06.29.06
3:14 a.m.
help?
So, it�s official. I�m traveling 3300 miles alone to see a panda baby on his first birthday.
I.
AM.
INSANE.
But, whatever. I�m beginning to accept that.
I pick up my rental car at 6:00am on July 6th and I�ll be off to Washington DC. I�ve allowed three days to get there, but I�m hoping to get there in two. Although maybe taking three days isn�t such a bad idea; I like stopping and looking at interesting things along the way and everyone I�ve ever been in a car with is a road trip Nazi stopping only for 30 second pee breaks.
I want to enjoy the trip, so I think three days is best.
I still have no structured plans for anything except the 9th, which is the panda baby�s actual birthday. Other than that, I�m just going with the flow. I�m not returning until the evening of the 14th, and I intend on seeing everything I can.
I really hope the flooding is over and everything is open when I get to DC. Some of the most interesting Smithsonian buildings are closed. I would literally sob for hours if I don�t get to see everything there is to see in DC.
Also, I want to go to the M�tter Museum in Philadelphia. I need to find a beach somewhere just so I can see the ocean, because I�ve never seen one before. How pathetic is that?
I still need help deciding where to stay, where to stop, and odd touristy things to do a long the way. I wanted to go to Canton, Ohio to see the Football Hall of Fame, but I�ve discovered that�s a very long way from I-70.
Any suggestions? The odder the better. As long as it�s not too off my course, I�d be willing to see just about anything. Also, I�ll be buying lots of post cards and mailing them to anyone that wants them. Let me know if you�d like a barrage of them from my little trip. Just a warning though, I will choose the weirdest, tackiest, or cheesiest postcards available.