West 2010: Day 0, Appalachian Plunge

Clean-up was easy; at the local pool, things are squared away so that guards can focus on guarding people and summer youth focus on cleaning. Within an hour, the car was laden with hundreds of pounds of provisions. After 2 blocks due east to access the bridge, we were headed due west, for the next 2500 miles. The sun was hot this July 5, and the sun would bake Washington for the next week. The sun set red with particulate dust as we rounded Hagerstown. Traffic was moderate but dealt with by my newly learner licensed brother. One thing I remember about the west is the "strange" fuel octanes. 91 is the recommended octane for our vehicle; we have 87. 89, and 93 in our area, but this station 70 miles out had the fuel. I-68 through Maryland was quaint, to say the least, with rolling hills that dragged mile through mile. The heavy car gyrated from 45 to 70 miles per hour in an attempt to save the engine from undue stress. I handed over the wheel back to my brother outside the WVA border...and woke up under the awning of a conference hotel in Morgantown, WVA.