Having just returned from a week on vacation, here is the ugly tourist's impression of each state we drove through.

South Carolina: Work Area Ahead? Uh oh. But wait! No lanes are blocked, the pylons are all to the side of the road, and the Work Area speed limit is 65 MPH. Rock on, South Carolina!

North Carolina: 70 MPH + no state troopers in sight = awesome.

Virginia: All the cops who weren't patrolling the roads in North and South Carolina and West Virginia had been rerouted here. The speed limit was 70 MPH, though, which was really plenty, so anyone who got nailed by the four score troopers we saw probably really deserved it. Also, really nice rest stops.

West Virginia: Oh the things you'll only see here. A 65 MPH highway around curves and over hills with stop lights every couple of miles. Pay phones along the highway. Pay phones?! Older female teen (with "MIKE" tattoo on shoulder!) making out with younger male teen in line at fast food joint, said male teen sporting a row of very missing front teeth. A cow riding in the back of a beaten up powder blue pickup truck. Full sized cow. Highway speeds. Wow.

Pennsylvania: Welcome home! Here's the first lane-blocking road construction you've encountered in your 1,500 miles of driving this week. Where are the workers? Don't know. So why are there miles of lane blocked off? Not sure. Are they torn up or something? Nope. So why can't I drive there? Bungholes.

At least I can stop at the grocery store and get a couple bottles of wine on my way home... oh wait. Can't do that either. Stay classy, Pennsylvania.