Monkeys Eyebrow

Hello! Yes, there really is a place called Monkeys Eyebrow in Kentucky; and Hippo and Chicken Bristle. Needless facts supplied by my travel book, but ones which nevertheless aid amusement along the way. Today is Monday 13th September and we have a nice quiet day in Lexington, Kentucky. It's due to get up to high 20's / low 30's C so we're off to the pool in a wee while.

Day 14, having successfully engineered our way out of Manhattan and paid numerous toll road fares, we made the trip down to Washington DC. Along the way we have been playing the registration plate game, trying to spot plates from all the states. Day 14 was a big day as we notched Rhode Island and New Hampshire. We only have New Mexico, Louisiana, Hawaii and Alaska to go. Driving down to DC it felt good to be on the road again having felt somewhat confused in NYC. It's so squashed and busy and noisy in there, yet at the same time there is something inspiring and mesmerising about all those bright lights and sky-scrapers. We arrived on the outskirts of DC and took a train in and walked around the Capitol Hill area looking into some museums, playing a bit of frisbee and just generally being tourists. That evening was the first time that I felt genuinely fed-up of the food. I just wanted a salad or some potatoes, but they were nowhere to be found. Whilst watching the sunset from the Capitol building, we got chatting to a randomer out for a run who it turns out was a professional pianist who just played a few concerts in Finland with a guy from Scotland who went to Duncan's high school. Small world.

Having spent the night at a house on land once farmed by George Washington we went to see his old mansion and had a good look around his former grounds. And then... The drive we'd both been waiting for. It took us 5 hours 20 minutes to drive 105 miles along the Skyline Drive in Virginia. With a 35mph speed limit, this road offered spectacular views, 270 degree corners and the need to drive rather than sit on cruise control. There is no way to properly describe how exciting it was, other than to say that the black bear which ran across the road right in front of us only filled our thoughts for a few minutes before turning back to incredible apexes, inclines and views. Had we driven this road say 2 weeks later, we're both pretty sure that the onset of Fall / Autumn would have dusted the road with layer upon layer of red and brown leaves and made the experience all the more amazing. We managed to find a campsite that evening and survived the night, perhaps being too smelly from our travels to be on the local bears menu.

Day 16 was a fairly routine drive west into Kentucky. Kentucky is the 17th state we've been in, along with DC. We've also now done over 3,800 miles without breaking down. So today, day 17, as our hosts are in class all day, we have their keys to the pool and access to a tennis court so aim to make the most of it.

The link to the photos I posted about a week ago has been updated and there are another 45 photos on there - just a selection of some of the fun we've been having!

We hope you enjoy watching a few short video clips of things we've done along the way :)
Make sure to click on the volume button to get sound!

Welcome to Nebraska!:


Duncan on his way to winning a $100 cheque:


The musical stairs of Cornell University - throw stones to hear the noise:


After more than 3,500 miles of Interstates and corn, the following 105 miles of Skyline Drive were spectacular:

The Mid-west

As we're still limited to the phone this won't be a long post; just a brief overview of the basics. Both alive? Yes. States covered? 11 (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York). Miles done? 2780 at present.

Having bought our car we travelled north on day 1 through Michigan and had a wonderful afternoon on Houghton Lake tubing and speed-boating. We then continued north onto the Upper Peninsula where we had a fantastic day 2 swimming in Lake Michigan in 33C heat before camping on the shore. Day 3 we drove west through Wisconsin, sampled some crazy cheese with beer in it before arriving in St Paul, Minnesota where we had a lovely drive/tour round downtown.

Day 4 lead us due south through S. Dakota and to Omaha, Nebraska. Day 5 and we visited Omaha Zoo and then to state capital Lincoln where sweetcorn flavour and maple + bacon flavoured ice-cream awaited our arrival, along with some mammoth thunder storms.
Day 6 was a rest day, so Andrew took us to his grandparents house where we ate like Kings and saw lots of old John Deere tractors and corn and got to sit in a combine harvester.

Day 7 we began the big trek east to Pella, Iowa stopping off in Des Moines where we found a great British pub, watched some rugby and ate fish + chips and bangers + mash. That evening, Shayna took us to her college student union where Duncan won a $100 cheque in a college gameshow. Our biggest drive so far was day 8 as we drove through Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and into Ohio where we camped for the night.

Day 9 we made it to Parkside Church, Cleveland and then to our hosts where we relaxed and unwound for 2 days. Being labour day weekend, we were again treated + fed like royalty, much to our delight! Day 11 back on the road and through Pennsylvania to New York where scenery was the most beautiful so far on the road trip, yet roadworks were the worst. A night at Cornell University in Ithica, before day 12 drive into New York city to stay in the Bronx. Today, day 13, was an enjoyable day in Queens at the US Open tennis, representing for Scotland seen as Andy Murray couldn't.

We head south to DC next, then through Blue Ridge mountains to Kentucky and down to Florida via South Carolina.

We've been far too well looked after by friends along the way. They have been very generous and caring, and we've been made to feel very welcome. Our car, recently nick-named Mable the Sable, is trundling along very ably so far, and our Scotland flag still flies proudly. Cruise control has been widely used by us both and we finally got hold of some cds as the radio was starting to grate a little.

We'll update you in a week or so, assuming we don't melt in the Florida sun or get eaten by bears in the mountains!

A selection of photos

Some photos - when we get chance, I'll add some more on there.

A fuller update due later today...

1878 miles and still rolling...

Greetings everybody. Sorry it's been so long since our last post. We've simply been too busy. Hopefully we can get off the phone and onto a computer over the weekend to properly update you on stories such as water-based activities in Michigan; crazy cheese in Wisconsin; way-nicer-than-detailed-in-the-travel-book experiences of downtown Minnesota and Nebraska cities; getting locked in 80,000 seater Nebraska football stadium; John Deere addictions; rain; world records and minor fame in Iowa; along with the first official outing for the kilts. We're about 90 miles from Chicago so I should get in a now routine afternoon nap before my next driving shift begins.

Hot wheels

So here we are in Dearborn MI, just outside Detroit. Duncan on the right, Aaron Villa (our helpful sales man) in the middle, myself on the left and our wonderful car on the very far left.

Our car is a beautiful Mercury Sable 4 door Sedan GS. 3.0 6 cylinder automatic in Spruce green colour. I'd never heard of Mercury before, but apparently it's a slightly more luxurious make by Ford.

We're very thankful to Marlene for helping us with the car dealerships and the small matter of cash as our bank cards failed to spew out the required funds. And to Jesse and his family for looking after us very well here in Westland.

So our plan for the first few days of the journey is to head up to Houghton Lake to take a wee boat trip with Marlene and Pat before heading over to Traverse City for the night. Then Sunday drive up via Mackinaw City and onto the Upper Peninsula of Michigan before heading west through Wisconsin and on to Minneapolis for Monday 30th August.

I'm still a bit jet-lagged after my 3.30am start in Aberdeen and getting to bed 25 hours later in Detroit. Duncan on the other hand is completely acclimatised after his month over here. However, his suggestion of cd for the drive shown here suggests he's been in need of Scottish company the last few days.

Duncan: "Sarah, do you think it would be fair to put a photo of Jesse in a kilt on our blog for lots of people to see?"

Sarah: "I think that's very fair. In fact, it would be a travesty if you didn't do it."

Jesse is getting married on the 18th of September so, in Scotland at least, it is traditional for some form of embarrassing ceremony to take place to the groom. So here he is in all his Scottish greatness!

2 days to go!

Hurrah! In 2 days time I will be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean watching some terrible film on a screen the size of a crisp packet.
I finished my Masters course yesterday with my viva exam and having already handed in my thesis and finished my presentation I'm now free to leave!
Thankfully the BAA strikes fell through so I'm good to fly - I leave at 6am from Aberdeen to Amsterdam on Thursday morning and after a couple hours lay-over I'm back in the air again to Detroit. I get in about lunchtime US time, but near bedtime for my body clock.

Much packing/tidying/organising to be done before all of that though.
Next update will be coming from the other side of the pond in America! To those I won't get chance to see before I leave - hope you have a grand couple of months. To those I'll soon be seeing in America - can't wait to catch up!

Watch this space...

Staff from BAA-operated airports across the UK (Aberdeen included) today announced that workers had voted 3 to 1 in favour of strike action. While less than half of the eligible workers actually cast their vote, it does throw our road-trip up in the air, if only for a few days. At least our trip lasts a long time, rendering 3 or 4 days delay more of a nuisance than a fatal blow, unlike those going on a 7 day package holiday.

A minimum of one week's notice must be given for any strike action and the Union have said they will be meeting on Monday (16th) to discuss a plan of action. So it looks like action could take place from the 23rd of August, but hopefully they will target the August Bank Holiday weekend of the 28th August, allowing me to slip through on the 26th before they close up shop.

Ideally a deal can be struck before too long but it looks ominous. On the up side, no strike action has ever before completely closed BAA airports, so it's a case of watch this space...