Lazy?  In a hurry?  Alcoholic?  I'm curious to know the 'real' reason why drive-thru convenience stores were invented.  I have a sneaky suspision that alcohol is the first and foremost item on the store manager's inventory checklist.  With names such as Brew Thru and Beer Barn, it makes me wonder...

I found this interesting website that highlights photos of drive-thru stores throughout America... http://www.beerbarns.com/

I was 18 years old when I had my first experience with a drive-thru store.  I was visiting friends in unknown territory in Chillicothe, Ohio.  I was driving and the passenger was a native of Ohio.  We had driven up from Virginia Beach.  While driving down a main street, I was told to turn right.  Right into a building!  I hesitated, put my foot on the brake, and said "do you think I'm a freakin' idiot?  I'm not driving straight through that building!"  Needless to say, it took quite a bit more convincing but I eventually drove through.

We recently visited Warren, Ohio to attend a friend's wedding and the faint memories of my drive-thru experience came rushing back when I saw this:

duBois Beach
265' of beach front on the Long Island Sound
Private beach
Stonington, CT (near Mystic)

Known as one of New Englands most scenic and secluded, quieter, coastal beaches, with the simple pleasures of warm sand, salty breezes and gentle ocean waves, duBois Beach  is located in the historic village of Stonington Borough on Connecticut's southeastern shore. 

The beach is open to borough residents and members of the Stonington Community Center. Day passes can be obtained from the Stonington Community Center.

Moral of the story:  We recommend visiting during the summer months, when the wind isn't so brutal.

We couldn't possibly leave from our trip to DC without stopping for the infamous Georgetown Cupcakes. 

We had dinner in Georgetown on our last night in town, but decided we would wait and get the cupcakes 'later' since there was such a long line after we ate.  Yes, after 2 glasses of wine at dinner, I was too lazy to stand in line for dessert.  So, on our way out of town the next morning, we decided to swing by and grab a box of cupcakes for the long ride home.  By 'swinging by,' our brilliant minds were thinking it would be quick, as in drive-thru quick.  After driving around for a good 1/2 hour, looking for a parking spot, we decided that I would drop off Rae so she could wait in line to get some of these sweet treats, while I drove around the block 30 times, until she was cashed out and I could pick her back up.

Moral of the story:  Although these cupcakes may not be the best in the WORLD, we still recommend treating yourself!  AND, when visiting Georgetown, GET A RIDE!  Take a cab from your hotel, so you don't drive yourself to drink over the search for a parking spot!  The residential streets that surround the 'main drag' do not allow parking without a permit, although I did enjoy sight-seeing the over-priced historic "row houses."

Common sense tip:  If it is over 90 degrees and you have a 6 hour drive in the car before you can refrigerate your cupcakes, don't be disappointed when they are a melted mess by the time you get home.

VIDEO:  First bite of a Georgetown Cupcake...  is it worth the wait?

After a 6 hour drive to Cleveland, Ohio and a 2-hour tour of the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, it's time for FOOD!

You know what they say, "When in Rome...."  So, we head over to the Hard Rock Cafe for legendary burgers, rock and roll memorabilia and great tunes to accompany our meal.

Rae: "Dinner was great!  I'm exhausted... let's head to the Inn and relax for the night."
Stella: "Do you want me to drive since you've only had a cat nap in the past 2 days?"
Rae: "No, I'll drive... what's another hour and a half, sleep is over rated anyway."

We head out, hitting I-90 west, less than 2 miles from the restaurant.  It's pitch black and we're in unknown territory...

Rae: "Didn't we get gas an hour before we hit Cleveland?"
Stella: "Yes Rae, we filled the tank, just as we do every 2 hours while on a road trip... not that you obsess about it or anything."
Rae: "We need a gas station... like, NOW.  We're on empty!"
Stella: "Rae!! we just stopped, what do you mean? We are in the middle of NO WHERE!"
Rae: "Maybe there's a hole in the tank, or there was a hose in the tank..."

Moral of the story:  Maybe it was the out-of-state license plate that makes us an easy target?  Maybe we just 'look' like visitors so that makes us an easy target?  No matter the reason, when traveling, you are always a target for scammers and thieves.  There's no way to know for certain, but we can take a good guess that our gas was siphoned.

Common sense safety tip:  Remember what you were taught in Drivers Ed class in high school?  Check your gas guage before driving away. 

Stella:  "Rae, I have the itinerary all set for our trip to Boston."
Rae: "Ok, great.  I see that you programmed the GPS, but I think it's broken... it has us heading to Maine"
Stella:  "No, it's not broken, I thought we'd take the long way to Boston, from New York... and head up to Maine and go photography hunting for Moose."
Rae: "Ok, sounds great.  Let's drive to Boston, pass right by it, make a 10-hour detour to drive up the coast of Maine, see if we can find a Moose, take some photos, and then turn around and head back to Boston by nightfall."

A little sarcasm combined with true love.

Photo to the left shows the heavy traffic on 95 North headed to Maine:
 1.  Allows Rae to take a nap since she hasn't slept in over 36 hours;
2.  Allows Stella to get a great workout in her legs (left leg goes into a state of muscle failure,) while driving a stick shift in heavy traffic for over 3 hours;
3.  And saves both Stella & Rae the money that would have been given to the local tanning salon, hence driving topless in the jeep.

Moral of the story:  Always look on the bright side!