I do look forward to another trip. I don't know when. We want to go west, but are not sure we have time for it this summer. Bernie estimates we would need three months for that, but I think six weeks would do. It would be fun.
The traffic, although bad in several areas, is completely indescribable in Washington, on the Beltway. I have driven it many, many times and each time I am so extremely disappointed by the lack of driving manners. The sense of entitlement is even apparent in the driving habits of so many. So I just plopped the truck and Circus Wagon in the center of it all. They made room for me. Also, I did find several drivers who were extremely courteous and who blocked out some of the reckless pigs to let me change lanes. I made sure I thanked them with a vigorous wave.
I don't know why driving in the rain was so tiring. I am guessing the stress of moving fast with a lot of weight and facing the prospect of a sudden stop caused, again, by other's bad driving practices. I slowed way down, 45 in hard rain. I turned on flashers and was going to slow even further as visibility got very bad, but at just that moment the rain eased and I could see.
I always drive slowly in a rain storm, trailer or not, yet an array of stupid people were passing me at 65 or more in the blind. That made me slow down because I was certain I was going to drive into a chain reaction accident.
On those heavy rain days I made sure to stop at a rest stop or truck stop and relax in the trailer, crawl up onto the bed for an hour nap after lunch. It was great. And the rain would stop.
Our last day from D.C. to home was one long drive. I have no idea why I didn't stop for the fun of it. We had lunch at the Pilot truck stop in Breezewood, PA, and moved on. The Pilot was not that good. Next time we will return to our favorite truck stop there, the Gateway restaurant.
Maybe it was because that was my first long over-the-road trip with an RV, but I watched everything. I normally drive quite defensively, but more so this trip. I generally don't relax completely while driving, and on this trip I think I was even more alert because of pulling several thousand pounds of trailer behind me.
That doesn't mean that I was in a death grip on the steering wheel. I had plenty of opportunities to watch the passing countryside.
What did cross my mind, though, is the question of how tractor-trailer drivers do this day after day. With all the amateurs on the road, I don't know how truckers don't end up crazy.
It was a good trip, and stopping at campgrounds was nice. I discovered I like to stay put for a few days rather than drive day in and day out. We did a mix of that. I look forward to finding a nice state park and staying for three days or so before moving on, even if we do absolutely nothing except read for those three days. I think that is the fun of having an RV.
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