Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

And they're off!  The intrepid explorers have made it from Capital Hill, Washington DC, as far as Lake Tygart State Park, West Virginia.  The Mustang has sprung into life on a challenging first day of our adventure.

This picture was taken of the Mustang brooding after a few hours of mountainous Route 50 across the Appalachians. Every time we stopped in Virginia, people warned us about the road across the mountains. 

The day began with a great deal of anticipation and trepidation about the journey ahead of us.  We had some unfinished business before we started the journey proper.

We wanted to drive across the USA with a sense of its history, it's sheer scale and it's place in the world.  After spending time at the Memorials in DC, the Whitehouse, the Smithsonian, and the Capital Building, we wanted to pay our respects at Arlington National Cemetary.

It was a deeply moving location, described as America's most sacred shrine.

We visited the Kennedys' grave and theTomb of the Unknown Soldier.  There was an exhibit of toys left by the children of soldiers who had lost their lives, which was quite overwhelming.

So, it was time to see America for ourselves.  Not the blurred, summary version that might catch your eye from the interstate as you flash by, but the real America.  The routes that now get bypassed.  The family restaurants, the independent stores and small town gas stations, the out-of-the-way places that are so easily missed.

We tried to set off via the USMC memorial but our navigation skills made it somewhat difficult.  We left Washington DC at least 4 times - and crossed the Potomac river on around 8 occasions, before we decided to just keep heading west.  And ,before we knew it, we were on our way.

Struggling out of the suburbs of Washington on the 6 lane version of Route 50, the traffic gradually eased, the lanes reduced, the office blocks and shopping malls were replaced by dry stone walls and rolling hills, and we made good progress through Winchester.  We passed countless vineyards, which are vying to raise the image of Virginia as a main player in Wine production.  Sadly, our time restraints prevented us from sampling their wares. Nor we could we indulge in the plentiful apple producers that lined the route.

After Winchester, the pine covered mountains surrounded us and it seemed a world away from the bustle of DC.

Before we hit the wilderness, we dropped in at the Hayfield a Family Restaurant.  It was super friendly, but the Chocolate Cream Pie defeated even Col.

We pressed on, through Romney towards Grafton.  We dipped into Maryland before arriving in West Virginia.

After visiting the friendliest gas station ever - where the owner gave us some postcards with details of local flora and fauna and told us of his travel adventures, ( we didn't buy any gas- just popped in for some sour octopus)- we were blown away by how friendly people had been throughout the day.  They had shown genuine interest in our trip and we had become the talking point everywhere we went.

Later, we were given a CD of the hotel receptionist's band, to listen to on the next leg of our journey.  They're called Glamourpuss.  The receptionist was a bloke.

So, what of the mustang?  No complaints at all. Very comfortable over a 6 hour drive today.  Great sounding engine when it is forced to work on the steep mountain roads.  It soaked up all the lumps and bumps with no hesitation at all.  The suspension is certainly very capable.  Apart from the welcome engine noise, things are pretty smooth and refined.

It wasn't me who bent the licence plate. Honestly.

We tried to keep the roof down but, to be honest, it got a bit chilly up in the high mountains, so we opted for a bit of warmth instead!  Maybe tomorrow...

So, the next leg is very open ended.  We'll set off from Lake Tygart in the morning and head west towards Ohio.  If we get to Cincinatti, we're on the pace!

One thing's for sure though, we'll miss views like this when we leave West Virginia.  And we'll miss the wonderful friendly people too.

See you in Ohio. :0)