Driving Takes its Toll

Sunday, May 14…

Entering Pennsylvania
("Wm. Penn's woods")

Off just after 9 this morning, rolling our rig through small Ohio towns where you can still buy a decent 4 bd, 2 bath, 1400sf home for less than $100.000. About an hour in I’m looking at a regional map trying to figure where we’re going after next weekend. I also notice that 71-E, the interstate we’re on, is as much N as E, and our destination is considerably south of our starting point. Greg assures me we’re okay. Maybe…  but if that’s the case, our route looks remarkably like a old mountain, which makes no (common) sense to me. Turns out Greg & Garmi are correct. The SE route I would have chosen is 5 miles shorter, but half an hour longer. So far, so good.

Then there’s the issue of tolls. There are tons of toll roads in the northeast, and most states offer payment via the EZ-Pass. In some earlier discussion somewhere we were told we can pick one of these up at any turnpike booth. Good. We cross into Pennsylvania and drive into the first toll station. The agent asks Greg for $19.50. (I believe we’d driven exactly 2 miles of PA highway.) Greg hands him the money, asks about the EZ-Pass, and is told he (agent) doesn’t know anything about getting an EZ-Pass. We get a receipt (but no toll schedule showing what’s owed at each exit) and drive on. We read the fine print on the receipt and learn we’re a Class 3 vehicle (higher class, higher toll). A few miles later we stop at another station, pay $4 and get a toll schedule (which, of course, only shows rates for passenger cars). Greg asks about the EZ-Pass and is told they’re available at turnpike service plazas. Thank you. We stop at the next service plaza. Yes, they are available… for passenger cars. Greg is not smiling when he returns to the car. When we leave the turnpike (milepost 91), we shell out another $20.65. Total cost: $44.15. Thank heaven we weren’t planning on crossing the entire state!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY via FaceTime
Chris - Warren - Erica - Amy (& new hubby Jonathan)

BlogAfterthought... I just noticed that all my children have the same hairstyle. 😃