Road Trip

The Brave Astronaut Clan is heading out for some much needed vacation time.  No, not to Vacationland again this year - we're staying a little closer to home, but still beach bound.

I have always wanted to drive cross country and hit all the sites along the way.  Some day, I will do this.  I have wanted to do this for years.  And hey, you can't tell me that science is wrong.

According To Science, This Is The Perfect And Best Road Trip You Can Possibly Take
(via shareably)
Be honest with yourself: at some point you’ve probably thought about going on a cross-country road trip. Whether it be driving across Canada, United Kingdom, United States, or wherever you’re from, it’s probably crossed your mind at some point.

Luckily, for those in the United States, the “perfect road trip” has finally been planned.

According to the algorithm - it hits all the biggies.  Those that I would be able to take off this list (as I've already been there) - are in bold.

1. Grand Canyon, AZ 
2. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT 
3. Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID 
4. Yellowstone National Park, WY 
5. Pikes Peak, CO
6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM
7. The Alamo, TX (can you see the basement there?)
8. The Platt Historic District, OK 
9. Toltec Mounds, AR 
10. Elvis Presley’s Graceland, TN 
11. Vicksburg National Military Park, MS 
12. French Quarter, New Orleans, LA 
13. USS Alabama, AL
14. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL 
15. Okefenokee Swamp Park, GA 
16. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC 
17. Lost World Caverns, WV 
18. Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, NC 
19. Mount Vernon, VA 
20. White House, Washington, DC 
21. Colonial Annapolis Historic District, MD 
22. New Castle Historic District, Delaware
23. Cape May Historic District, NJ 
24. Liberty Bell, PA 
25. Statue of Liberty, NY 
26. The Mark Twain House & Museum, CT 
27. The Breakers, RI 
28. USS Constitution, MA 
29. Acadia National Park, ME 
30. Mount Washington Hotel, NH 
31. Shelburne Farms, VT 
32. Fox Theater, Detroit, MI 
33. Spring Grove Cemetery, OH 
34. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY 
35. West Baden Springs Hotel, IN 
36. Abraham Lincoln’s Home, IL 
37. Gateway Arch, MO 
38. C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, KS 
39. Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, IA 
40. Taliesin, WI 
41. Fort Snelling, MN 
42. Ashfall Fossil Bed, NE 
43. Mount Rushmore, SD 
44. Fort Union Trading Post, ND 
45. Glacier National Park, MT 
46. Hanford Site, WA 
47. Columbia River Highway, OR 
48. San Francisco Cable Cars, CA 
49. San Andreas Fault, CA 
50. Hoover Dam, NV

Car Games for the Long Road Trip

The Brave Astronaut clan is readying itself for the big trip north to celebrate Brave Astronaut's dad's 85th Birthday!  We usually amuse ourselves with the Alphabet Game (it really has helped both LBA and SoBA learn to read) and the License Plate Game on long car trips.  Here's a long list of other car games that you can give a whirl the next time your in the car. From BuzzFeed.

1. Car Cricket (Baseball) - Probably the oldest game of all. Each player takes it in turns to bat. One run for each car you pass, two for motorbikes, four for a van, six for a bus or truck. If it’s a red car, you’re out, and the next player goes into bat. Variation: Car Snooker. You get one point when you see a red one, then you have to wait for a different color: yellow (two points), green (three), brown (four), blue (five) – etc. If you see a white car, it’s a foul, you lose four points, and it’s the next person’s go.
2. The Yes/No game - How hard is it to avoid saying “Yes” or “No”? Harder than you think. Whoever is ‘It’ has to answer all questions without saying “Yes” or “No”. The classic tactic is of course to say “You said ‘yes’ just now” - to which the inevitable response is: “No I didn’t!”
3. Think of Something - Each child is asked to think of an object with a particular characteristic. The game’s success depends on the parents varying the question to suit the ability of the child. Young children might have to think of something green, or made of wood, say, the older ones might have to come up with something Japanese, or Elizabethan, or soluble. It’s a great learning tool as younger children aspire to the knowledge of their elders.
4. Car-color bingo - An easy game for younger children. Pick a color, score a point for each color you drive past. The winner is the first to reach, say, 20. Insider knowledge: if you want to win, pick silver.
5. 5-4-3-2-1 - Players take it in turns to spot an interesting object, out of the window. Say it’s a cow: they then shout “Cow! 5…4…3…2…1”. The other players have to locate, point to and say the name of the object before the countdown reaches one. Whoever identifies it is the next spotter. You can add to your score the number the questioner reached. Not one for the driver, obviously. 
6. Character counting - How many characters are there in your favorite films and TV shows? Each player takes it in turn to name a character, with others helping out if they get stuck. It’s a collaborative game, where you’re all working together. Suggestions: Harry Potter, Star Trek, Star Wars, Disney films, Lord of the Rings and so on…
7. Countries of the world - The first player names a country beginning with A, such as Afghanistan. The next player then has to think of a country that begins with the last letter of the country just named – Norway, for example. You can make the kids think of cities as well if you want the game to be easier.
8. The name game - The first player say the name of a well-known figure, including a description of what they’re famous for – such as “Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister”. The next player has to name someone who shares the same first or second name: “James Brown, singer”. It continues – by specifying the occupations, you prove the person you’ve named is real. 
9. Name that tune - Each player takes it in turn to hum the theme tune to a well-known film or TV show: whoever guesses it correctly gets the next go.  My mother and I used to play this with the "seek" or "scan" buttons on the radio.  First to identify the song when it stops on a radio station, wins.
10. Alphabet shopping - The first player begins: “I went to the supermarket and I bought an apple.” The next player has to think of something you can buy in a supermarket beginning with B, and so on. You vary the game by visiting other shops – bookshops, record shops and so on.
11. Uncle Bobby - Uncle Bobby reads books but not magazines. He’s a good accountant, although he can add, but he can’t subtract. He eats noodles, but not pasta. He likes the color green, but not blue or red. Uncle Bobby, of course, only likes things that have double letters in them. Once each player works out the rules, they can take part by saying other things Uncle Bobby likes and dislikes. And if that’s getting old, Aunt Jemima only likes things ending in a vowel.
12. What has an eye but no nose? The answer, of course, is a needle. It’s a game that can be extended endlessly with little mental effort – you’d be surprised how many body parts are used figuratively in everyday speech. Here are some examples:
• What has a tongue but no teeth? A shoe. 
• What has teeth but no lips? A comb. 
• What has legs but no arms? A table. 
• What has arms but no hands? A coat (or chair). 
• What has hands but no fingers? A clock. 
• What has a neck but no head? A wine bottle. 
• What has a face but no hair? A watch. 
• What has ears but no cheeks? Corn. 
13. Celebrity Challenge - You think of a well-known figure – they could be real, or from a cartoon, say; the kids have to ask questions about their lives and accomplishments to work out who the person is. “Dead or alive,” “Real or imaginary”. Make sure you mix things up when it’s the kids’ turn by dropping in random questions like whether they like mashed potato or own a hairdryer. 
14. Car Singalong - Try to do it this well. Somewhere at the launchpad is a sing-along book.
15. Scavenger hunt - You can actually go the extra mile here and prepare a list of items for kids to look out for on the journey, and print it off. If it’s a route you know well, customize the list by adding things you know you’re going to pass on the way. - Dog walker - Police car - Ambulance - A ‘School’ sign - McDonald’s - A dog in another car - Someone picking their nose etc. 
16. We’ll be there before you can say… “Sixteen slimy serpents slithered surreptitiously on the silver sand as they sped silently southwards.” Or “On Monday morning I made a model of a magical mouse with many mandibles, and mailed it to a man in Manchester.” It takes a bit of thought to come up with alliterative sentences. Learn the phrase, try to get the kids to repeat it word-for-word. 
17. BONUS: I feel sick! Not a game – but a couple of tips for when you hear those words. Opening the window does actually help, as does closing your eyes.

Take a Left on that Road, you know the one with the number

The Brave Astronaut is wrapping up a trip through the Empire State this week, having attended the Spring 2014 MARAC Meeting in Rochester, New York.  There was a lot of driving on roads with both names and numbers.

Growing up, one referred to the Long Island Expressway as that - not 495 (its Interstate Number).  The New York State Thruway (which we spent a fair amount of time on this week) was not I-87 or I-90 - it was just the Thruway.  Living in Maryland it is always the Beltway, I-95 is I-95 (though it gets confusing sometimes because the Beltway is also I-95 at points and there's I-95 in both Maryland and Virginia.

Most of the other major arteries in the DC area Wisconsin Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, Georgia Avenue, etc., also have numerical designations for them in the state of Maryland.  Route 50 in Maryland is also named the "John Hanson Highway" and MD Route 410 is known by other names than just "East-West Highway."  Then there's always US Route 1, with it's many monikers.

Some time ago, the website, Greater Greater Washington, posted an article on this "phenomena."  A little consistency would be nice.  If I have to travel a road, I would like for it to stay with me for the time that I'm going to be on it.  That would lead me to think about sticking with a number, because the names can change several times, sometimes within minutes.

Thoughts?  How is it for you?  What are you used to?

Off to Another Conference!

The Brave Astronaut Clan is on the road for another professional meeting.  LBA and and SoBA are along for the ride - but they're really here for the baseball portions of the trip (Cooperstown, a Rochester Red Wings game on Saturday, and maybe a stop at the Little League Museum on the way home).

The Spring 2014 MARAC Meeting is being held in Rochester, NY this week.  There is a full slate of activities, sessions, and events for my friends and colleagues to do for the next few days.  BuzzFeed posted a while back on the "Awful Stages of Attending a Conference."  Hopefully our meetings aren't like this.

1. You have to wake up at a stupidly early hour because the event starts at 8.30 ON THE DOT.  Even though half the delegates arrive late and no conference in the history of human evolution has ever started or ended on time.  (For years, we have been toying with our schedule to try and get some events moved to different parts of the day from first thing in the morning - but someone is always going to get screwed.) 
2. Conferences usually take place in the basement of musty old hotels, where there’s no phone reception. (This is becoming less of a problem as hotels join the 21st Century and provide free wi-fi - so you can keep playing that game of Words With Friends or Candy Crush.) 
3. You’re supposed to be networking and exchanging business cards, but it’s too early and you find it endlessly awkward peering at people’s name badges to see who they are. (As the President of the organization, I meet a lot of the conferees and I'm ashamed to admit that I have stolen more than a few glances at name badges when people come up to me.) You're supposed to be networking and exchanging business cards, but it's too early and you find it endlessly awkward peering at people's name badges to see who they are.
4. And when you do see someone you know, you can’t remember their name so avoid making eye contact. (I know someone in the profession that when engaged in a conversation with him - he would constantly be looking past you for someone else to talk to.) 
5. There may be an exhibition area where sponsors can tell you all about their wonderful products. They may have hired a DJ. (In my memory, there's never been a DJ - but we get some good swag from our exhibitors - and there's often candy - something that LBA and SoBA will root out very quickly this week.) 
6. Then the conference itself starts. There are some great speakers… and some not so great ones. (As a profession, we are not the most dynamic speakers - but we do OK.)  
7. If you're a journalist covering a conference, you're often reduced to searching for laptop battery power. (We don't get a lot of journalists covering our meetings.) 
8. Lunchtime! Now you have to try to eat and chat while holding a plate and cutlery and and a drink. Good luck. Bonus observation: What’s with those metal food heaters you get at conferences? Where do they come from? (We have pretty good luncheons - I used to avoid them unless the topic really grabbed me - but now as President, I'm there.) 
9. You are praying there are cakes. Please let there be cakes. You are praying there are cakes. (We have pretty good breaks - and at this conference there is reported to be ice cream!) 
10. After lunch is when you have to ward off that sleepy feeling. (Yeah, I try not to go to sessions in the afternoon - I don't want my snoring to disturb the presenters.)
11. It wouldn’t be so bad if conferences weren’t so expensive. It will cost you $6,000 to attend the TED event in Rio this year. (Well MARAC is still pretty affordable - and most of the time - our employers will help with the costs.)
12. And when it’s all over? There’s a free bar. Which you make full use of. (MARAC's Hospitality Suite "After-Parties" are legendary in the organization.) 

See The USA!

The Brave Astronaut Clan is on Spring Break this week.  Time to see the USA - or at least a little corner of it.  The Huffington Post put out this list of the ONE thing that you need to see in each state.

1. ALABAMA - Go to space camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Aspiring astronauts ages 9 to 99 come to Huntsville for a chance to sleep in bunks, spin in the Multi-Axis Trainer, and handle a crisis on simulated intergalactic missions - I've been to Huntsville.  I've seen the Rocket Center.  The rest of my time in Alabama is a story for another time.
2. ALASKA - Hang with polar bears in their real home at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge The villages of Kaktovik and Barrow, located on Alaska's 19 million-acre wildlife refuge, are especially spectacular spots to stay the night, meet a guide, and watch polar bears live wild and freely. polar bears - I've not been to Alaska
3. ARIZONA - Spend a night on the floor of the Grand Canyon Yes, you could settle for a standard daytime walk around the rim. But that way, you wouldn't see Havasu Falls - I've been to Arizona, but not yet to the Grand Canyon.
4. ARKANSAS - Visit Anthony Chapel in Garvan Woodland Gardens Nestled within 210 acres of flowers, streams and waterfalls is a sky-high (okay, six stories high) chapel made of pine beams and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. You can practically hear Mother Nature singing - I haven't been to Arkansas.
5. CALIFORNIA - Drive State Route 1 through Big Sur Nothing is more California than a coastal road trip, and this one will take you past some of the most precious views on Earth. Stop at Nepenthe for sunset cocktails on cliffs over the water - I have not been to Northern California
6. COLORADO - Go sandboarding at Great Sand Dunes National Park If you thought Colorado's mountains were shreddable, wait till you speed down the tallest dunes in North America on a fiberglass board. Don't worry; you can usually still see snowcapped peaks in the background - I've been to Colorado, but only to Denver, and I'm not really a "boarding" guy.
7. CONNECTICUT - Order the white clam pizza at Frank Pepe Pizzeria "Pepe's" is one of the oldest pizza joints in the country. It was Frank Pepe himself who invented apizza -- now a New Haven delicacy -- by subtracting mozzarella, adding oregano, and thinning the crust of the average slice. Pepe's white clam apizza has been called the best pizza in America - I've been to Connecticut, I've been to New Haven, I may have even been here - but I'm not sure.
8. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Go paddle boating on the Tidal Basin There's something about seeing D.C.'s biggest monuments from the water. On a warm spring day, you can paddle past the Jefferson Memorial and catch sun between the cherry trees - check
9. DELAWARE - Walk the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk Finally, a U.S. boardwalk that hasn't lost its vintage vibe. At precisely one mile long, your stroll will last the perfect amount of time to finish a Kohr Brothers cone. Stop at Arena's Deli for a sandwich if you're still hungry - check
10. FLORIDA - Climb the Shark Valley tower Take a tram tour or brave the humidity and bike around this zone of Everglades National Park. Halfway through, there's an observation tower you can climb-- it lets you realize, from above, just how many zillions of alligators have been lurking in the swamps all along - been to Florida but not into the Everglades
11. GEORGIA - Eat at the Olde Pink House in Savannah This refined Southern restaurant has played many roles as a residence, a bank and an army headquarters - this is something James Habersham, the home's original owner, is apparently not happy about. Patrons have reportedly seen Mr. Habersham's ghost hanging around the bar... so take your spiked raspberry lemonade to go and walk along the Savannah River outside - I've been to Savannah, but maybe I can check this off the list when we are back this summer.
12. HAWAII - Climb the Stairway to Heaven Ok, we can't exactly promote this hike, since it's technically illegal. But the view is actually spectacular - not been to Hawaii. 
13. IDAHO - Drive Interstate 90 across the Panhandle This fast, furious, 75-mile zoom across Idaho's top portion will remind you why driving is an American pastime. Stop in scenic Coeur d'Alene for a cold PBR - I've haven't been to the Potato State.
14. ILLINOIS - Have a drink at the top of the Hancock Building Whether it's the sunset hour or late at night, the best way to see Chicago is from a table at The Signature Lounge on the 95th floor... with an esquire martini in hand - I've done most of the sights in Chicago but not this one. 
15. INDIANA - Try the tenderloin sandwich at Ivanhoes This family-run restaurant in Upland has 100 shakes and sundaes to choose from. For a total Midwest experience, complement yours with thin-pounded, deep-fried pork loin on a hamburger bun - I haven't been here but it sounds like I should.
16. IOWA - Visit the Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair A dynasty of five master artists have sculpted the Butter Cow over the years... he's been a State Fair tradition since 1911. At 600 pounds, the Butter Cow could butter 19,200 slices of toast - I would like to see a butter cow. 
17. KANSAS - Sample the No. 6 Oatmeal Stout at Gella's Diner & Lb. Brewing Co. One day, Gerald Wyman's wife told him to please stop brewing beer in their kitchen. A few years later, Wyman had a charming-yet-modern storefront and a Gold World Beer Cup Award for his Oatmeal Stout - I haven't been to Kansas.
18. KENTUCKY - Drive and drink (but don't drink and drive!) along the Bourbon Trail This pre-planned route leads you past eight of Kentucky's distilleries, from Jim Beam to Maker's Mark. If you can't be trusted to operate a motor vehicle, hire a party bus - I don't do the brown liquor and I haven't been to Kentucky. 
19. LOUISIANA - Go to the French Quarter Festival New Orleans's classic neighborhood hits its prime during this free three-day music festival every spring. It's also the best way to fit every local delicacy into your stomach at once: restaurants sell little sample-size plates at the "world's largest jazz brunch" - I've been to New Orleans a few times, but never for the jazz festival.
20. MAINE - Watch the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain Most of the year, this is the first place the sun comes up in the whole United States. It's also the most famous hike in beautiful Acadia National Park - check, well not the sunrise, but I've been to the top of Cadillac.
21. MARYLAND - Crack a crab at Cantler's You can drive your boat directly up to this "riverside inn," where they sort crabs in a wash basin right before your eyes. Accompany with LOTS of Old Bay seasoning - I've been meaning to go, this summer it will happen.
22. MASSACHUSETTS - Dance at The Beachcomber on Cape Cod This rollicking, old-school dance bar is parked right on the beach in a former lifesaving station. After a few mudslide cocktails, the live reggae and rock will make you feel supercharged enough to sprint into the ocean - been to the Bay State, but not to the Cape. 
23. MICHIGAN - Visit the Shinola Store Shinola is aiming to "reinvigorate the storied American brand" - and reinvigorate Detroit in general - by manufacturing quality watches, bikes and leather goods right in the heart of the city. At their hipster-licious storefront, you can shop for timepieces and watch the bicycle assembly line - I've not been to Michigan.
24. MINNESOTA - Canoe the Boundary Waters There are over a thousand individual lakes in this slice of Superior National Forest. Many of them are only reachable if you paddle past majestic pine groves and hulking rock formations - I've not been to Minnesota.
25. MISSISSIPPI - Listen to blues at The Lyric in Oxford When you need - if you need - a break from the beer bars and battle cries of the Ole Miss students in Oxford, hide out in this movie-theater-turned-concert-hall. It first served as a stable for William Faulkner's family - I can spell it, but I haven't been there.
26. MISSOURI - Explore the Ozark Caverns Out of thousands of caves in Missouri, the most famous feature is Angel Showers, where water constantly flows from the ceiling like a waterfall. During your tour, you might also encounter the rare blind salamander - Haven't been to the Show-Me State.
27. MONTANA - Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road You'll feel like you're in one of those nature-themed IMAX movies during this 50-mile drive through Glacier National Park - haven't been to Big Sky Country 
28. NEBRASKA - Throw horseshoes during Popcorn Days in North Loup At this festival, Nebraskans pay tribute to their state's most prosperous crop with three days of polka dancing, turtle racing, bull riding, and UNLIMITED FREE POPCORN! - one of the flyover states, that I haven't been to.
29. NEVADA - Order a late-night Awful Awful Burger at The Nugget Gamblers say they're coming to Reno for the refreshingly low-key vibe at Peppermill Casino. What they're actually after, however, is probably just The Nugget's world-famous Awful Awful Burger, served with a "mountain of fries" - Haven't been to Nevada. 
30. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Add your pumpkin to the wall at the Keene Pumpkin Festival Every year, people from far and wide lug pumpkins to Keene-- they're battling to either defend or win back the official world record for "most jack-o'-lanterns in one place." Last year, they successfully snagged the title back from Boston - I've been to New Hampshire but haven't done this. 
31. NEW JERSEY - Climb Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island There are 217 steps in this tower, which locals affectionately refer to as "Barney." It's clearly not the tacky Jersey shore you've seen on TV - I've climbed New Jersey lighthouses, but not this one. 
32. NEW MEXICO - Watch a Balloon Glow at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta At the biggest balloon rally in the world, hundreds of hot air balloons hit the big blue sky at once. When they light up for a Balloon Glow night ascent, you feel all magical and ticklish inside - I've been to New Mexico, but not amongst the balloons.
33. NEW YORK - Go wine (and pie) tasting on Long Island's North Fork You'd never guess that 30 picture-perfect wineries were so close to the city - or so insanely cheap to tour. A strawberry pie from Briermere Farms will further alter your life - check
34. NORTH CAROLINA - Tour the Biltmore Estate Exploring the largest private residence in the United States feels like being at the Palace of Versailles . . . except you're in America. And you can rent bikes to whiz freely around the gigantic property - This is on the list of things to do - but it hasn't happened yet. 
35. NORTH DAKOTA - Climb White Butte This massive hill outside the town of Amidon is the highest point in the whole state, at 3,507 feet above sea level. The hike (or "wilderness stroll," shall we say) to the top only takes about an hour, but climbers from all over the world come to conquer it because the trail is littered with dangerous rattlesnakes. Pack a celebratory picnic in case you survive - I've not been to either of the Dakotas. 
36. OHIO - Get a scoop of black raspberry chocolate chip at Graeter's Ice Cream This adorable store in Cincinnati has been selling its famous, ultra-thick ice cream (made in tiny two-gallon batches) for well over a hundred years . . . and it's sooo good - I will travel pretty far for ice cream - I could get there in about 8 hours, DAY TRIP!
37. OKLAHOMA - Go to the Norman Music Festival What started in 2008 as a tiny, one-day music fest has exploded into a three-day concert experience with multiple stages, art walks, and local food tastings... all for free. That's the Oklahoman way - Not been to the Sooner State 
38. OREGON - Get lost in Powell's City of Books This bookstore in Portland claims it's the largest one in the world . . . and considering 1.6 acres of bookshelves and nine color-coded rooms, we're inclined to believe them - it's a bookstore - but it's somewhere I haven't been.
39. PENNSYLVANIA - Go to a mud sale in Lancaster County Mud sales (named for the wet ground in springtime) are the live auctions and craft sales that happen every year in Amish Country. Pennsylvanians - both Amish and not - haggle with each other to score a handmade quilt or home-baked pie. Take a tour of the quaint Amish countryside afterward! - Been through most of PA, and the Amish country, but not to a Mud Sale. 
40. RHODE ISLAND - Take the Cliff Walk in Newport Ocean on one side, gigantic Gilded Age mansions on the other. Your only problem in life will be deciding which view to look at - check.
41. SOUTH CAROLINA - Taste the barbecue hash at Sweatman's BBQ They call this 100-mile barbecue because it's totally worth the long drive to Bub Sweatman's house-turned-buffet-room in the town of Holly Hill - Been to South Carolina, but not for this BBQ
42. SOUTH DAKOTA - Visit the Mitchell Corn Palace This multi-use facility isn't all that interesting on the inside. But the outside, it's truly a sight. The building is actually decorated with crop art and is redesigned each year with a new theme! - This over Mount Rushmore? Someday maybe. 
43. TENNESSEE - Spend a day in Dollywood It's the most awesomely kitschy and fabulously delicious experience in all of Tennessee. The park, in Pigeon Forge, is run in a partnership between the great Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. Think food, waterslides and all things Dolly - Haven't been to Tennessee and don't feel the need to visit this particular amusement park. 
44. TEXAS - Tube the Guadalupe River Nothin' says Texas like drifting down the river on a toasty summer day with all your best friends and a massive floating cooler of Coors - been to Texas, but not to tube 
45. UTAH - Hike to Delicate Arch It's the most famous sandstone formation in Arches National Park and the same one you'll see on Utah's license plates. The Olympic torch even passed through the arch in 2002, making this hike both beautiful and historic - Haven't been to Utah.
46. VERMONT - Take a brewery tour For a small state, Vermont packs an alcoholic punch-- it has the most breweries per capita of any state. Visit as many breweries as possible, without having to travel very far! The Vermont Breweries Association offers a full list of options. Make sure to check out Magic Hat Brewery in South Burlington and take a free guided tour - been to Vermont, and to Ben and Jerry's factory but not for beer.
47. VIRGINIA - See a movie at The Byrd Theater in Carytown, Richmond's cutesy shopping district, and The Byrd is the big, glamorous old-time movie palace that's been showing films since 1928 - on Saturdays, you can still hear an organ performance before your movie. Tickets are $1.99, which means you have more than enough spare change for a french toast donut from Dixie Donuts - Been to Richmond and other places in Virginia, but not to the movies here. 
48. WASHINGTON - Hike the Ape Caves They're actually ultra-long lava tubes near Mount St. Helens, one of our country's "highest threat" volcanoes. Wander through the dark, cold tubes with a headlamp, and pop out in a sunny forest on the other side - Haven't been to Washington. 
49. WEST VIRGINIA - Eat a pepperoni roll from Country Club Bakery Never heard of a pepperoni roll? That's because they're basically only in West Virginia. The Country Club Bakery in Fairmont is where it all began, when Italian immigrant Giuseppe Argiro first stuffed freshly-seasoned pepperoni into a warm roll - Been to Charleston but not for pepperoni rolls.
50. WISCONSIN - Shop the Dane County Farmer's Market Everyone in Madison - from hippies to soccer moms - shops the Saturday smorgasbord that sets up around the Capitol building (they're open almost all year round!). Be sure to pick up some classic Wisconsin cheese curds - I've been to Wisconsin but not to Madison. 
51. WYOMING - Go to Cheyenne Frontier Days On your way to Cheyenne, pass through Wyoming's seven national parks to get a feel for the state's supreme scenery. Then, meet their supreme people at "The Daddy of 'em All," a 10-day rodeo-meets-small-town-bonanza with free pancake breakfasts and concerts from the likes of Brad Paisley - Haven't been to Wyoming.

On the Road North

Happy Boxing Day to all. The Brave Astronaut Clan is heading north today to visit with my family - for the second year in a row all of my siblings will be present for Christmas (I'm sure wherever my mother is, she's mad - she very rarely could get all of us together). We have a full lineup of "social aerobics" planned for the few days we will be up there, including a trip to NYC on Tuesday.

The challenge today will be getting to my father's in less time than it took us last year. It shouldn't be hard - as last year's trip clocked in at nearly 11 hours. I might have to use this bypass around the Delaware tolls, as I really hate those tolls and the backups they create (see the map at right, click to embiggen).

I hope that Santa brought you everything you wanted and more!

Elvis has left the building

I get a variety of trivial information delivered to me via email each morning (this day in history, birthdays. etc.). One email service I signed up for at some point (call it morbid curiosity) is from Dead at your Age, where you can enter your date of birth and find out who died at your exact age. They also have an email service where they send you an email when someone died at your exact age. Today I got to work and had the following email:

You are exactly 42 years and 220 days old today.
	At your exact age, Elvis Presley died of a heart attack. He was a the immortal King of Rock 'n' Roll.

So to honor the King, I will stay away from the PB and Banana sandwiches today. But that doesn't mean that I will avoid some of these foods(seen on BuzzFeed, where the link goes to an, in this case, ironically named blog called ShareitFitness.com.

Herewith, a list of the 50 Fattiest Foods in the United States, with comment where appropriate:

1. Alabama - Bacon-wrapped meatloaf (One 3-ounce serving of 80% lean meatloaf has roughly 14 grams of fat. Each slice of bacon will cost you an additional 3 grams of fat) - OK, I don't have a problem with this, it's how I eat my meatloaf now.
2. Alaska - Eskimo Ice Cream - yum, reindeer fat.
3. Arizona - Quadruple Bypass Burger - um, wow.
4. Arkansas - Catfish - hey everything tastes better when deep fried in oil.
5. California - In-N-Out Burger Double Double - I have yet to enjoy an In-N-Out burger (41g fat), but Five Guys (43g fat) is pretty good. It must be the fat.
6. Colorado - Jack-N-Grill’s 7-pound breakfast burritos (7 potatoes, 12 eggs, a pound of ham, a whole onion, cheese, and chili) - hold on a minute, I need to take a knee.
7. Connecticut - The Two-Foot long Hot Dog (The average foot-long hot dog has about 24g of fat, 10g of it saturated. And this is double that, plus it has bacon, chili, and cheddar cheese.)
8. Delaware - Deep Fried Pastry - yet another reason why I am not allowed to own a deep fryer ("Hey, I wonder what this will taste like deep fried?").
9. Florida - Empanadas - surely there's something fattier available at Disney World?
10. Georgia - The Luther Burger - Paula Deen took this one step further (burger on a Krispy Kreme "bun") by adding a fried egg to the sandwich.
11. Hawaii - Loco Moco (two hamburger patties, two eggs, three scoops of jasmine rice, plus onions, fish, and mushroom gravy, 43g fat).
12. Idaho - Bacon Blue Cheese Dressing - not feeling it at all for this, even with the bacon.
13. Illinois - Deep Dish Pizza - yeah, this is why I prefer NY-style pizza, it's healthier.
14. Indiana - Fried Brain Sandwich (A 6-ounce scoop of beef brain batter contained about 24g of fat. The now used pork version is estimated at 18g) - so this would be brain food in its truest sense? I guess if you are a fat head, wow, bad joke.
15. Iowa - Hot Meat Sundae (Mashed potatoes, roast beef, beef gravy, cheddar cheese, tomato) - that's just blasphemy to ice cream lovers everywhere.
16. Kansas - Charred Ends (crunchy cubes of the fatty end of a barbecued brisket) - is it wrong to just want to have a big bowl of these?
17. Kentucky - KFC Double Down - I still haven't tried one of these. I don't have an EMT that follows me around.
18. Louisiana - Beignets (about 11g of fat, the same as in a McDonald’s cheeseburger) - yeah, so?
19. Maine - Lobster Roll - I'll give you this one. Lobster Rolls are good, but if you're having it, eat 'em steamed with drawn butter.
20. Maryland - Smith Island Cake - which is evidently the Official State Dessert of Maryland. Wait, there are official state foods?
21. Massachusetts - Chocolate Chip Cookie (The average weight of a commercially prepared cookie is about 12g. The weight of a version from fast-food chain Carl’s Jr. is 71g, with 19g of that being fat)
22. Michigan - BLT - nothing wrong with a little bacon now and then. This particular version however, from Tony's I-75 uses a whole pound of bacon (for 192g of fat!)
23. Minnesota - Dairy Queen's FlameThrower GrillBurger - why must you be mean to the meat?
24. Mississippi - Mud Pie - Mississippi has held the title of the state with the highest obesity rate in the country, at 32.5%, for five years in a row.
25. Missouri - Hardee's 2/3 lb. Monster ThickBurger (Two 1/3 pound beef patties, 4 strips of bacon, 3 slices of American cheese, mayonnaise, sesame seed bun) - OK, this meat you can be mean to.
26. Montana - Rocky Mountain Oysters - OK, only going to point out there's no ocean near Montana. You want to know more about these, google it.
27. Nebraska - Eskimo Pie (Vanilla ice cream with Nestle Crunch chocolate coating and a relatively tame 13g of fat per bar)
28. Nevada - Buffets - 'nuff said.
29. New Hampshire - New England Clam Chowder - I'm really not getting into this debate, but I think I know someone who reads this blog who might. New Hampshire gets the Chowder, really?
30. New Jersey - the Fat Darrell (Chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, marinara sauce, French fries, lettuce, tomato, roll and an estimated 45 grams of fat) - I think I might weep.
31. New Mexico - Frito Pie (estimates vary based on the toppings you add) - Um, I have been known to salt Fritos.
32. New York - The Garbage Plate (A base of home fries, macaroni salad, baked beans or French fries, topped with choice of meat (hamburger, cheeseburger, hot dog, sausage, chicken tender, fish, fried ham), and drenched in mustard, onions, and hot sauce—all amounting to about 3 pounds of food!) - now I need to lie down.
33. North Carolina - Livermush (Pig liver, assorted other pig parts (usually fatty), cornmeal, pepper, salt) - never, ever, and I eat bologna.
34. North Dakota - Fleischkuechle (a meat patty smothered in a fried dough wrapping) - so like a pierogie.
35. Ohio - Bob Evans Sausage Biscuit Bowl (Home fries, eggs, sausage gravy, sausage, cheddar cheese, scallions, margarine, in a biscuit bowl) - wait, wasn't margarine good for you at one point?
36. Oklahoma - Chicken Fried Steak - All I'm saying is steak is steak, chicken is chicken, and gravy is not white.
37. Oregon - The Redonkadonk (which is being peddled by a Portland Food Truck, contains egg, ham, Spam, bacon, and American cheese on a beef patty, between two grilled-cheese sandwiches on thicker-than-normal Texas Toast bread in the place of a bun).
38. Pennsylvania - The Cheesesteak - I will hear no criticism of this food nirvana.
39. Rhode Island - New York System Hot Wieners - (A beef hot dog drenched in yellow mustard, onions, celery salt, and ground-beef sauce and about 28g of fat)
40. South Carolina - The Turducken
41. South Dakota - Frybread - from the picture, it looks a lot like funnel cake.
42. Tennessee - Ruby Tuesday's Triple Prime Bacon Cheddar Burger (115g of fat)
43. Texas - the Corn Dog
44. Utah - Scone - no, not this kind of scone, the one that more doughy and gets deep fried.
    
45. Vermont - The Ben and Jerry's Vermonster (20 scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, banana, cookies, brownies, and other toppings of your choice).
46. Virginia - Ham - not the best meat for you, but not the worst either.
47. Washington - Crab Louis Salad (Salad greens, tomato, hard-boiled egg, celery, crabmeat, with dressing made of mayonnaise, chili sauce or cocktail sauce, green peppers, sweet pickles, onion)
48. West Virginia - Hillbilly Hot Dogs 10 lb. burger (about 800g of fat).
49. Wisconsin - Fried Cheese Curds (Milk or beer, egg, flour, sugar, salt, baking power, cheese curds, oil for frying)
50. Wyoming - Lamb - lamb, really, that's what we end with?
    

Random Observations on a Road Trip

I traveled to Jersey City, New Jersey yesterday to pick up my new (used) car. I've put a picture at the bottom so you can see my new ride. As some of you know, I have been looking to replace our second car for a few months and finally scored it on eBay, hence the day trip to Jersey City. However, with the new car came a radio that requires a code to make it work. So I had some time to think on the drive home. So I wrote this blog post in my head.

• I have (in my mind) come up with a list of New Years Resolutions but have not yet gotten around to posting them here for public review. One of them is however, getting out of bed when the alarm goes off, which will allow for an earlier arrival at work and a better time management of my work day. So today, I got up when the alarm went off (and one snooze) so the Brave Astronaut family could get downtown and I could make a train northward.
• Walking from the Metro to the bank (to get a bank check for the car) and back to the Metro reminded me how much I liked working downtown. The trip downtown also allowed me the opportunity to help drop off the boys at daycare, which LBA had been remarking to me that I never did.
• As I got on the Metro to go to Union Station, I was standing near the door of the subway train, and a woman looked over at me and said, "Brave?" "Brave Astronaut?" Of the mass of humanity crowded on the Metro on a morning when I wouldn't necessarily be downtown, I had managed to bump into someone I went to high school with, in New York. It was very funny and good to see her.
  
• I haven't ridden Amtrak in some time (I will say, had I bought a car from the Boston area, I could have flown there for less money than the train fare to Jersey City) but it was a very uneventful trip, complete with the requisite travel mall catalog in the seat pocket. VP-elect Joe Biden does know how to travel.
  
• While I should have used the time on the train to sleep, I instead read and found myself looking out the window. There is a wide range of stuff littering the side of the tracks. I would swear that I even saw evidence of where people had been living - another sign of the poor economy.
• I was also struck by the fact that in many places, looking out the window from a train is not the best view. I wonder if the President-elect will have the same thoughts when he travels to DC from New York next weekend?
• I bought the car from a used car dealer in Jersey City. It was everything you would have expected. Trailer, fenced in lot, in the wilds of Jersey City. And I had to put gas in the car and put on new wipers.
• I traveled home via the New Jersey Turnpike and noted with some interest that while there are rest areas up and down the Turnpike, the exits do not indicate what other amenities you might reach if you get off - with the exception of some hotels listed off of exit 5(?), including a Macintosh Inn, where I may have stayed once.
• When I reached the Delaware Memorial Bridge, I noted the overhead sign warning me of a slippery roadway but also offering me a phone number if I was in crisis. Does a slippery roadway make it harder for people in crisis to do what they may have come there to do?
• I made a pit stop at the Delaware rest area. I got some coffee, a snack, and a few dollars of Powerball tickets. I didn't win.

I am sure there are more random tidbits that I might have had last night, but the day overcame me and I had to get in bed. Which is why this post is 24 hours late from planned. But enjoy nonetheless. The car goes to the dealer tomorrow for a checkup. Wish me luck.

Road Rage - It's Sticky

True confession time:

Many years ago, I was leaving work after a particularly crappy day. As I was moving up the aisle of the parking lot, a car came cutting across the lot (where there were no cars parked) and nearly broadsided me. I snapped. I took off after the car and pulled up behind her at a traffic light. I slammed the car into park and got out of the car and went up to the other car and began to berate the driver. The girl behind the wheel would not even turn to look at me. It is fairly safe to say that I scared the bejeezus out of her. My tirade was so pronounced that someone coming out of a restaurant next to the traffic light encouraged me to get back into my car. Which I did. It was not one of my finer moments. I don't remember if her car had any bumper stickers.

Flash forward to the present and I read this article in the Washington Post, recounting a study put out by Colorado State University about aggressive drivers. Evidently there is a link between the number of stickers you put on one's car and how aggressive a driver you can be. The study does maintain that the unstuck do get angry as well, but there was a definite correlation to bumper stickers and incidents of road rage.

The study, which appeared in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, reported that drivers used the stickers to mark their territory (their cars) and they were more likely to defend that territory when they felt is was threatened.

An interesting side bar to this. As a federal employee, I work under the provisions of the Hatch Act, one of the provisions being (from an online training I took recently) that I may not have more than one partisan election sticker on my car. That's nice of them to look out for me in that way.

Of Baseball Note

It is nearly midnight here in Maryland and I have learned that the Chicago Cubs fans are invoking their never ending mantra, "Wait 'til next year." The Cubbies have been swept aside by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will await the winner of the Philadephia-Colorado series. (This game is currently in the 6th inning and the Rockies have a 1-0 lead over the Phillies.) As I said in my predictions, I wished for the Cubs to make it past the D-Backs, for if it wasn't now, who knows when it might happen? And the Rockies? Well, they are the team to beat. They are on fire.

In the American League, the Red Sox are manhandling the Angels and are one game away from the ALCS. Tomorrow afternoon the two teams will face off in Anaheim. The winner of that series will face the victor of the Yankees-Indians series. Yes, yes, I said the Yankees in four. So now it will have to be five. Yes, the Yankees are 3-11 in postseason games since the collapse against the Red Sox in 2004. But they are heading home to the Bronx and I still believe (wait, isn't that a Mets slogan?). Just in case, I have my laudatory Cleveland post just about ready to go to satisfy the wager I have with Amy in Cleveland. Game three of that series will be tomorrow evening.

What am I doing tomorrow? The Brave Astronaut family is heading up I-95 to visit with the newest member of the Brave Astronaut's extended family. Mrs. Brave Astronaut's sister gave birth to a daughter last week and we are off to ooh and ahh at the new baby. But I'll be sure to check in and report on the baseball tomorrow night.

Our drive tomorrow will take us into Delaware, home of the I-95 bottleneck. This article was forwarded to me by my mother-in-law, as she knows just how much I hate that state and its "highway," which is really just a parking lot and toll collection station.

Monday is Columbus Day and I will take the opportunity to get some paperwork done, finish cataloging my books in Library Thing, and maybe get some art on to the walls.

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's SUV

The Vatican has published its "rules of the road," with the intention of keeping motorists "on the road to salvation, warning drivers against the sins of road rage, abuse of alcohol or even simple rudeness." A Vatican official, Cardinal Renato Martino, told a news conference the Vatican felt it necessary to address the pastoral needs of motorists because driving has become such a big part of contemporary life.

The document, issued from the office for migrants and itinerant people, is called "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road," and extols the benefits of driving - family outings, getting the sick to the hospital, allowing people to get to work and seeing other cultures.

I'll point out these "new" Commandments come from a guy that drives around in a car standing up, without a seat belt. Nonetheless, follow these or its eternal traffic for you:

The Vatican's Ten Commandments for drivers:

1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

New Jersey Turnpike Rest Area Answers

As I prepare for the next weekend in New York, here are the answers to the quiz on the New Jersey Turnpike. If you're in Syosset on Saturday, stop by and buy something at the big yard sale!

You'll note, I did not include mile markers for the location of the rest areas. Nor did I ask you who the entire Turnpike is named for. For extra credit, you could have offered the name of a famous New York radio personality who lobbied then Governor Christine Todd Whitman to name one of its plazas for him. He instead got one on Interstate 295, which has since been closed.

1. Vince Lombardi


2. Alexander Hamilton


3. Grover Cleveland


4. Thomas Edison


5. Joyce Kilmer


6. Molly Pitcher (this is a great site!)


7. Woodrow Wilson


8. Richard Stockton


9. James Fenimore Cooper


10. Walt Whitman


11. Clara Barton


12. John Fenwick

Unfinished Projects

Last week, I wrote about the Long Island Expressway. Living with it so close to home, literally, and now that my daily commute takes me on a portion of the Capital Beltway (also Interstate 495), I have sat in my fair share of traffic and developed some ideas on how to help.

Faithful readers have already read my rants about traffic - here are the solutions we need. Sure it will take millions of dollars and people will scream, but the long term benefits outweigh the short. Something must be done!

Double decker the roads. The freeways and bridges in California are often double decker roads and they have earthquakes! The East Coast is a little more stable, so why not put another road on top of the existing one? For both roads, it would be very simple. Development has made the further widening of the roads impossible, so go UP. The beauty of the plan is to make one of the roads an "express" with limited access. For the Long Island Expressway, there has even been talk of this (look for the "Urban Legend on the LIE" section. For the express road, have exits at the "major" interchanges (and this will mean something only to those who have been there): The BQE, the Grand Central Parkway, The Van Wyck Expressway, the Clearview Expressway, the Cross-Island Parkway, the Northern State Parkway, the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway, Route 110, the Sagitkos Parkway, and at Exit 70.

For the Capital Beltway (as previously noted, also 1-495), the problem becomes a little trickier and definitely more costly, as there are bridges involved not to mention that huge thing we like to call the "mixing bowl." But double decker the road, make it limited access, with exits (again, for locals and exasperated commuters from DC) at I-95 in Maryland, I-270, (somehow over the American Legion Bridge), the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Route 66, I-95 in Virginia, (somehow over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge), I-295, and Route 50.

Alternatively, let's think about this. For years on Long Island, people have suggested building a monorail down the middle of the expressway. Surprisingly, the Long Island Rail Road has been against it! But let's dream here folks. Build some large parking lots on either side of the expressway (as opposed to the parking lot the expressway can be) and make a pedestrian bridge to a station over the expressway where a monorail can run. DC residents can see how this might work while travelling I-66 in Virginia where the Metro runs down the middle of that road. So in DC's case, build a new Metro line around the Beltway (color suggestions for the line?) on the model of the Orange Line that runs out Route 66.

I will be the first to say that if you build more roads, they will just fill up. But these are a couple of pipe dreams that I think could work in a world where community opposition is nil and plenty of funds are readily available. Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, who governed New York State from 1958 to 1973, had a pipe dream of his own. He wanted to build a bridge across Long Island Sound. An outstanding idea, but those pesky community activist people told him they couldn't. I actually would have lived near the terminus of the Long Island side of the bridge (that whole expressway thing again), and loved the idea. People shout about it every now and then, especially when thoughts of how to evacuate Long Island should something happen in New York City. Um, tough noogies, folks, you're all gonna die, for one must go through New York to get off Long Island. Sigh. It wouldn't hurt to think about it some more, huh? Please?

So another bridge in DC? The area is concluding work on a major renovation of the Wilson Bridge, which included the construction of a new span. And, hey, guess what, they envisioned a light rail across the middle. See? Someone has been listening to me. There are often talks about a new crossing across the Potomac also. But I think the problem with all this talk is, the people doing the talking know they will be long dead before any of this would get built. But they will probably die in a traffic jam on the beltway. It would serve them right.

BTW, this gets an archives tag for a couple of reasons. I used to work at the Rockefeller Archive Center, where the biography of Nelson Rockefeller comes from (in fact, I put it on the web when I served as the webmaster) and the plans for the Long Island Sound Bridge come from the archives of the Suffolk County Planning Department.

It's Memorial Day Weekend - Hurry up and Wait!

The Brave Astronaut family are off this weekend to visit with my father. There is sure to be more cleaning (he moves in two weeks) but we are leaving some time for some Memorial Day fun as well. This will include the Syosset Memorial Day Parade, which I will hope to have some pictures to add to my post on Monday. Over the weekend, I will try to post again on how things are progressing with the cleanup.

Meanwhile we are going to join the throngs of people choking the roads heading for various weekend destinations. Wish us luck!

New Jersey Rest Area Quiz

My weekend road trip to New York took me up and back on the New Jersey Turnpike. It's a 120 miles of toll road that I think I have paid my share by now. The road is monotonous but there are sprinkled along the way several rest areas. Here's a quiz to see how good you are. Answers next week.

1. The northernmost rest area is named for the man whose name is also on the NFL Super Bowl Trophy. He was born in Brooklyn, but one of his first coaching jobs was in New Jersey. He also worked for the New York Giants, whose stadium can be seen from the rest area. You may also know him better for his coaching tenure in Wisconsin.
2. This man would probably not be happy to know he has a rest area named for him in New Jersey. He was shot and killed there.
3. This man is the only man to be elected to two non-consecutive terms as President of the United States. Although raised in New York, he was born in Caldwell and died in the Garden State.
4. The "Wizard of Menlo Park," you might think his rest area is the most well-lit.
5. Born in New Brunswick, the poet with a woman's first name wrote the immortal words, "I think that I shall never see, a poem as lovely as a tree."
6. During the Battle of Monmouth, she brought water to the soldiers. When her husband was killed, she took over his cannon duties.
7. Born in Staunton, VA, he served as Governor of New Jersey and President of Princeton University (and taught at Bryn Mawr), before going to the White House.
8. This man was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Captured by the British during the Revolution, he died a pauper, having lost everything.
9. More associated with New York, where his most famous novel is set, this 19th century author was born in New Jersey
10. Also more of a "New York personality" (there is a school named for him in Syosset), he also would be disappointed with his New Jersey landmark. He moved to Camden after suffering a stroke, then his mother died, and he died there.
11. Known for many other accomplishments, this woman did open a free school in Bordentown.
12. A Quaker colonist, he secured a large tract of land in southern New Jersey (where the rest area is), only to give it up later to William Penn.

Road Rage In the News

I commute to work every day about 13 miles, primarily using the Capital Beltway. There are some occasions when I can easily see the opportunity to "flip out" on my fellow drivers. We all surely have in our pasts an incident of road rage that we are not proud of. I'm also a "New York" driver, so my tolerance is already lowered. I am really peeved by the driver I refer to as "shoulder suckers." A shoulder sucker is one that will ride the shoulder of a road to avoid traffic and congestion on the main roadway. I will often move to the right lane and position my car half on the shoulder to keep "shoulder suckers" from getting past.

Recently an incident captured the headlines here in DC regarding a woman accused of road rage. A North Carolina woman hurled a McDonald's cup of ice into the car of a fellow driver who had cut her off was sentenced to probation after a hearing in Loudon County, Virginia. The incident took place last July on Interstate 95. No one was injured. The woman is a mother of three, with a husband serving in Iraq, who had planned to go to nursing school. She told the Washington Post, "Now people are going to see me as an angry, road rage, convicted felon. And it really upsets me, I must have been wrong . . . but seriously, God. Lesson learned. Lesson learned is one hour in this place." Gee, ya think?

We spend an inordinate amount of time in our cars. There is certainly going to be more circumstances where these types of events will take place. There are countless websites out there dedicated to road rage, including this one. There is most certainly a level of anonymity that we all enjoy in our cars, but the human factor will eventually come into play for us one day. How will we handle it? I hope to do better than I have reacted in the past.

Hey You! In the Car! Reading Your Laptop While Driving! Yeah, You!

My wife's dream has come true, sort of. For years, my wife believed there should be a system by which one could call the person in the car near to you by dialing their license plate number. Then you could say to them what only the passengers in your car were able to hear previously.

The Washington Post reports that we are one step to "improved communications" with our fellow drivers. A new website, Plate Wire, allows motorists to post the license plate of offensive drivers. The site was started by a Fairfax, Virginia man who hopes to shame people into driving better. However, the problem is there is no way of knowing if the subjects actually see them.
It begs the question, "why are people taking the time to post what is basically a primal scream?" It just makes us feel better, OK? And my son doesn't have to hear that kind of language anymore.

If you prefer the more "intimate contact" with your fellow drivers, there are other ways. GadgetUniverse.com offers the Programmable License Plate Billboard, yours for only $39.95. If you really want to get creative, $199 buys the MobileLED MD-550, which plugs into a car cigarette lighter and comes with a small keyboard that allows you to type any message on a large electronic display board mounted inside your rear window.

Of course police and safety experts caution not to further aggravate the situation. You've got a cell phone - use it. Dial #77, the non-emergency number for the police and report the situation. However, responses will vary. The bird is instantaneous and more gratifying.

Be safe out there on the roads. I might be next to you as I am traveling for Thanksgiving. To the airport tonight to pick up my father, to Wilmington, Delaware tomorrow for the holiday, home on Friday through Annapolis (but God, not to the Mall), and back to the airport on Saturday to drop Dad off to go home. Happy Thanksgiving!

Traffic Sucks

Nobody likes getting stuck in traffic. When I lived in New York, I commuted by car to my job. When I lived in Poughkeepsie and commuted to Westchester County, I drove about 60 miles one way. I could make the trip in about 55 minutes. Yes, that means I might have been exceeding the posted speed limits, but the flow of traffic was such that you could make good time. Granted, in bad weather, or if there was an accident, it would take longer. When I moved to Long Island and was still going to Westchester, it was 48 miles and it took about an hour. More cars, more traffic. However, in both cases, the infrastructure was such that if one road had a problem, there was another that could handle overflow and you could continue on your way.

When I moved to DC, I commuted by Metro from my home in the MD suburbs to downtown DC via the Metro. I was reminded how nice it was to let someone else be in charge of getting me to work, allowing me to read the paper, nap, or just relax on the train. It was very nice. When I got my new job at the National Archives, it was back into the car to be a road warrior again. I was quickly reminded how much I don't understand about DC area roads.

Let's start with the Beltway. It's a circle. There's your first problem. Having a parallel road next to it is an immediate issue. For example, in New York, if you are on the Long Island Expressway and it is slow, you can get off and ride the service road (and play my favorite game - Pace the Truck, but that's another story) or you could hop over to the Northern State Parkway or any one of several other east-west routes. When something goes wrong on the Beltway, you are pretty much hosed. Sure, there are roads that criss cross, but you have to get on them and usually navigate lights and other people who have bailed out, not to mention the people who actually live off these surface roads and don't appreciate the commuter gumming up their path to the local Giant.

Now let's talk about what I will call the ripple effect. On several occasions I have been on my way home, going west on the Outer Loop of the Beltway and I will begin to slow near Georgia Avenue (near the Mormon Temple, you've seen it, it looks like the Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz). The traffic reports (see the next paragraph) tell you there is a problem on I-270 at Shady Grove Road (some 10-15 miles away). However, the traffic has backed up on 270 and is now affecting people trying to get on 270 from the Beltway! Inconceivable!

Traffic reports. I have become a devoted listener of WTOP radio, which has traffic reports "on the 8s." The traffic reports tend to report serious problems first (as they should) and then comment on the major roads around the region. Typically, they will omit a mention of "normal" volume, for example the Outer Loop between New Hampshire Avenue and Connecticut Avenue during the morning rush and the Inner Loop across the same stretch in the evening. I often find myself in a delay that is not explained by the report or cruising at highway speed in an area that has been reported as slow. Inconceivable!

Weather. It is supposed to rain tomorrow. Plan for extra travel time. OK, I expect that. But I don't accept having to plan to double my travel time because it's raining. A few weeks ago, I had a few longer commutes because people were adjusting to daylight savings and were getting used to driving in the dark again. Inconceivable! ("You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.")

I reported here earlier about the US reaching the population milestone of 300 million people and a related report about road gridlock coming up in less than 20 years. Check back soon for my pipe dream plans for helping the DC area get out of traffic and back up to highway speed.

300 Million and Counting

This past week, the population of the United States surpassed the 300 million mark. So now what? We live in a nation that can't support the numbers we have now. I don't have a solution but it makes you wonder when the shortsightedness of the American politician might stop and they begin to realize that ignoring the problems of tomorrow is no longer an option as tomorrow is here.

One interesting sidebar to this story. While note was made of the 300 million mark, I later heard an associated story regarding the impact on transportation. Here in the DC area, they are forecasting that road gridlock will occur in about 25 years. Only with dedicated funds to transportation plans will some breathing room occur.

We have all seen the futuristic movies. Levitating cars and high speed traffic lanes covered with automatic driven vehicles. While that is some time off, something better be done soon. The DC area is trying to do something. Here in Maryland, the Inter-County Connector has been approved and construction may start soon. It is the first step toward what has been termed the "Outer Beltway." The purple line, a new Metro line is also scheduled to be constructed that will alleviate some of the congestion. High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes are being planned for the Beltway in Virginia. HOT lanes allow people to drive in a dedicated lane and pay a graduated toll based on the traffic on the rest of the roadway. Car pools would be allowed to drive in the HOT lanes for a reduced or no cost, driving along would cost you the most, particularly if the road is congested.

Another root problem is the American attachment to their automobile. Until we find a way to make car pooling more palatable to the American commuter, single drivers will still pack the roads every day. My current commute is about fifteen miles. I take the Beltway east (the Inner Loop) in the morning, for the most part without incident. In the afternoon, I go the opposite direction, also usually without delay. The other side however, is usually slammed with traffic. There is usually no reason for the delay, what seasoned commuters simply call, "too many cars, not enough road." Listening to the traffic reports is usually interesting, will you hear about something, or will the traffic stop without explanation.

Another problem with the traffic is there is no good infrastructure for people to take if the Beltway is bad. Surface roads are not capable of handling the increased traffic from people trying to escape the stop and go of the Beltway. It is also noteworthy that "traditional" rush hour has gone the way of the dodo. It used to be that traffic would start at a reasonable hour of 7:00 to 7:30am and be over between 9:00 and 9:30am. But with people moving further and further away from their offices, commuters are hitting the road as early as 4:30-5:00 am and flex time schedules are pushing workday start times to 10:00 or later. Of course this all trickles down to the afternoon rush, which now starts in the 3:00 hour and continues unabated until 8:00pm.

With the increased crush on the roads, a simple car breaking down on the side of the road can cause backups of miles on the Beltway. The other day, I was on my way home and my trip on the Beltway was delayed by nearly 20 minutes because, wait for it, it had rained over Interstate 270 in Rockville, some ten miles from the Beltway. But the traffic to get on I-270 slowed and pushed the delays back onto the Beltway. It is inconceivable how these things occur and somebody better think of something quickly.

In another post, shortly, I'll propose one solution.

Time to Renew My Drivers License

I recently received a form in the mail to renew my drivers license in the mail. I have had a drivers license twenty years now and this is the first time I have been offered the opportunity to renew my license by mail. In New York, where I grew up, I always renewed my license in person. In many of the cases, it involved a change of address (i.e., I was living somewhere else) so that is not a surprise. However, I learned by looking at the DMV site for New York, renewing by mail or even online is an option.

I now live in Maryland. According to the renewal form, I can renew my license by mail if:

• I have not been diagnosed with a physical or mental disability, other than vision, which may affect my driving.
• My license or privilege to drive has not been suspended, revoked, refused, canceled, or disqualified in Maryland or any other state, Washington DC or Canada.
• My name and address printed on the renewal application is correct.
• My current license is not a Provisional driver license or a "Valid Without Photo" driver license.
• I have not renewed by mail previously.

I have several questions. We constantly read in the papers about people who are involved in accidents that are driving on suspended licenses, or without other necessary documentation (unregistered automobile's, no insurance, etc.). I would think that allowing people to renew by methods other than in person can only contribute to this.

I will admit to not being the best driver. I have had more than my fair share of accidents. I have long thought that people should be required to periodically take driving classes, another road test, a written exam, or some measure to ensure that people still know how to drive safely. In New York, there was always an option of taking a class that reduced your insurance costs and would remove points from your driving record. I don't know why such classes are not more widely available.

My father, who still lives in New York, is an instructor for an AARP driver safety course. I really believe that drivers, as they get older, should be subjected to more rigorous guidelines for driving. Not to be ageist, but senior drivers have their fair share of accidents, which might be averted if they were required to more frequently polish their driving skills. My mother, who passed away in February, was able to renew her drivers license late in 2005, even after she had long stopped driving and had part of her leg amputated (she constantly reminded us that it wasn't her driving leg).

All this talk of driver's licenses makes me think of Safety Town. You are from Long Island if you know what I am talking about. I vividly remember the class trip to Safety Town and driving around the town learning the rules of the road. Maybe I should have gone back more often. It might have made me a better driver.

In looking for Safety Town information, I found the following website. Drop me a line if you know more than half of the list!