On the road without a map

When I left Taos on a sunny day in March, I never imagined I'd be on the road for nearly a year, but I was searching and finding takes time.

Of course there were hiatuses, sojourns in Pittsburgh to receive a new grand-daughter; a huge swath through New England with short stints in Western Massachusetts; blissful days in Belfast, Maine that added up to a month; days on Cape Anne, a fortnight or more on Cape Cod and the Vineyard, and a entire summer at the farm in Guilford, VT.

Then arriving in the Upper Delaware Valley, I seemed to have exhausted my desire for road trips, and travel in general, except in flights of fancy. I gave up my trip to Guatemala because of time, expense and lethargy.

Now my daughter is asking that I came down to Pittsburgh for her marathon run in May, and I am thinking why not consider a small but productive road trip. I did drive down there last May, but with a friend and that's always a very different experience.


So I am thinking, Pittsburgh to Boone, NC ; then onto the Outer Banks, returning by way of Virginia Beach and up that ragged coast I so love.