Reunion Trip - Day 1

In my capacity as a Volunteer Class Secretary for one of the older classes at the University of Notre Dame, I was asked to support the Annual Reunion in South Bend, IN!  During the last few months, I've helped the Alumni Association and the families of several class members to plan events for the Reunion Weekend - all that's left is for me to get to Campus...  In an effort to minimize the leave I'd need to take (since I've got other travel planned during the next year), I decided to drive mostly after working hours.  After a full day of teleworking today, a friendly team member from the Enterprise Rent a Car in White River Junction arrived at my condo to pick me up.  Once all the rental requirements were completed and I'd packed up the car (a Jeep Compass Latitude 4x4), I departed Hanover (1600).  Thus began a long afternoon and evening of driving - I had a vague idea of how far I might be able to travel before I was too tired and it was somewhere west of Albany.  The weather started out OK and I had no issues on I-89, I-91 or VT-11 (through Springfield on side streets) except for an occasional slow driver on the winding mountain roads.  Had a lot of deja vu from Sunday's trip to Londonderry and wished I could stop for dinner and a drink at the nice restaurant where I'd eaten with my friends.  Instead, I ate some snacks in the car.  Before reaching Manchester (VT), I made a quick stop to check out the AT/LT parking lot - it brought back pleasant memories and I was able to stretch my legs there for a little while.  I was also able to resolve a technical issue with my rental car - it's new but has a lot of buttons to choose for customization... After getting on US-7, things continued to be relatively easy and I was able to quickly (despite a huge VT State Trooper presence along the road) reach VT-279 on the outskirts of Bennington.  From there, I weaved my way along VT/NY-7, all the way to Troy.  Actually, I was feeling pretty good by the time I crossed the Hudson River and started to wonder if I couldn't drive much father than initially planned.  I used I-87 and the Adirondack Northway (US-20) to bypass tolls and eventually reached Duanesburg and a chance to get on I-88.  From this point, I enjoyed (as I usually do) the sparse traffic while I drove through the pretty valley.  There was occasional construction but none of it really slowed me down.  I made one (regular now?) stop in Oneonta so I could redeem some cans and bottles (2035) - I used the proceeds to buy another snack.  After getting gas at BJ's (2045), I got back on I-88 and continued west.  It's been a while since I traveled all the way to Binghamton via this route and, this time, I enjoyed watching the moving map graphically depict how far the Susquehanna River followed the Interstate.  This was due to my attendance of the General Clinton Canoe Regatta last year (same time of year) and to reading "The Deerslayer" recently.  The miles ticked away as I continued driving well into the evening.  Later, I started seeing evidence of the Chemung River (a tributary for the Susquehanna).  Beginning at 2200, I listened to a Knights of Columbus Webinar and learned a lot of interesting things.  After passing Corning and Elmira, I started feeling tired.  At about 2320, I stopped in a town at one point and checked for nearby hotels with good deals.  I found one in Hornell and made my way over there.  I arrived at the Econo Lodge at around 2350, well after the front desk closed for the evening.  Sadly, the number provided to get them to check me in was not working correctly - I ended up banging on the door until finally (fortunately) the clerk arrived.  After getting checked into my room, I made sure that my internet was working and then read for a little bit (I was too jazzed up from my driving to sleep immediately).  Eventually headed off to sleep at about 0100.  Only about 10 hours (and 600 miles) to go!