Thursday, 7/24/97
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We are on the road by 7:00 am EDT facing
frequent rain showers, some heavy. The worst was as we got to the Columbus Ohio
outer loop. Visibility became obscured and suddenly, cars were screeching to
a stop in front of us. We avoided a rear end accident with skill and luck. A truck ahead of us and a mini-van behind us both had to swerve onto the shoulder
to avoid collisions with stopped cars. As we were departing to the East of Columbus,
the radio reported many accidents back there where we had come close. We took
over an hour for lunch; I think to release some of the tension. Brennan took
the last 2 hour shift and took us through the beginnings of Washington rush hours including a backup from where I-270 hits the Beltway to where we got off at Colesville Road.
We pulled up in front of the house at 4 pm, the odometer
showing that we had traveled 4818 miles in The Beast. Add to that the distance
in the rental car during the week without The Beast, and we had driven about 5518 miles.
And yet, what we remember is not monotony, but all the wonderful adventures, views, and people that we experienced.
About half of the pictures that we had mailed for processing were already delivered and waiting for us. Ann welcomed us and showed us the surprise project that she had completed, that day, as if she had expected
us to be home a day early. She had redecorated the powder room, including redoing
the wallpaper and decorations. It was a beautiful sight.
We started to discover all the wonderful things about home that we had not realized that we were missing. There was a TV in the house. We did not have to take a long
walk to rest rooms or for a shower. The living quarters did not have to be folded
down and closed up. The sleeping facilities included comfortable beds. Brennan’s Electric Guitar could produce lots of decibels.
And Bob started dreaming about the next trip out West.
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-- Bob
Kuhns
