...only 8 hours from Boston...

***Miles travelled today: 253

***Total Miles: 2586

***States travelled through: Maryland and Pennsylvania

This weekend we have had the opportunity to catch up with family and friends from home - and there was a common theme running through their various comments...

first off there was Suzi... Our five year old niece, who is following our journey using a big map and stickers, and she seemed to feel that we had gone round in a circle...

Secondly in speaking to my Mom, who felt that as we were a third of the way into our journey that we would be a third of the way across her big map of the States... and when she couldn't find Washington... she went back to the beginning of our journey and tracked the various places we had been... only to discover that we were - just south of Boston...

Thirdly, in speaking to friends Janice and Marina, they said that we are still in the beginning phases of our journey as we are still in the North Eastern part of the States...

and then finally, to check out JUST how far we actually are from Boston, Tam Tam has informed us that we could get back to Boston in less that eight hours!!!

But have no fear folks we are now making our way North West... and should be in Chicago by the weekend!!!

...anyway, back to today - and what a day it's been!!!

We left Washington, mid morning, Tam Tam found a direct route to Pittsburg... where we are at the moment... (Well, in a little town just south of Pittsburg...) as we felt that this was as far as we wanted to travel today... (not that we had any urgent need to visit Pitts-ville... sorry -burg!!!) So, the navigator however decided that it would be nice to detour off the interstate, and take one of the more scenic routes to our destination... which, for those who know the States, was Route 40 West!!! Coming across the Juvenile Centre should have been the sign - to turn back... which on the first instance, we did!!! Then we stopped, looked at the map, and decided that Route 40 seemed to go through 'Green Ridge State Forest' - along 15 mile Creek Road!!! Even Tam Tam recognised the route!!!

Anyway, if you ever find yourself on Route 40 West, near the Juvenile Centre, about to follow a sign directing you to 15 Mile Creek... DON'T TAKE IT!!!

...But - even after 21 years... we discovered today that we are still learning about each other!!! After 45 minutes, having travelled about eight miles, on roads that one should not travel, especially in a hire car!!!... of single dirt tracks, steep mountains, ravines... oh!!! and a gate that CLOSED 15 Mile Creek Road and redirected us onto Dug Hill Road... oh - and in case you forgot... we are in the middle of a State forest!!! At this stage, I wanted us to turn around - although how, I have no idea... and follow our tracks, and go back the way we had come!!! Using every ounce of logic, this to me - seemed the answer!!!

However, it was not the answer to the driver, who kept saying, "We have to get through this - and go on..." Which just did not make sense to me as we had no idea what 'THIS' would entail!!! I left the decision in the driver's hands... and she actually carried on!!! (Now to those of you that know us very well - you are probably thinking "I bet Linz was having a real go at Jay!" Well, I was just too anxious - and actually wasn't saying a word!!!)

After a few more miles of 'just getting through this', we rounded a corner, and there was a caravan... in the middle of nowhere... with kids playing outside... Jay decided that she would get out and ask directions... as she opened her door, I simply said, "Leave the car running and leave the door open - in case you have to run back!!!" After EVERYTHING that we had just endured, it was this statement that suddenly made Jay's knees knock together!!! She still went to ask...

I'm sitting in the car... over hearing the conversation... and I think he says, "Go another forty miles..." - and I'm thinking "No way!!! I'll go back to the Juvenile Detention centre!!!" Jay gets in the car - and I start... she says, "Calm down, he said a 'kwarta' of a mile... not forty..." - and luckily a quarter of a mile down the road, we hit a tarmac road... and a few road signs...

On talking this incident through - we have realised, again, just how different we are... and I asked Jay what made her continue on the journey, saying that for me, logically, everything was telling us to go back... Jay, who has faith, said that she had been praying to the angels for a sign, and every time there was the slightest doubt about her decision, there was always a butterfly in the path, and she felt that these were a sign to carry on... she also added that she was looking out for various 'tracker' signs, like newly broken branches and tyre tracks, as this would indicate that others had recently done the journey! How different can two people be!!! Then, just as we were contemplating the differences, we both looked into the sky, and said in unison, "What do you think that cloud looks like?" and without faltering we both said, "a dancing elephant!" This indicated that not only are there big differences - but that we also think alike too... which is probably what makes us work!!!

Having come through that harrowing journey, we still had a distance to go... so we made our way back to the safety of the Interstate... and came upon a lovely lake... where we stopped and recouped!!!

(We know it's a long blog for today - but just wanted to share the harrowing journey - and the lesson is - 'keep following butterflies'!!!)