My original plan after visiting Buffalo was to spend a night in Pittsburgh. Because I somehow managed to unintentionally book a non-refundable hotel room there, it was my destination after Charleston. I solicited some great recommendations from a college roommate who grew up there.
I abandoned my first plan to have lunch downtown due to an utter lack of available parking, and instead headed to the Duquesne Incline, a local favorite. A slow ride up the funicular was rewarded by spectacular views of the city.
I do have to admit, however, that my fear of heights kicked in more than it has in a very long time.
Safely back on solid ground, I checked in to my hotel for the night. I chose to stay in Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood, which is centered around a main street of businesses that is about 10 blocks long. I walked to the far end and grabbed lunch at Primanti Brother's, a city favorite that specializes in amazing sandwiches.
Satisfied by my late lunch, I spent the rest of the evening wandering in and out of the shops and bars of the South Side, soaking in my last day on the road. I stopped back at my hotel to rest and debate whether I wanted to go out for dinner. It seems that I was completely exhausted, because I woke up a couple hours later, still in my winter jacket, and promptly changed into my pajamas and slept the rest of the night.
I knew snow was possible, so I left Pittsburgh fairly early in the morning. I was not remotely prepared for what I was about to drive through. There were light flurries as I left town, but then it just kept snowing harder and harder. Eventually they declared a state of emergency on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Good times.
Not really having a choice, I pushed on. I was due at my parents' house in Virginia that afternoon. More importantly, my rental car had to be returned that night.
The drive seemed to take forever, but I kept going. After passing through West Virginia for the third time on this trip, I finally crossed into Virginia.
After what felt like a day later, I pulled into my parents' driveway, turned off the car, and just sat for a minute. It was hard to believe my trip was over. I had seen so much, yet it felt like I'd just left. No matter how long vacations are, they somehow just never seem long enough.
Eventually I unloaded and cleaned out my car and took it back to the rental place, ready for the confusion as to why I was returning in a different car than I left in. Not surprisingly, I was of course charged for not filling up my broken car with gas before swapping it out -- oh, Tiffany from the Lexington airport, I'll never forget you. Thankfully they removed the fee because they had common sense, but I still had to spend about half an hour getting reimbursed for my unexpected oil change in Wyoming.
In the end, I drove a total of 7,709.5 miles through 22 states in 27 days.
This road trip was one of the best things I've ever done in my life. It's easy to forget just how beautiful our country is. Even with everything I saw in my month on the road, I barely even scratched the surface.
I can wholeheartedly say that a cross-country road trip is something that everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime.
I abandoned my first plan to have lunch downtown due to an utter lack of available parking, and instead headed to the Duquesne Incline, a local favorite. A slow ride up the funicular was rewarded by spectacular views of the city.
I do have to admit, however, that my fear of heights kicked in more than it has in a very long time.
Safely back on solid ground, I checked in to my hotel for the night. I chose to stay in Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood, which is centered around a main street of businesses that is about 10 blocks long. I walked to the far end and grabbed lunch at Primanti Brother's, a city favorite that specializes in amazing sandwiches.
Satisfied by my late lunch, I spent the rest of the evening wandering in and out of the shops and bars of the South Side, soaking in my last day on the road. I stopped back at my hotel to rest and debate whether I wanted to go out for dinner. It seems that I was completely exhausted, because I woke up a couple hours later, still in my winter jacket, and promptly changed into my pajamas and slept the rest of the night.
I knew snow was possible, so I left Pittsburgh fairly early in the morning. I was not remotely prepared for what I was about to drive through. There were light flurries as I left town, but then it just kept snowing harder and harder. Eventually they declared a state of emergency on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Good times.
Not really having a choice, I pushed on. I was due at my parents' house in Virginia that afternoon. More importantly, my rental car had to be returned that night.
The drive seemed to take forever, but I kept going. After passing through West Virginia for the third time on this trip, I finally crossed into Virginia.
After what felt like a day later, I pulled into my parents' driveway, turned off the car, and just sat for a minute. It was hard to believe my trip was over. I had seen so much, yet it felt like I'd just left. No matter how long vacations are, they somehow just never seem long enough.
Eventually I unloaded and cleaned out my car and took it back to the rental place, ready for the confusion as to why I was returning in a different car than I left in. Not surprisingly, I was of course charged for not filling up my broken car with gas before swapping it out -- oh, Tiffany from the Lexington airport, I'll never forget you. Thankfully they removed the fee because they had common sense, but I still had to spend about half an hour getting reimbursed for my unexpected oil change in Wyoming.
In the end, I drove a total of 7,709.5 miles through 22 states in 27 days.
This road trip was one of the best things I've ever done in my life. It's easy to forget just how beautiful our country is. Even with everything I saw in my month on the road, I barely even scratched the surface.
I can wholeheartedly say that a cross-country road trip is something that everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime.
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