The breakfast was good, but still not worth the price. At 9:20 a.m., the crew and I left Keene, NH. Gas had been about $4.89 on average. But my gas hand had not moved after pumping the gas. The Fuel Technician forgot to push the bottom. Fired! After we passed Bittersweet Street, we passed over a small green bridge with a sign overhead that read “Vermont.” That was not sufficient for our records. A few miles down the road at an exit, Katrina and Matthew took a picture in front of a freeway sign. It was 9:50 a.m. Driving I90 West was a scenic drive through majestic trees and hilly roads. About 11:10 p.m. we entered upstate New York. It was a stark contrast from New York City. It had a country feel, very serene. We had stopped at a country store for souvenirs, but it did not have restrooms. We headed towards a gas station, and I was reminded where I was when I received the bird after honking because a truck cut me off. From there, we continued west to Buffalo. Somehow, we lost two hours with stops, but we got to Niagra Falls at 6 p.m. It was breathtaking. I thought it would be grander. I admired the water gushing over into the Erie River. We were fascinated to see Canada just across the river. More pictures were taken for our records. Dinner was Halal food from the food trucks: chicken and lamb gyros yellow rice, samosas, grilled pineapple and crabcakes. We began our southern descent to Erie, PA at 8:30 p.m. My tires met the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express at 10:30 p.m. This was the best average hotel so far. Holiday Inn in general had been the best with the most reasonable prices. This room had 2 queen beds, a sofa sleeper AND a coveted jacuzzi tub. Oh yeah! Jon, Matthew and Kelsey were fighting over who would get in first. I planned our visit to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. My eyes closed at 1 a.m.
