Come Along For The Ride – Heading EAST!

Come along with us!

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve said those words. For several reasons.

First of all, I’ve been totally sidelined in my blog posting since our home internet service and my new computer have BOTH been on the blink. I can’t believe how much I have come to rely on connecting through social media! In spite of those issues I have been  consistently adding to my Meemaw Eats Instagram account and to my Meemaw Eats Facebook page (be sure to follow me in those ways!) but I haven’t even written a new blog post since JUNE! I’m hopeful that those technical issues are now FINALLY behind me. Let my writing commence in earnest once again!!!

This pandemic and the quarantine have been a real challenge for all of us. And for some it’s been much more than  a challenge. It’s been deadly. So to any of you who have lost loved ones and friends my heart hurts for you. But after being fully vaccinated and eighteen months of “staying put” we decided to take a short trip to a part of the country we have never experienced. And we’re sure glad we did!

Wherefore Art Thou ATLAS???

But before we hit the road let me share an important detail with you.

Peepaw LOVES maps. He will plunk down in his recliner, open his trusty Atlas, and READ it like a novel! He studies his Atlas for hours on end.

Now imagine my shock and disbelief as we crossed the Mississippi River and he blurted “I forgot my Atlas!!”

Consequently our entire trip was negotiated using just our smartphones! Of course you’re wondering why we didn’t just buy another Atlas or pick up maps at all the state’s Welcome Center locations. You can rest assured we tried. At every one. There were NO state maps to be found ANYWHERE. And apparently even WalMarts don’t stock them anymore either. At least not in the stores as we headed East!

In spite of that setback we forged ahead…and here is a glimpse of the path we took. Rest assured I’ll be sharing highlights in the next few weeks. So sit back and just begin to imagine the FUN we had along the way…in spite of Peepaw’s Atlas withdrawal syndrome!!!

Every time we leave the Hawkeye State  and cross that wide Mississippi River near LeClaire (home of the American Pickers TV show) we feel like we’ve just jumped into the great unknown! We’ve had many adventures in Illinois, including many lunchtime stops HERE in Illinois on our way to our family’s home in Indiana. (As you’ll see, some lunches have been more successful than others!)

And speaking of Indiana…THIS is one of my most-Googled blog posts! And why not? Who doesn’t love some John Mellencamp stories?? (Unfortunately Bullwinkles Family Restaurant mentioned in that blog post has now permanently closed.)

Let’s Keep Heading EAST!

After several days of hugs and family fun near Indy we were back on the road and heading East again. We were quite surprised at how quickly we were able to burn up the miles on our journey.

Ohio came first. And believe it or not, with all the domestic travel I’ve done in my seventy plus years this was the FIRST time I’ve set foot in that state!

But our feet didn’t stay there very long. We barely blinked and we found ourselves in Pennsylvania!

Chalk up ANOTHER first for me! Pennsylvania can now be crossed off of my East list! And once again we simply burned up the miles before we landed for the night. 

Our final state that day? 

You guessed it. New York!

I’ve been to New York before. In addition to a business trip to New York City, we once flew to Syracuse to watch our Hawkeyes play football. But on this road trip we chose to skip crowds and big city destinations. Thus we were on the lookout for smaller towns and local attractions. And our first night on this “Let’s Head East” adventure did NOT disappoint.

Jamestown, New York. 

Even though we picked that town by accident it turned out to be a wonderful choice. Now unbuckle your seatbelt and stay tuned for the unexpected discovery we made in THAT cool town!