So I boogied up I81 to I68/70 and across to Route 219. Rte 219, from the map, looked like a really interesting ride. Getting there, I exited from I70 a bit too soon due to my misreading the map. (Are they using smaller fonts lately?) And ended up at some small town (Frostburg?)Mental Health Facility getting directions. They certainly saved my mental health! I was close, but close counts only with horse-shoes and grenades.
Rte 219 is a great road - very pretty - mostly through forest. Lots of ups and downs (nothing more than a 6% grade) and lotsa curvey bits. It goes through small towns so you're not going to make great time but then, that's what the freeways are for. There was construction at one point necessitating a detour. NOTE: if you're heading north, when you come to the abandoned RR station with the huge flashing sign saying TURN LEFT, *don't*. Turn right as the small, low down "Rte 219 North" road sign says.
There are lots of longish 6% grades on this route and numerous truck escape thingies. There was a mandatory "stop" for trucks at the beginning of one of the downslopes. But none of these seemed all that threatening. As for the LD, I just disengaged the OD and let the engine keep the speed down to about 50-55 going down. (Used the same speed going up.) Climbing was no problem either with no overheating or problems. Made it up all the hills in third gear.
There aren't a lot of services on 219 so watch your fuel. It's a quiet route with little commercial traffic and a long stretch of it has been designated the "Flight 93 Memorial" which prohibits vehicles with advertising panels. So, essentially, no trucks. I would estimate a bit less than half of the way from MD state line to Buffalo on Rte 219 is four-lane divided with a good surface except for about 10 miles right at the NY border which was horrible. Really, really tooth rattleing bad.
On Wednesday I drove until 7:30 which was much later than I planned or wanted to do but I was a bit intimidated about looking for a Walmart and didn't see any campgrounds and of course, no truck stops. Just as the sun was disappearing behind the hills and true panic set in, I saw a billboard for a McDonalds at the Wal*Mart Plaza just off 219 in Du Bois. (That's pronounced "doo-boiss" not as this Canuck would as "doo-bwa".) Halleleujah! And it was easy to see with its mile high sign. The Wal*Mart was great, no problem parking there, lots of space. It wasn't a super centre but it had a good assortment of drygoods plus some dairy and of course sodas. I purchased a $3.00 compass - one of those floating ball types. Worked perfectly. I covered about 350 miles on day one. But I didn't find the LD tiring to drive. There was no fighting the wheel or any white knuckles.
There was the advertised McDonalds across the road and another chain restaurant, Casey's or Kelsey's or some such. The location was quiet, except for the Wal*Mart tractor whose driver kept his engine idling all night. I intended to relax for a bit and then wander over to the McD's for a packet of fries but the thrumming of the WM diesel was kinda soothing and I nodded off.
Next morning I was off to the "Subs and Six-packs" to get some Rolling Rock for my dog-sitter and to gas up. I'm not pushing it since I covered so much distance yesterday so was on the road around 10:30 with a big mug of coffee and some cheese and crackers to nibble on. What a life! (I'm easily amused.) I got myself turned around a bit - hafta get a GPS before I go on the road on a regular basis - but found my way back to 219 and continued north.
Before we go on further, I'd like to comment on the LD handling. There was a discussion, somewhere else, about the relative merits of trailering vs motorhoming vis a vis road stability, interior noise and other issues. I was a bit nervous about my decision based on the numerous opinions that motorhomes get pushed around a lot by the big rigs. And I know that my Astro van gets pushed around. How much worse was the 26.5' LD going to be? May I tell you than I could barely feel those rigs going by? I could occasionally feel a slight nudge when they were overtaking but never when oncoming. I'm delighted with this. As for noise, well the jury is still out since I don't have a lot of rattley stuff onboard - styrofoam plates are very quiet. The stove cover was noisy so I laid a folded towel under the cover and that ended the stove rattles.
Rte 219 leads directly into I90/190 around Buffalo and Niagara Falls, which I followed up to Lewiston where I was to cross the border. This is only Thursday and according to the US Customs web site they want 72 hours written notice before exporting a vehicle and this was only 48 hours. I really wasn't "due" at the border until the next day, Friday, but I thought, what the Hell, maybe somebody got super efficient and my paperwork would be ready early. Silly me.
I found my way to room 135 at the Customs warehouse and met the single most unpleasant, tight-assed, woman I have ever had the mis-fortune to encounter. You couldn't pull a greased pin outta her b**t with pliers. I hate to say this about my own gender, but women can be the worst nitpickers and take the most pleasure in it. Here is a gal with some authority and likes it a whole lot too much. And now, they've gone and given her a G U N.
Not only was I not getting that rig across *her* border on Thursday but it wasn't even going to happen on Friday since for whatever reason, my fax didn't get to her until Wednesday. She was determined that I had to come back on Monday. When I explained that I had faxed the required 72 hours ahead of time and that the 72 hours were up on Friday she merely said she wasn't going to argue with me and then proceded to get on with her other administrivia. Well, she was the one with the gun so what was I supposed to do? Fortunately her superior officer came in asking what was going on. (Had he been eavesdropping?) I explained the situation, mentioning again that I had faxed on Tuesday and had the receipt to prove it, thank goodness. He took my receipt and exclaimed that of course the vehicle should be released on Friday and wrote on the slip that my rig was to be cleared at 8:00 AM Friday. YES!!!
Officer Tight Ass had steam pouring out her ears by now.
All I had to do now was to cool my heels for the night and report back the next morning. I wasn't getting home early but I wasn't stuck here for an extra three days. (Camping is expensive around Niagara Falls.) So I found a KOA with full hookups and free WIFI for $38.00 and settled in for the night. I was really looking forward to the next day and my meeting with Officer T A.
The KOA was very pleasant with grass and trees and nice level packed gravel parking pads. There was reasonable space between sites and the area was quiet. Electrical power was sufficient - 30 amp and the WIFI signal was strong.)
Next day I got my export stamp. I greeted her pleasantly; she ignored me. I thanked her and she sent me off with her opinion that if it were up to her, I'd have to wait 'till Monday. Since I had the form I needed, I replied that I was pleased that it wasn't up to her and left.
Only one more hurdle, Canada Customs. Fortunately a walk in the park: some waiting, some form-filling-out, some waiting, some money changing hands, some waiting and I am home-free. All that remained was a quick stop at the first Timmies en route and 90 miles later... home. Ahhhhh!
Ginger
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