Fighting the Heat

Posted on by Annie

Note: This is one of those posts that probably only interest Alto owners or owners of small trailers that heat up in the sun like a tin can. On the other hand, if you are sweltering through a fiery hot summer, you might enjoy the machinations of a fellow sufferer, especially one who insists on living in a tin can.  Most of the year in the US, excluding the sweltering months of July and August, my trailer looks like this: door and windows open, fan going to keep things cool inside.  If I’m stopped for more than a few days,…

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Back Roads: Cross-Country from PA to CO

Posted on by Annie

Let’s just finish out July by updating my road trips, shall we? It was a busy travel month as far as mileage goes, and the gas pump receipts bear that out (don’t even ask how much it costs to tow a trailer 2/3 of the way across the country!).  The road is sometimes mythical and romantic, as in all those road movies and novels. And sometimes, it’s all about the trucks. And the “Welcome to…” signs that indicate another state. The road remains the same, the trees aren’t any taller or thicker when you cross from Ohio to Indiana. But…

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Back Roads: Illinois

Posted on by Annie

Trying to beat the searing heat of a midwestern July, I got up at 6AM with the goal of making another 200 miles or so across the middle of the country. I just missed the sunrise, but the sky was still streaked with purple and orange when I opened the blinds of my trailer. Between the campground and the interstate highway was about fifty miles of back roads, where the speed limit ranged from 20 through the heart of small towns to 45 as I passed corn field after corn field. Tucked between the long, green fields of corn were…

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Update: Jul 10, 2019

Posted on by Annie

Wow, what a week that was! My friend decided last year to host a gathering of runners and ex-runners who have been part of an internet-based group for over 20 years (so, yeah, we’re all older now and that kind of explains the ex-runners…). We met up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and had a wonderful weekend of it. My head is still kind of reeling from all the people, stories, and photos! One of the things I love about Lancaster (and this is my third visit since 2017!) is how very photogenic everything is! One of the group activities was a…

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Weekly Update: Jul 4, 2019

Posted on by Annie

Happy Independence Day, United States! In our 243 years of life, there have been many, many growing pains and sometimes the way forward had been bitterly contested and the people sharply divided. My fellow Americans: let us remember the good things about America: pick a few that are meaningful to you and think on those as you watch the fireworks tonight.  I spent the much of the last week in Maryland, splitting my time between two campgrounds. The first one was not only just 20 miles from Gettysburg and a great dinner with friends, it was also about 20 miles…

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