Columbia, MD (USA)

[couldn't get the kids up early enough, but it was a beautiful Fall day - couldn't stay at the house... - dropped off some drycleaning - thought about visiting Carolyn, actually, but she was too busy to get together this weekend - drove north via I-495 and I-270 out to I-70 - started looking for gas in Hagerstown (seemed expensive) - drove across into Pennsylvania on I-81 and figured out that they were a $3.999 per gallon (yikes!) - drove along some back roads (farms, fields, rolling hills) - saw sign for James Buchanon Birthplace, right along the Mason-Dixon line - drove back into Maryland and filled up the tank (brisk) - used I-81 (south) to get back to I-70 and then drove into the mountains - beautiful colors starting to appear in the trees - a little rain as I switched to I-68 and drove through .... Gap - kept going through beautiful scenery - found pretty Rocky Gap State Park (complete with mountain chalet) - soon after, saw a sign for a wood-fire pizza kitchen (Puccini's) - stopped for a late lunch (1400L) - watched football and had some great food with the locals - discussed ski areas, rail trail (bikepath) and C&O Canal NHP - took my leave around 1530L and drove west again, through the pretty town of Cumberland - everything meets there... - taking a hint from one of the locals I met, I drove as far as Frostburg to see the bright colors (it was true) - backtracked to Cumberland and took MD-51 to the border with West Virginia (crossed at Wiley Ford) and used WV-28 to drive south - lots of pretty views of the River and mountains - stopped briefly in Romney before turning East again (US-50) - very pretty drive through the mountains back to Virginia - amazing views - drove through Winchester (via VA-37) to US-18 - turned back towards home on I-66 - used Fairfax County Parkway (and Old Keene Mill Road to get home) - watched Notre Dame versus Miami football game - hard to believe it has been 25 years since the big matchup that won the National Championship (see OCT 1988)...]