Well, here I am in Pittsburgh. I ended up having to make the journey alone, but it was not so bad. In fact, I sometimes forget how recharging long spells of alone-time can be.

It turns out that my dinky little mp3 player will play protected wma files afterall, so I was engaged for most of the journey with listening to Dracula. (For those who do not know, you can download audiobooks for free from the public library. Their selection isn’t immense, but big enough that you’ll likely find something you like.)

It seems I am pretty good at listening. Dracula is a book I have started no less than three times by seeing it laying at someone’s house, and picking it up to read. I’ve never acquired a copy long enough to finish it, though.

I won’t say I get excited about long road trips, but I find traveling pleasant for the most part, and I do enjoy pretending I’m on some grand adventure, or making attachments to the car I’ve been following for the past 100 miles, or stuff like that.

When I stop for a break, I like to find those small pocket places that have no business existing except to cater to the needs of the road tripper. You know, the sort of outposts just off the interstate that have all the necessities for the traveler clustered together: fast food, gas station, armor merchant…

My brother told me of this, but I experienced it myself to verify: driving into Pittsburgh is bizarre. You have just spent a good amount of time driving on the interstate, through rolling hills and trees as far as the eye can see. Then you go through this tunnel, and on the other side you are suddenly smack in the middle of downtown Pittsburgh. It is quite strange! I bet they have a portal in the middle of the tunnel.

Anyway, I’m up here safe and sound, and will spend the evening taking advantage of every nook the hotel has to offer. I’m excited about my visit tomorrow. Updates soon!