Day 10-15 ~ Groton ~ Utica ~ Home ~ 3232 miles total

So we got up and headed out of Connecticut. We drove up her middle passing through towns that had been founded in the 1700's (you don't see that at home!) It was very beautiful and I would imagine very expensive. It took about 45 minutes to traverse Connecticut from south to north. So small! I drive 45 minutes to get to decent shopping! We journeyed into Massachusetts and stopped at a Starbucks. We were trying to match up with the New York Turnpike. We drove through heavy rain for a while. I can check another state off my list! I did notice that we crossed under the Appalachian Trail. That's cool because for book club we are reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson in which he and a childhood friend attempt to hike it.

We finally got into Utica. We found the hotel, the work place, and some food. It's like all Italian all the time in Utica! Kurt had to work for two or three days at the site there so I drove around and found there was little to do. Although, Utica does have multitudes of statues. Unfortunately, there's nowhere to park to stop to look at them. I scrap booked while he was at work. I got a good start on my trip to Memphis back in '92.

We saw The Order of the Phoenix while we were there! We loved it! I went to Utica Monday nights and listened to the band Buddhahood. They were freaking awesome! I bought the CD.

On the third day we were ready to depart. We pretty much followed I-80 home. We spent a rotten night in South Bend, IN. The first day we spent 12 hours in the car and the second we spent 7. That's too much. We did get The Half-Blood Prince listened to on the way home. We were totally primed for the release of The Deathly Hallows.

All in all we had a great trip! Give us a month or so and we'll be itching to go somewhere again!