day 22

washington, d.c., to cumberland, maryland, 138 miles.
short day on the road. good day because i think i saw a doug fir, or at least the eastern equivalent; bad day because olivia flew home to seattle. driving around the west side of d.c. gave me a last look at the washington monument and lincoln memorial. nice. we had a good couple of days in the city. it also was nice to get out of washington and start driving north and WEST. finally, west. west, young scott. go. google says it's 2,841 miles from d.c. to the seattle area and that i should be able to drive it in 43 hours. doesn't look like i'm going to be able to do that. driving through western maryland was interesting because the sun was setting. i tried to keep up, but as i crossed each ridge, it seemed the sun was always one ridge ahead of me. it was really nice to go up and over hills again. and it's cooler here. ahh. at one point, i thought i saw the famed cumberland gap off in the distance, and it was impressive. as i reached it, though, it looked more like a road crew had cut a gap in a ridge, and cumberland was still 20 miles away. where is the cumberland gap? am i close? it was sad to watch olivia go through the gate and get onto the plane, then watch the plane lift off the runway. she was a big part of this trip, as navigator, as someone to talk with, as someone who shared with me seeing and experiencing so many things for the first time. i'm fortunate to have a daughter like her who's willing to do this with me, particularly when part of her would like to be home spending summer vacation with her friends. we still think key west was "the" place on the trip. we're going back. but it was time for her to go home to friends and other family, and it's time for me to head home for the same reasons. still lots of road ahead, though -- all 2,841 of those google miles. lots to see and experience.
TOMORROW: cumberland to sugarcreek, ohio, to spend the night with uncle hank and aunt ruth. good night, olivia...