Technically, It's not my fault

Technically, It's not my fault: Concrete Poems by John Grandits is a title of a book I purchased for the Hibbing Public Library a while ago. I had a reference question about concrete poems and this title caught my eye, and so it was added to the collection. The title of this poem has become my mantra when I travel. I recently went to Front Royal via Interstate 95 and then U.S. Highway 17 and then Interstate 66. The trip took about three hours and I arrived in time to attend a preschool program, lunch with some very nice people, and a tour of the library. I learned about the new library being built with a plan of opening the summer of 2009. It was so nice talking children's books and programs with the staff that I left later than planned. "The traffic will be bad, here is a better way to go" I was told. With less then a half a tank of gas I took the backroads back to Richmond. I saw delightful towns, some gift shops I have to find again and a place that offers glassblowing and another that offers homemade jams and baked goods. It was wonderful to be off the highway and travel up and down the hills of Virginia. Then I met some construction and got turned around. Technically it's not my fault. I challenge anyone to read a map while nagivating the turns and twists in the Shenandaoh Mountains. Besides, the back roads in Virgina require commitment. There are very few places to stop or turn around. A few hours later I was once again headed towards Richmond with the gas tank quite a bit lower. I did find Culpeper, but not Highway 615. Lucky for me, I saw a sign for the Culpeper Public Library. I quickly turned around and with map in hand I went to the reference desk and got directions to a gas station and Highway 3. With a full tank of gas I then set off again. This time to Fredricksburg with a phone call to Terry when I got off the wrong exit, then back to Interstate 95. The three hour tour was completed four and half hours later when Terry picked me up at the Enterprise car rental office at 8:00 p.m.