Road Trip, Day 1: Vermont to Pennsylvania

Bonjour!

After more than a year at home, L’Husband and I are on the move. Our first trip since moving to Vermont in Fall 2019 turned out to be a road trip back to central Illinois. Sadly, Le Chien did not join us, and we drove out over two days with an overnight stop in Erie, Pennsylvania (now my least favorite place in all of America; I won’t bore you with the details (le sigh)). Today’s post recaps some of the highlights of Day One of the drive. Stay tuned for Day Two and the flight back to Vermont!

La Musique

The music: a playlist lovingly curated by L’Husband. Heavy on Michael Jackson. Why, one might have asked him. His response: “Why not?!” Also featuring Britney Spears (hashtag Free Britney), Pink Floyd, and Greek wedding music. We have eclectic taste.

Les Snacks

The snacks: organic, bear-themed treats, including gummy bears and bear graham crackers. This was not planned. And these are not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill Teddy Grahams, pas du tout. They are Organic Honey Graham Teddy Bear Cookies. The name is quite the mouthful to say, so I immediately stuffed mine full of cookies and gummies (not mixed together!) to avoid doing so.

Le Paysage

The scenery: western Vermont and upper New York are pretty (see, e.g., the Adirondack Mountains). Despite some delays due to road construction, wrecks, and weather (le sigh encore; welcome back to summer travel, y’all), the drive and views were mostly pleasant.

Many of the names of towns and other locales in New York State hale from the foreign wilds, from Rotterdam to Rome, from Corfu to Dunkirk. Is it appropriation? Is it imitation? Who’s to say. C’est mysterieux.

An early highlight: the Hillbilly Fun Park in eastern New York, featuring hot dogs, ice cream, and mini golf. How much more “America” can this attraction get?

Le Dîner

And finally, dinner: McDonald’s Happy Meals from a rest area off the I-90 New York State thruway in Ontario. I had the six-piece chicken nugget. Happy Meals now come with a choice of water, milk, or organic apple juice, a far cry from the offering in the 90s. C’est curieux.

But the plus important aspect of the meal: the toy. It was Louie the Lion, a TY Teenie Beanie Boo. Cue obligatory link to Saturday Night Live “Beanie Babies” sketch featuring the foxy Daniel Kaluuya!

Quote of the Day

“I’m looking forward to my breakfast fish.”

Do you have any trips planned this summer?

Merci for reading and please subscribe and share!

À votre santé,

Katie