Counting the Cars...

Having recently logged over 2000 miles with the ADDeMishpacha, I'd like to share some observations about driving through America:

1. There is regional flavor in America, but you need to leave the Interstates in order to experience it. Along the interstate, it's the same strip-mall over and over again. Switching to US Routes can provide a lot of unexpected charm.
2. On the other hand, it can take a lot longer. Make sure you know what type of byways you'll be switching to.
3. The Interstate system is incredible. I finally figured out its structure. Some rules (odd #s are N-S, even #s are E-W, odd prefix denotes a spur, even prefix denotes a loop) are pretty well known. It just dawned on me, though, that the entire thing is a grid. Starting with 5 on the west coast and 95 on the east, highways ending in 5 tend to be major, and the #s are in order. i.e., the higher the inserstate #, the more easterly it runs. Same goes for E-W highways and multiples of 10. It's essentially a giant grid (at least theoretically). If you name any 2 interstates that intersect, I should be able to guess pretty well where they intersect, as long as one is odd and one is even. Try me!
4. There are some really cool towns in this country. Morgantown, West Virginia is one of them. Wish we could've stayed there longer. Mountains, rivers, unique WV culture, a major university, these cute little trains. And, as an added bonus, it's so far off the beaten track that I can say that I was there without betraying my origin or destination!