∞

I’m beginning to wonder if this might be a dangerous neighborhood. 🏷️ 25.05C

Street signs show the intersection of McCoy St and Hatfield St in the Matewan Historic District, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background.
∞

Feeling oddly vindicated:

I changed into a dirty shirt upon arriving at lunch today. Because I know myself well enough to understand that I was unlikely to make it thru this red pasta sauce dish and the side salad with oil vinaigrette dressing without an “incident.” And, sure enough… 🏷️25.05C

∞

It looks like my road trip has brought me to Kentucky, a state I hadn’t planned on visiting 😂🤷‍♂️. So I had to plan my morning around getting to a AAA office to pick up a map. 🏷️ 25.05C

A brick building with a red and blue AAA logo above the entrance is situated in a paved area with some greenery.
∞

The birthplace of Mother’s Day. 🏷️ 25.05C

A brick church with arched windows and a steeple is situated on a street corner, flanked by green bushes and a signboard.A wooden church door with plaques on the brick wall nearby and a vibrant flower arrangement in front.A red-brick church stands with a sign in front reading International Mother's Day Shrine, indicating it's part of a heritage museum and visitor center.A stone sculpture depicting a woman embracing two children is set against a brick wall, with a plaque inscribed below.

∞

I also visited the Fairfax Stone. This monument replaced the original 1736 boundary marker (placed by George Washington!), which delineated the 1649 boundary between the Virginia and Maryland land grants. It marks the “source” of the Potomac River (see the water flowing to the top left). 🏷️25.05C

A stone monument with a plaque is situated in a grassy area surrounded by a stone wall and trees.A historic plaque titled Fairfax Stone marks the headspring of the Potomac River and the division between Maryland and West Virginia.

∞

Blackwater Falls was cooler than I expected, probably helped by all the rain and flooding I’ve encountered on this trip. Glad I finally made it out here. 🏷️ 25.05C

A powerful waterfall cascades over rugged rocks surrounded by lush green foliage.

A large waterfall cascades down a rocky ledge, surrounded by lush green trees and mist rising from the water.

A waterfall cascades down rocky terrain surrounded by lush, green forest.

∞

Angry dirty dishwater 😜

∞

I stopped by Grafton National Cemetery to see the grave of Thornsbury Bailey Brown, the first Union Army soldier to be killed by a Confederate soldier during the Civil War. (His original gravestone has since been replaced by an obelisk) 🏷️ 25.05C

A cemetery with rows of white headstones and a tall monument on a grassy area under a gray sky.Rows of white headstones are arranged neatly in a green, grassy cemetery on a cloudy day.A serene cemetery with rows of white headstones sits against a backdrop of lush green trees and a train passing in the distance.

∞

I drove all the way to rural West Virginia so I could finally tell you how I really feel… 🏷️ 25.05C

A street scene features a car parked beside a "Judging Zone" sign on a rainy day in a small town.
∞

Good junk. DAMN good junk. 😂 🏷️ 25.05C

A rustic roadside shop is surrounded by eclectic items and vintage signage, nestled in a lush green landscape.
∞

“A Mecca for all who would look back to the beginnings of chemical research…”

Why? Well, because the guy who lived and worked here discovered oxygen, among other things. His private home lab here might have been the best chemical lab in the country at the time.

This also marks my first “National Historic Chemical Landmark.” (Huh, who knew there was such a thing! Sounds like a fun quest for science geeks). 🏷️ 25.05C

A small, historic brick building with a white door is flanked by plaques, accompanied by a nearby bench and informational sign.

Two commemorative plaques are mounted on a brick wall honoring the Joseph Priestley House and his contributions to chemistry.

A historic white wooden house with a sign reading Joseph Priestley House stands surrounded by a path and greenery.

∞

Small town central Pennsylvania. 🏷️ 25.05C

A scenic view of a river with a bridge, surrounded by lush greenery and a small town in the background.

A river with a bridge crossing over it is surrounded by lush green hills and a distant town.

∞

Excellent day yesterday meeting up with @TimKStanton@mstdn.social for a walking tour thru historical Plymouth, plus a couple tasty pours at Vitamin Sea Brewing. 🏷️ 25.05C

Two men wearing sunglasses pose for a selfie by the waterfront with a historic sailing ship in the background.

A large stone with 1620 engraved on it rests on a sandy surface.

A hand is holding a glass of cloudy drink outdoors, with a background of greenery and parked cars under a clear blue sky.

A large, wooden, historically-styled sailing ship is docked at a pier with an American flag and other flags on display.

A stone monument features engraved text and is surrounded by grass and trees.

A historic stone church stands beside a white building with a sign for the 1749 Court House Museum under a clear blue sky.

A bronze statue of a Native American figure, identified as Massasoit, stands on a stone pedestal in a park setting with trees and buildings in the background.

A sign and plaque marking the entrance to Burial Hill, surrounded by stone structures and greenery.

∞

Jen has flown home, and I’m starting the last leg of my road trip. Here’s what my progress has looked like thus far (green counties).

I’m quite behind on posts, but will try to catch up over the next day or two. 🏷️ 25.05C

A map illustrates a travel plan with areas shaded in blue for visited places, green for planned destinations in 2024 and 2025, and orange and light green for new and repeated visits in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
∞

Some recent highly-rated brewery stops:

  • Tired Hands Brewing (near Philly)
  • Sworn Brewing (near Harrisburg PA)
  • Ever Grain Brewing (also near Harrisburg)
  • Other Half (Philly)
  • Source Urban Brewing (Philly)
  • Maine Beer Co (Freeport ME)

🏷️ 25.05C

A glass of beer with a frothy head sits on a speckled countertop in front of a bar menu board.

A glass of beer sits on a polished wooden bar in a brewery with metal kegs in the background.

A glass of hazy beer sits on a wooden table in a brewery setting with fermentation tanks in the background.

Two glasses of beer on a counter in a brewery or bar setting with a wooden menu list in the background.

∞

📍 Fishtown, Philadelphia - iykyk… 🏷️ 25.05C

A building with red and brown walls displays a large yellow sign with the phrase I Hate Bank of America under a cloudy sky.
∞

The Tunkhannock Viaduct, built in 1915, remains the largest concrete reinforced bridge in the world. 🏷️ 25.05C

A historic stone viaduct stretches across a lush, green landscape with an informational sign in the foreground.A large stone arch bridge spans over a quiet rural road, surrounded by lush greenery and trees under a partly cloudy sky.

∞

Wawa remains firmly in second place in our rankings of best road trip convenience stores.

  1. Buc-ee’s
  2. Wawa
  3. Sheetz
  4. QT
  5. Love’s

🏷️ 25.05C

A Wawa store sign is mounted on a brick and beige exterior wall with a partly cloudy sky above.
∞

We also stopped by an overlook for Three Mile Island yesterday. 🏷️ 25.05C

Cooling towers of a power plant sit in the background with a river and lush green vegetation in the foreground.A historical marker details the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, highlighting the events of March 28, 1979, caused by technical malfunctions and human error.

∞

We also visited Clifford Brown Park, an interesting “listening garden” dedicated to the jazz legend. What a fun concept! (see rsjon.es for a video/audio clip). 🏷️ 25.05C

A circular paved area features a modern sculpture in the center, surrounded by benches and landscaped greenery.

A historical marker commemorates Clifford Brown, highlighting his influential career as a jazz musician and his impact on the music industry.

A crosswalk painted like piano keys leads to a park entrance, surrounded by lush green trees and a brick pathway.

A trombone design is embedded in the pavement of a wet, tree-lined park pathway.