Thanksgiving Trip - Day 2

Despite my late night, I still woke up at 0615 and started teleworking.  At 0640, I went down to the hotel lobby and checked out.  I also grabbed some food from the breakfast buffet (for the road).  Once in my car, I stopped at a Sunoco gas station for a fill-up (0640) before heading south on Street Road.  I reached I-95 after about six miles but there was a huge delay getting on the Interstate.  Instead, I took US-13 towards the south and merged later (Cornwells Heights).  After that, I had lots of traffic until reaching the outskirts of Philadelphia.  Listening to audiobooks on the way helped pass the time...  After I reached the Philadelphia Airport, the traffic sped up considerably.  Upon entering Delaware, Google Maps suggested I get off the Interstate to avoid a toll.  For once, I blew off the recommendation (0800) and made up almost 10 minutes of earlier traffic delay.  I was in contact with Erin all the way to Baltimore and arrived at her apartment building at 0900.  Without much delay, I met up with Erin in the lobby and got a parking pass.  We then went up to eat breakfast (takeout from Potbelly's she'd already picked up for us).  I gave Erin some items I'd brought from home - she liked some of them.  It was nice to visit with Erin and Kiki!  While in her apartment did some more teleworking until around 1030.  Erin told me she was disappointed that work prevented her from going to the Thanksgiving Celebration in Asheville.  Eventually (reluctantly), I said goodbye to Erin and got back on the road.  As I continued south on I-95, it started to rain...  While driving, I coordinated with Brenna to plan for meeting up with her in Harrisonburg and also talked to Mollie about her own schedule.  Listened to more audiobooks as I crossed the DMV.  Encountered traffic nasty (and rain was worse) all the way to I-495.  Reluctantly (because I never know how things will go), I went around on the north side of DC on the Beltway.  Luckily, I didn't see as much traffic as normal.  Got on I-66 west of the City and, with the brand new HOV lanes, made good time to Haymarket.  Encountered the typical annoying drivers all the way to I-81.  Rain started to let up but then had to deal with the regular 18-wheeler craziness all the way to Harrisonburg.  I made it to Brenna's school by 1315 and, since I was early, I went inside her classroom for the rest of the afternoon.  I did help a little (probably one hour of volunteering) but teleworked the rest of the time.  Brenna had some meetings until 1615 so I had over 45 minutes of quiet to do some more work projects.  Mollie and Alex arrived in Harrisonburg at around 1630 and I met up with them in the rainy parking lot.  We transferred Mollie's luggage to my rental car and then found Brenna (she was in the school office).  Since she wasn't ready to leave work yet, Mollie and I drove to a nearby Arby's and got dinner (1645).  We ate in the restaurant and then ordered some food for Brenna.  Since Brenna had gone home in the meantime, we next drove to her apartment complex.  Mollie and I waited in the car for Brenna while she was packing and I dropped off some items I'd brought her.  Eileen called just as we were all getting in the car so I couldn't talk long,  Meanwhile, the rain had really picked up and it was hard to see where we were going (bad lighting, bad lines on the roads - yikes!).  We stopped for gas at Walmart in Harrisonburg (1815).  After that, we made our way to I-81 and headed south.  It was raining and dark and I had a heck of a time avoiding collisions with crazy truck drivers.  We made one stop for gas and had to wait on a truck that foolishly wedged itself into the car parking area - shaking my head...  Fortunately, we had some good talks on the way.  It finally stopped raining after we passed Wytheville and we arrived in Marion soon after that.  Since I've gotten to know the Travel Inn during all my years of hiking trips, I stopped in the lobby to see my friends (the proprietors).  As I expected, they had available rooms at an affordable price.  We were in our room by 2140 and I did some more teleworking.  The girls did some re-packing and got cleaned up before we all went to bed (2300).  Whew!