TO THE WEST AND BACK

Recently, I took an extended work trip to Plymouth, Utah. It was a deliberate decision to travel there in the middle of winter (Late January through early February 2022) for a work assignment. Typically, I would fly for a project like this, but I just felt the urge to get away and drive. I wanted to travel Interstate 80 across the country. I have previously driven Interstate 10 from Florida to Arizona, and Interstate 40 from Delaware to Arizona, but this working vacation offered the opportunity to travel Interstate 80 from Pennsylvania to to Utah via Interstate 80.

The trip was grueling, logging over 600 miles per day for three days heading out, and just under 200 miles on the last day. Winter weather was somewhat difficult for the first day driving through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, and into eastern Nebraska. I encountered snow, freezing temperatures, and difficult driving conditions. My normally black car was almost completely white with salt from the roads, and I had to purchase low temperature windshield washer fluid to maintain my visibility along the way.

I spent my first night in Chesterton, Indiana and the second in York, Iowa. There is little to remember about those nights except that the drive was over and I was able to relax and have a few sips of tequila before bed. I passed through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois before landing in Nebraska. Nebraska and Wyoming were a day of flat agricultural fields and beautiful winter vistas as I travelled through Nebraska and into Wyoming. I finally landed in Green River, Wyoming on the third day and rested into the late morning before driving on to Brigham City, Utah.

There were two days of work in Brigham City and then the return home. I followed the same route home, stopping the first night, again in York, Nebraska. The second night found me in South Bend, Indiana. I must say that for all of Mayor Pete’s proclamations of how wonderful South Bend is, they are not very good at snow removal. Also, the Doubletree downtown had allowed their hot water system to fail and I had to take a tepid shower before departing and landing at home that same night.

My final day took me through Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware. I followed a storm that had devastated many states by 24 hours or so. There were more than a dozen semi trucks in ditches as I passed through Ohio, and some snow in Indiana and Pennsylvania. I had a flat tire in Denton, Maryland and had to have my car towed home. But, I did arrive safely, after more than 4000 miles back home on Saturday night about 9PM. I purchased a new tire on Sunday and got my car washed.

The trip to Utah was enjoyable and interesting. I might not choose to do it in the winter again, but I did appreciate the opportunity to see a part of the country that I had not seen before.

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