, Lyle Lovett, Marvin Gaye, Mayer Hawthorne, Meters, Michael Franti, Michael Jackson, Michael McDonald, Moe, Muddy Waters, Naughty by Nature, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Paul Simon, Pete Seeger, Phish, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Prince & the Revolution, Public Enemy, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Reel Big Fish, Richie Havens, Rick James, Roots, Run DMC, Ry Cooder, SOS Band, Simon & Garfunkel, Soul Live, Steve Miller Band, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Stevie Wonder, Sugar Hill Gang, Talking Heads, Time, TLC, Tracy Chapman, Van Halen, White Stripes, Willie Nelsom, Zapp & Rogers.

Route Planned for 2015 Road Trip

We have our basic route planned for the 2015 Great American Road Trip. This year's journey takes us thru the southeastern US  - stopping for history, music, hiking, ghost tours, island adventures, and beach relaxation. Here's a map of the planned route showing some of the major stops.

The more detailed route is 3000 miles stretching across 11 states. Plans for each day include:

• Day 1: From home, we head thru MD and VA for an overnight stay in VA.
• Day 2: We take a short drive to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello in Charlottesville, VA for our first historical stop.
• Day 3: After a long ride thru WV and into KY on the tail end of Day 2, hiking the Red River Gorge gives us a chance to stretch our legs and get outdoors. 
• Day 4: Music, BBQ, history (oh... and more BBQ) as we stop off in Memphis for eats, music, and a somber stop at the Civil Rights Museum/Lorraine Motel where MLK was killed. We'll lighten the mood with more Memphis BBQ and a riverboat ride on the mighty Mississippi.
• Day 5: Another long day of driving should get us to the Great Smoky National Park by late afternoon where we'll stretch with some hiking and catch the sunset over the mountains.
• Day 6: More hiking and outdoor fun in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Day 7: We arrive in Savannah, GA for walking tours of this historic Southern city. Night in Savannah calls for some hauntingly good fun on a ghost tour.
• Day 8: In Charleston, SC, we don our pirate hats for a boat adventure to an island for exploring, collecting shark's teeth, and finding treasure.
• Day 9: More outdoor fun on a beach jeep adventure in search of wild horses in Corolla, NC.
• Day 10: More sandy adventures on a full day of sun and fun on the VA beaches.
• Day 11: We leave the beach behind and head home through MD & DE back to Bensalem PA .

Day 10: Home again!

Saturday was day 10 of the road trip and basically just the journey home. No stopping off anywhere exciting. We arrived back to PA in the late morning. Once again, I underestimated the mileage... we logged 2250 miles across 9 states: Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hamphire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and thru New Jersey on the way back to PA.

For photos of the entire journey, check out: https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/5904740336036181553

Day 9: Another beach day!

It might be a small state but Rhode Island has a lot to offer. After the previous evening's dinner in Newport, we start the day with a drive along the ocean. We stop off for a walk along the cliffs and views of the mansions that perch along the rocky coast.

The warm walk along the sun-baked cliffs was followed by a refreshing swim at Salty Brine State Beach in Narragansett, RI. The smooth sand, cool waters, and ocean breeze made for a perfect day at the beach. Tonight, we rest in Connecticut before tomorrow's final stretch back home to PA.


Photos at: https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/5904740336036181553

Day 8: Ssshhhaaaaaarrrrrkkk!!!

The weather continues to favor us and today we enjoy a beach day on Cape Cod. Despite 8 great white shark sightings just the week before, we venture into the cool waters for a refreshing swim. We drive along the less traveled Route 6A that winds through various small towns along the cape, including the town of Sandwich. We thought it would be hilarious to see the police cars marked Sandwich Police but there were none to be found. But we know they were close by as the smell of bacon wafted through the air. After a day on the cape, we head to Rhode Island.

Photos at: https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/5904740336036181553