You Take The Fast Road, I'll Take The Slow Road

 This morning I left my swanky mansion. My host thanked me for coming. I thanked him back and left quietly. This couple seem so nice and appear to have so much but I don't think they are any happier than I am. I headed north. I could have taken the route Google maps suggested which is at high speed on the interstate. Instead I chose the most fuel efficient route which took me through small towns such as this one in the photo. The hills and valleys of Pennsylvania and New York are absolutely stunning. I went through mining towns and oil towns. I went through Oil City which is on the Allegheny River at the mouth of Oil Creek. I have to keep stopping to look at my maps and make sure I don't get turned around again. I did  much better today than previous days. I also ask myself questions out loud. Are you hungry? Are you angry? Are you lonely? Are you tired? If I answer any of those four questions with a yes, I stop and do something about it. I stopped for lunch. I stopped to buy gas and use the restroom.  I stopped  here (see picture) to look at my map again only to see Lucy and Ricky and Ethel and Fred. I was in Jamestown, New York. I kept going because I wanted to get to my next place before dark and before it rained. If I had stopped there for an hour I would have had to drive in the rain and approaching darkness. When I got to my current residence in Hamburg, New York, I walked to buy something at a convenience store. The man there told me about the Lucy Arnez museum in Jamestown, New York. For crying out loud, I would have gone to see that if I knew it was there. I love Lucy. Everybody loves Lucy! He said her daughter and ex-husband had her remains moved here from Hollywood so people could pay their respects to her. Lucy, you got some 'splaining to do! Oh, well, I am not going back because I am here by a great lake again. I am actually really close to Niagara Falls. I am moving forward, not back. I got my room, threw a load of laundry into the washing machine, and swam laps while my clothes got cleaner. After the swanky room in a private home, the hotel feels great. Tomorrow I am going to do something else. The man at the store recommended visiting the house where President McKinley was shot. He also suggested visiting the Zippo lighter factory tour. A Zippo tour would be interesting. I use matches or a cheap plastic Bic. I would rather have a Zippo because that would be a greener choice. Zippos are classy too. I am not sure what I will do tomorrow but at the end of the day I plan on swimming laps again because this pool is awesome!