Traveling Tips #1 and #2

#1:

If it's snowing anywhere in the country, Buffalo is sure to get some of it.  When I started out on my journey Friday morning, I did a quick check on the expected weather of my route.  In particular, I was concerned with Buffalo, New York.  I am always impressed with the amount of snow that Buffalo gets.  If a snow storm rips across the midwest, it always seems that if Cleveland gets a foot of snow and Syracuse a foot and a half, Buffalo is sure to get three or four feet.  Crazy. But the weather reports, which I foolishly trusted, said something about occasional flurries, from a dusting to 1 or two inches.  And indeed, I had wonderful weather and a very nice trip for quite a while, my car was humming pleasantly, there was not too much traffic, and the sun was shining. Until Buffalo, where near-blizzard conditions suddenly blew down from the heavens.  At first I thought it was just the stiff winds blowing the already-fallen snow around, but it quickly became clear that it was really snowing. I persisted for a while, but visibility kept getting worse and I finally pitched in the towel and took a motel room east of Erie, PA.  We ended up getting 8-10 inches of snow.  

When in doubt, stay away from Buffalo.

#2:

Steven Reich's Music for 18 Musicians is excellent traveling music.  Those minimalist, slowly metamorphosing patterns are perfect for zoning out yet keeping alert, and the time really flies by.  A nice, big chunk of New York state passed in a pleasant reverie listening to this music.  I wish I had more of the same, maybe Philip Glass's Koyannisquatsi.  I'm sure I misspelled that.