Day 17 Frederick MD to Radford VA

Traffic and construction
builds on the way to DC

Our big treat for the day was a visit with Bill's friends Joe and Marion ,  Les, and Bill L.  Joe and Les went to high school with Bill and they have kept in touch with each other for many years. They gathered at Bill L's home in Oakton VA, a good choice enabling the LaSalle to keep to the west of DC's most oppressive traffic.  Still, the foggy trip took us near Dulles airport and an army of huge "Beltway Bandits R Us" office buildings.  There was plenty of congestion to keep us on edge.

We enjoyed a delicious Subway sandwich lunch at Bill L's house. Bill had an eclectic car collection to share:  it included a very clean, original XK 150S roadster bought new by Bill's father; a rare DOHC Porsche 356 Carrera 2, an unusual 1952 Siata roadster, and an original Mercedes 250SL.  Oh yes, there was also a Triumph powered Morgan Plus 4 roadster that Bill L continues to race occasionally in VSCCA races.

Bill L, Nance, Marion, Les and Joe

We would have liked to enjoy this company longer, but the road beckoned.  We are still 2000 miles or more from home and need to get back before the LaSalle melts down and the pets and garden leave Albuquerque completely.  We planned a mostly interstate day, taking us west on I-66 through DC's northern Virginia suburbs then turning SW on I-81 through the Shenandoah valley and blue ridge mountains.  The scenery was spectacular but the truck traffic on I-81 rather frightening. Most of I-81 is just four lanes and trucks dominate the traffic.  We drove the LaSalle at 60 MPH, but the trucks would barrel toward us having to squeeze into traffic aggressively to the left just to get by.  There weren't the usual friendly toots and waves here, this is a serious road with serious people on the way to somewhere important.  We felt like a virus that needed to be purged.

This is a 1952 Siata, body by Bertone

Why so much truck traffic here?  Not sure, but the nearest NS alternative to I-81 is I-95 which is many miles to the east and has even heavier traffic.  You tell us.

We did survive and found a great new Comfort Inn in Radford, VA. This is home for Radford College, it used to be a woman's school that was a favorite destination for VA Tech students seeking dates. We took a drive through the campus.  It was most impressive, looked almost new.  But we did not linger, our headlights were dimming rapidly. It was time to sign off, recharge ourselves and the LaSalle, and look forward to Knoxville for tomorrow.  Today's progress:  about 310 miles, not bad considering all the time we spent off the road.