Going Back To Indiana...Cause Indiana's Where We're From

After taking some time to reflect and settle back into life in one stationary place we wanted to recap our trip across the United States and thank all who followed our Blog!

Our travel map of the United States
Although the pins fell out each time we hit a bump, this map helped us keep track of the states we visited
We skipped Oklahoma, Hawaii, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois & North Carolina

By The Numbers:

242 - Days out on the road
178 - Nights we slept in the Rig*
79 - Wal*Marts we spent the night in*
71 - Family & friends we saw while out on the road
20 - National Parks
60+ - Casinos*
5 - Sporting Events
7 - Amusement Parks
266 - Cities
2 - Countries
42 - States
*A couple of these numbers are not exact.  Katie had a running total of quite a few different items in her planner, but after the robbery, the only one who knows the real truth is somewhere in Memphis, TN.

Flat Hank back in Indianapolis, IN

Top 25:

1.  Walking Ghost Tour in Charleston, SC
2.  The Forbidden Journey Ride at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, FL
3.  Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge & Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground in Orlando, FL
4.  New Orleans School of Cooking in New Orleans, LA
5.  The HAUNTED Myrtles Plantation in Saint Francisville, LA
6.  Barton Springs in Austin, TX
7.  Green Chilies in Hatch, NM
8.  Margaritas at Tesuque Village Market after our hike in Santa Fe, NM
9.  Bryce Canyon National Park in Bryce Canyon, UT
10.  The Four Corners in NM, CO, UT and AZ
11.  The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV
12.  JW Marriott Tuscon Starr Pass in Tuscon, AZ
13.  The Hey Dude Ranch in Tuscon AZ
14.  Eating at Portillo's in Buena Park, CA
15.  The California Screamin' Roller Coaster at Disney's California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA
16.  Eating dinner on top of a mountain in Ojia, CA
17.  Driving Highway 1
18.  The Wanderlust Festival in North Lake Tahoe, CA
19.  Watching Breakfast At Tiffany's at McMenamin's Back Stage Bar in Portland, OR
20.  The views from Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, WA
21.  Alaskan Cruise
22.  Eating poutine after the Grouse Grind in Vancouver, Canada
23.  Stomping grapes at the Summerset Winery in Indianola, IA
24.  Bar Harbor, ME
25.  Samuel Adams Brewery Tour in Boston, MA

Anne's Garage - AKA: Our Storage Unit
The Rig has been put into storage and we have officially moved back to Trees II at least until February!

A special thanks to everyone who let us shower, do laundry & wash the Rig at their homes.  We would also like to extend our gratitude to Wal*Mart, YMCA, CASINOS, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, Anne for flying out to see us twice and anywhere with free Wifi!

Making A Full Lap

It didn't take us long to notice that West Virginia did not have much to offer in the way of tourist attractions, plus it did not smell great there!  So, we called our friends, Chad & Morgan, who used to live in the area to make sure we weren't missing anything during our smelly drive home.  They confirmed our suspicions, but let us know that there was one stop we had to make, Tudor's Biscuit World!  After lunch, we couldn't resist one last casino in Charleston, WV before ending our trip where it all began with the Brenner family in Cincinnati, OH. 

Tudor's Biscuit World in Beaver, WV
After stopping here for one of our favorite meals, we noticed many other T.B.W.'s that weren't
attached to gas stations, but we wouldn't have traded our experience for the world

Lunch at Tudor's Biscuit World in Beaver, WV
If you like any kind of gravy, you can't go wrong here!
Thanks to Chad & Morgan for the spot on recommendation

Babbitt, Jack & Brenner in Cincinnati, OH
Even though Jack doesn't look very impressed, we swear we had a fun night! 

Coming To The End Of The Road

After Babbitt spent an evening alone at an Applebee's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, while Katie recovered from our visit to Arlington, VA in the Rig, we made our way to Shenandoah National Park to do some more Fall leaf peeping!

The Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park

Babbitt stretching his legs during the 105 mile Skyline Drive through the park
When we found out we could drive close to the Appalachian Trail &
that we didn't have to hike...it was a no brainer
Click the above photo for a video montage of Shenandoah

The O'Babbitt's in Shenandoah National Park
We decided climbing up here for this photo was enough of a hike for us for the day

View from the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park
When we came to the end of the road here, we decided our trip
across the US was complete and we started heading home

Sanzone's Italian Restaurant, Stuart's Draft, VA
We were hoping to celebrate with a grand dinner, but Virginia didn't
have much to offer, so we ended up at an old fast food restaurant turned Italian

District Of Fun

From Colorado to Indiana to Virginia we were fortunate enough to see Jess & Phil during our travels as fiances, bride & groom and newlyweds!  Our last stop with them was at their new home in Arlington, VA where they couldn't have showed us a better time.  A Starbucks stop, a bike ride unlike any other past the monuments in Washington D.C. & Arlington Cemetery, some of the tastiest food around, a night out on the town, breakfast at Rhodeside Grill & a throw back to 9th and Penn (Jess & Katie's old apartment), where we lounged on the couches the entire afternoon with Indian food!

Phil & Jess in front of the U.S. Capitol Building during our bike ride through Washington D.C.
Before this & the sprinkling rain we were energized on 8th Street at Molly Malone's Capitol Hill Saloon

Katie, Phil & Babbitt posing for the classic "pointing shot" at the Washington Monument
FYI: The Washington Monument is currently closed for repairs due to an earthquake in 2011 

The Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.
Since this was Babbitt's first trip to Washington D.C.
Phil & Jess let us run up for a closer look, while they watched the bikes...
Babbitt's first reaction, "I thought it would be bigger"

The O'Babbitt's in front of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

US Marine Corps War Memorial, Washington D.C.
That evening we failed again in the picture taking department, but we can assure you that we
had a lovely wedding reunion at Hard Times Cafe, Jay's Saloon, O'Sullivan's Irish Pub & Wendy's

Running Out Of Time In Baltimore

We found Delaware State to be too small to photograph! So, please use your imagination...
Since all of the buffets in Atlantic City were closed we had dinner at the Charcoal Pit in Wilmington, DE & spent the night at the nearby Casino At Delaware Park.  The next morning we went sales tax free shopping in Delaware before traveling into Baltimore, MD, where we just couldn't seem to get our timing right!

The Blue Moon Cafe, Baltimore, MD
We thought this restaurant closed at 3 p.m., so we rushed to get here only to find that it is open 24 hours
Their famous Cap'n Crunch French Toast sounded tempting, but Katie couldn't pass up the Hollandaise

The American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
During our short walk here from Federal Hill, we had to fight our way through 4 different
wedding party photo shoots, but we couldn't miss seeing the outside of this funky museum

Fort McHenry National Monument, Baltimore, MD - The birthplace of the National Anthem
The National Parks finally reopened, but they were closing for the night as soon as we walked up...
guess we should have drove instead of making the 5 mile round trip walk through the city

Indiana plaque on the Fort McHenry grounds, Baltimore, MD
The nicest, formerly furloughed Park Ranger let us walk inside the gates to take a few photos
& then we had no choice but to sing the Star Spangled Banner during our lengthy walk back to the Rig

Babbitt along Baltimore's Inner Harbor

The Washington Monument (Baltimore) - The first architectural monument planned to honor Washington
This too was closed when we arrived, so we drove by & snapped this photo while the Rig was in motion
This monument predates the more famous one in D.C. by more than 50 years & is 377 feet shorter

Edgar Allen Poe's Grave Site, Baltimore, MD
No one is sure why Katie likes to be creeped out by this poet, but she drug Babbitt to the shaddier side
of town to take this photo through locked gates (the cemetery was also closed for the night)

Babbitt preparing to eat the crab cake voted BEST in Baltimore, MD at Koco's Pub
Our original plan was to eat at Faidley Seafood, but when we got there it was closed, luckily
some things happen for a reason, because Babbitt said this was his favorite meal on the East Coast

Boardwalk Empire

Since our trip had become more about casino stops & less about actual real life experiences, we decided it would be tragic to go back to Indiana without seeing Atlantic City, NJ!  Sadly, once we made it there, we discovered that their sub sandwiches were the best thing they had to offer.

Babbitt devouring his all time favorite Italian Sandwich at White House Subs, Atlantic City, NJ
This no-nonsense restaurant did not skimp on the meats,
while Katie's Egg & Pepper Sub was deliciously unique

Babbitt in the ARTLANTIC park right outside of Atlantic City's Boardwalk
We drove around for a pretty long time trying to find a parking spot that we felt was secure
(the Memphis robbery had left us feeling very vulnerable)...in the end we parked right
outside of this underwhelming art installation in the Bally's Employee Lot

Babbitt along the Boardwalk Empire, Atlantic City, NJ
We walked in & out of many casinos, but were not impressed & did not gamble

Babbitt riding the escalator at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, NJ
The Taj Mahal was just what we thought it would be...everything was coated in pure gold!

Indiana Avenue on the Atlantic City Boardwalk

Katie dipping her toes in the Atlantic Ocean off of the Indiana Avenue Pier
After all of our beach time on multiple coasts, Katie insisted that we give this ocean some love too

Katie outside of Boardwalk Hall, the home of the Miss America Pageant, Atlantic City, NJ
Katie has always loved this pageant...she even dressed as Miss America for Halloween in 2nd Grade

The City Of Brotherly Love

Getting to Philadelphia, PA was quite a challenge!  1. We had to say goodbye to our friends & Club Getaway.  2. The four hour drive from Connecticut to Pennsylvania ended up taking us all day.  3. We hit a semi tire coming into the city & later realized that our scary encounter also ripped our entire custom made front bumper off, damaged a plumbing tank & bent our rim cover.  Thank goodness Babbitt handled the Rig like a champ & got us to the Harrah's Philadelphia Casino safely for the evening!

The O'Babbitt's at Kent State Falls, Kent, CT
We had to check out these impressive waterfalls on our way out of town

Babbitt's 1st Philly Cheese Steak of the day at Pat's King of Steaks, Philadelphia, PA
Apparently, Pat's is known as both the originator & inventor of the Cheese Steak Sandwich

Babbitt dressing his 2nd Philly Cheese Steak of the day 3 mins. later at Geno's Steaks, Philadelphia, PA
After the culinary taste test of these dueling restaurants, Babbitt concluded that Geno's
was the better sandwich & not to be forgotten were Katie's cheese fries

Babbitt outside of the closed Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, PA
We were put off while walking through Philly, because instead of paying National Parks Department
employees to open these historic sites, armed guards were being paid to keep tourists like us out

Elfreth's Alley, Philadelphia, PA
Before walking here we had cocktails at the City Tavern, which opened in 1773
We also saw the Liberty Bell (only through glass), Betsey Ross' House & Edgar Allen Poe's House

Benjamin Franklin Bust, Philadelphia, PA
It didn't take long to realize that Benjamin Franklin used to run this town!

Ales of the Revolution Flight at Yard's Brewing Company, Philadelphia, PA
These beers are based on our founding fathers original recipes,
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson & Benjamin Franklin...Jefferson's was our favorite,
but we're thinking Washington's might have tasted better through wooden teeth

The United States Mint, Philadelphia, PA
The self guiding tour at the largest coin factory in the world was
not the most informative, but we did get to see a ton of coinage

Katie taking back Mac's Punch at Mac's Tavern, Philadelphia, PA
We are both big fans of the show It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia & couldn't miss the bar
owned by "Mac" in real life...it was a classic tavern with subtle Always Sunny references

Ralph's Italian Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA
Thanks to a recommendation from Bob...we enjoyed an early dinner of Greens & Pastina Soup,
Bread & Fettuccini Alfredo at the oldest, continuously running Italian Restaurant in America

Rocky Statue near the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Katie was not leaving the city without running up these steps while humming Gonna Fly Now
Click the photo above to relive Rocky's powerful training montage

Downtown Philadelphia before our train ride back to Harrah's Philadelphia Casino