I left Dayton just a bit before 8 am, on I-70 headed east. I went around Columbus because I saw this strip of red on the google map just before 70 connects with 270, the circumferential freeway around the city. From there to Wheeling, WV was a fairly short trip, even with a brief rest stop just before Wheeling. Lot of construction there, so spent some time stop and go before the traffic started to clear up. I kept wondering when I would hit I-79, the route to Morgantown, but it was there, just not until Washington, PA.
Down to Morgantown on I-79, exited the freeway at the U WV exit and managed to get totally lost. I called up Harper, who talked me to his house. My relationship with Harper goes back to when we both worked at the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture, forty-something years ago. So I walked into his house, gave him a big hug, and started recalling things from years ago. After a few minutes his wife, Jeannie, joined us and the conversation eased into a discussion about genealogy, which is wont to happen when two people into genealogy start talking. After a while Jeannie, who had been through four airports the night before getting back to Morgantown, excused herself and Harper and I went off to get a bite to eat at the Boston Beanery and continue our reminiscence.
It says something powerful that two chums can meet after forty-something years and start into a conversation like the last time they talked was a month ago. And that happened twice on this trip. Harper mentioned that the crew that included the three of us use to meet after work at L’Enfant Plaza, pick up a six-pack of beer (or two) and shoot the breeze, often about work, but mostly just as a way of bonding. Those bonds turn out to be pretty strong.
After lunch Harper drove along the route I needed to take to get back to the freeway, then we went back to his house. We said our goodbyes and I headed off to Frederick. I sort of followed his instructions: I took a wrong turn, but got back on track with just a short detour. I took Harper’s instructions to drive south on I-79, pick up I-68 which goes through Hagerstown then reconnects with I-70 before Frederick. I got to Frederick about 6 pm, so Friday was the longest day I had spent on the road since the beginning of the trip.
The next morning, after I checked out of the hotel in Frederick, I drove directly to Westminster, and knowing it was too early to check into the motel, I went to Becky and Nick Herrick’s place; I had gotten in touch with Becky the night before. Becky and Nick are part of the group of folks I have gotten to know in Carroll County, all of which are related, though distantly. Nick and Becky are working feverishly to get ready for the marriage of their youngest daughter, Susanna, this coming weekend. The wedding is an all-weekend affair, that starts Friday evening and ends on Sunday, that reminded me of Escape to the Chateau, the PBS series. Bless them, they took time off from chores to talk with me for a while, then feed me a very nice lunch, then a tour of Nick’s garden. I also reacquainted myself with their old Lab and met Susanna’s German Shepherd, Stephen (and I’m not sure I have spelled the dog’s name right).
One of the reasons I’m here is to see Gary Roop, another distant cousin, that I’ve grown attached to; he has done a lot of work on genealogy and use to be the care-taker of the Rupp Cemetery in Lancaster County, PA, where Christian Rupp, the original immigrant is buried. Hope to catch up with him tomorrow.