Update -- Day 14 -- A vacation from the vacation

We arrived last night at our friend Anne's house just outside of Washington DC. She has to work today so we are relaxing until she gets home this afternoon. We had thought about going to see Mt. Vernon but opted to stay out of the car for awhile. We will be getting back on the road tomorrow since we need to be in Spokane by Friday.

A note on gear.

Clothing, underwear and such are always a problem. Having traveled across the country in a Miata and done a 21-day "Europe Through the Back Door" tour, both requiring traveling with just a carry-on size bag, I've developed a system that works well for me. I really like the REI MTS (Moisture Transport System) underwear. They can be aired out overnight and so worn for two days if necessary, and can be washed in the sink, hung to dry, and be wearable in the morning. Two sets is all you really need, but since we had the larger vehicle for this trip, I splurged and have four sets with me. I have various colors of the tee shirts so they look good contrasting with the REI or similar outdoor shirts I have with me. These are the types with ventilation panels under the back yoke and sleeves that can be rolled up and held there with the straps that are sewn inside the sleeves. I have three of those, and since we can hang them up in side the car when not being worn, they are staying remarkably wrinkle-free. Slacks with the zip-off legs are also excellent for traveling, as they minimize the number of garments and provide great versatility.

Computer gear -- Marilyn has a tiny yet extremely useful Sony Vaio VGN-TX670P and a Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 6000. We are using an older but still capable Canon PowerShot S400 Digital ELPH camera, and transferring pictures daily to her computer and a 1-Gig thumb drive. I have a spare battery for the camera and have yet to have to switch batteries during the day, but instead switch them every day so I can recharge one in the evenings or mornings -- they can't be left to charge more than 3 hours or so, and in fact are usually done charging in less than an hour.

I carry tiny travel-sized bottles of hand sanitizer and bug-repellent in my pocket so we can hop out and take walks at interesting sites without being chewed on, and can use "primitive" facilities and stay healthy.

That's about it. Marilyn is keeping in touch by sending out postcards. I'm writing this blog.

So far, the typical minor crises back in the office seem to be getting resolved -- I check my work email almost every morning and have had only a few comments to make.