Hi Marylanders-- Visitor question for out west....

[fudge stripe cookays]

Hey everybody....

I need to make a research trip to Western Maryland. I have heard that it is very hilly to mountainous, and that the winter driving there can be treacherous.

I'm thinking of flying into Baltimore where I need to visit some folks in Cockeysville, then driving further west to Frostburg where I'd stay for a few days.

Then, I need to drive up to Pittsburgh, and finally up through Hermitage into Cleveland, and thinking of flying out from there.

Any experts on the area able to tell me about what time in the spring would be pretty safe for an inexperienced snow driver to make this haul? I'm a Texan, so don't do well on ice and snow. Especially in a rent car!

I'm getting maps from the local CVBs. Any other ideas for lodging or vittles? I'm incredibly picky, so I have to look at stuff for weeks before I make a decision about where to stay and such. #1, no ugly bedspreads! ;-)

Thanks for any input, ya'll.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Well, I've driven Toledo/Southern MD and back, but not in winter.

I wouldn't say the roads are necessarily difficult -- just pay attention to the speed limits on the exit ramps, they wouldn't set them that low if they didn't mean it (if you are driving a truck, or on snow/ice, DO NOT exceed these speed limits -- often there's just not enough room to build a proper, high-speed ramp.) Be aware that there are areas where you may find yourself trapped in fog with little warning -- fog-prone areas are often marked, but you still have to get through them somehow. Check your emergency flashers before you leave. The hilliest and foggiest parts are northern/western MD, not PA, in my experience.

Oh, and if you don't know, DON'T drive with cruise control on if the roads are slick. If you hit a slick spot, the cruise control can throw you off the road.

You'll probably travel most of the distance on the PA and OH turnpikes. Access is limited. You can locate acommodations through their Web sites (caveat: everything on these pikes -- especially OH -- tends to be hideously overpriced).

If you're going to be driving in Pgh, be sure you have a GOOD city map. You cannot navigate by dead reckoning in a city with more bridges than any other but Venice.

If you are going through BWI, be aware that the car rental area is reached by BUS from the terminal. Allow an hour, easily, between touchdown and turning the key, even without checked baggage.

http://www.paturnpike.com/
http://www.ohioturnpike.org/

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. Thanks!

Not too bad.

I encountered the fog issue in California back in August, and I never put the cruise control on in an area I'm unfamiliar with. And most of the bigger airports now are putting their rent cars out in the boonies accessible by bus. I think I've been more places in the US this last year than I have the whole rest of my life combined!

Any input on when the weather starts lessening? I don't want to do it in the dead of winter. I'm thinking March or April. I know our weather patterns here in Dallas usually call for one big ice storm in January, then very little else all year, then spring until about late May. I know every area has its own idiosyncrasies.

Thanks again for the info....
:hi: fsc

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Haven't been around long enough to know for sure.

But I lived in Pgh a few years, and the really cold snaps were brief. I would say the chances for bad weather are worst in Jan and Feb; Mar is likely to be bad for rain even if warmer, late snow if not. OTOH, one year there were flowers blooming and robins singing in January ... no way to predict those kinds of things. Of course, in the mountains it could be as bad a month earlier or later. As I said, I didn't drive through them in Winter, so don't really know.

Oh, be warned that the turnpikes are under CONSTANT construction. Lots of concrete dividers, barriers, orange barrels and cones. And the number of semis is just astonishing -- you'll pass a couple of very large dispatching yards in PA.

FWIW, I moved to OH after two years in TX, and my only experience driving in snow was a year in Maine, (where you don't -- you stay put until the snowplows come) and WV, where the roads are narrow, twisting, and not well maintained. The only time I ever drove off the road in snow was in WV. You have to get off the highway, into the small towns, to see anything that bad in MD, within my limited experience.

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. Good info. Thanks so much!

Yikes! Maine sounds like a winter wonderland. Or not. :crazy:

I've heard scary things about West Virginia too. I hired a genealogist last year, and after 9 months of nothing, he finally backed out and sent me half my retainer back. He lived in West Virginia, and part of the reason he couldn't get at it right away was the crappy weather during the winter.

Looks like March could be doable. Rain I can handle. It's snow and sleet that make things a little more iffy! I'll be getting off the highway a bit in Frostburg, and possibly Lonaconing and Grantsville, but for the most part, it sounds like I will be OK.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Western Maryland is a whole other world from Central Maryland

Yes, it is mountainous. But keep in mind that our mountains are not anything at ALL like, say, the Rockies. More like big hills, but still can be bad in the Winter. I'd say by April you're probably safe. That said, Western Maryland is affected by lake effect snows, so even in April a snow is possible, but not common.

Not sure about Lodging For Picky People. No doubt all the chains are available, but there's picky and there's PICKY ... so you're on your own!

Maryland won the Worst Bedspread in the World contest four years running in the late 80s. I'm sure its better now. :)

Baltimore (Cockeysville) to Cleveland is about a six or seven hour trip, so its not that bad a drive. Since your post suggests you'll be stopping along the way, it should be even easier for you. I'd say Baltimore to Frostburg is about 3 to 3-1/2 hours, all on the interstate. From Baltimore, I-70, which connects to/sorta becomes I-68 .... on into Frostburg. Maybe an hour and a half or so to Pittsburgh on I-68 to (I think) I-79.

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. Thanks man!

:thumbsup: Yeah, I'm not worried about the time driving too much. For a Texan, these times are like driving to Waco or Austin. Something we don't even really think about. I love the east coast! Everything is so CLOSE! (compared to say, a Houston to Amarillo distance, which is much more daunting!)

Mapquest gave me about the same time you did from Baltimore to Frostburg. And I'm not quite as worried about Maryland to Pittsburgh. I usually get local maps for all the places I'll be going before I leave, since my trips usually involve finding old houses at specific addresses and going to cemeteries, so I need a good street map.

I've been checking Trip Advisor for info too.

Worst bedspread award...nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

[fudge stripe cookays]

11. I think they're still winning the contest, actually!

But I finally found THIS place with a lot of work.....aaahhhh at last!

http://www.deepcreekinns.com/roomrates-detail.cfm?ID=8

It's a little ways away, but I'll need to be going through Grantsville anyway to get some house pictures, so it will work out well! :D

[madinmaryland]

7. Eastern MD is fine by mid to late march.

Though if you are planning on driving up to the Cleveland area, they can have snow up to mid april.

BTW, my folks live about 10 miles from Hermitage. As long as you are on the main interstates you will have no problems through the rolling hills of the appalachians.

[fudge stripe cookays]

8. Thanks mad!

I'm really looking forward to seeing another area of the country I haven't checked out before.

We lived in Virginia when I was a very little girl, and I've been to Boston, but that is the extent of my east coast wanderings so far.

April it is. Light snow I can handle. Anything heavier, and black ice, and I start getting a little jumpy! :hi:

[LiberalEsto]

9. You can ride Amtrak from DC to Cumberland

and take the historic steam train to Frostburg

http://www.olcg.com/md/cumberland/main.php?statedes=Maryland&state2=MD&city2=Cumberland

[fudge stripe cookays]

10. I'm sure that would be lovely and scenic....

but I'm an independent cuss, and need a car for most of the places I'm going. As I mentioned, it's mostly a research trip. I'm writing a book about my Smith family, and have not been able to get to this area yet, so have lots to do. When I'm working, the scenery has to take a back seat.

And DC would be a little out of my way, unfortunately.

This from someone who just spent 4 days in the Pacific Northwest, flew into Seattle, and spent the entire time in Everett. See where I'm coming from? Most people are horrified by that.

It's all about the research. :D

[many a good man]

12. Garrett County can be treacherous

I-68 is a beautiful stretch of highway -- especially if you wait until later in Spring. Garrett County is notorious for sudden winter storms though. The weather can be beautiful your whole trip and then as you drive through one of the mountain passes around the continental divide a paralyzing snowstorm can come out of nowhere quite suddenly. The frost date up there is around May 20 so you're liable to run into some nasty weather any time up until then. You should be OK any time after mid April.

You won't find any luxury accomodations outside of Deep Creek Lake. But it'll be about a 45 minute trip if you're driving into Frostburg every day. Frostburg is a small college town so you can stay there if you're on a budget and not into frills. Grantsville is Amish country and you can get a tasty home cooked meal at the Casselman Inn restaurant. Take the highway exit into Grantsville and turn right at Rt. 40. Its on the left before the historic bridge. Great pies, breads, and other baked goods for sale in the basement. Try the apple butter. The Mennonites aren't too friendly but they're great cooks!

To get to Cleveland you head west on 68 and north on I-79. You'll save yourself some hassle if you take the Pittsburg Airport exit to get on the turnpike. And watch for speed traps on the Ohio turnpike! People drive really slow in Ohio and you'll stick out if you drive normal speeds.

[fudge stripe cookays]

13. Good tips, thanks!

Especially the driving, as I can have a bit of a lead foot if I'm not careful and don't know the speed traps. Usually 5-10 miles over the speed limit is my normal speed.

I just got a package from the CVB in Allegany County, and am expecting one from all the other areas as well. No worries about the drive-- as long as I'm within an hour or so of where I need to be, that's fine. The hideous decor at most of these places is really awful. The Lake Pointe seems like the best of the bunch.

I'll keep an eye out for the storms. Someone on Trip Advisor told me to just reduce my speed, but if I have to go below 40 to turn my flashers on. I've had a little bit of experience driving here in the ice, I just didn't want to push my luck too much and be out in blizzards if I could help it. I"m just too impatient to wait until May!

I have seen the Casselman on my restaurant guides. May have to check it out! Thanks!
fsc :hi:

[hootinholler]

14. Ok, you've been given the routes etc...

So by Mid-March you should be ok weather wise, most snow will be melting off during the days so driving should only be a problem at night on secondary roads if at all. The road crews out there know what they're doing and will be practiced by then as well. Keep an eye on the weather channel for lake effect storms, which will subject your entire route into Ohio to late snows, but they should melt off quickly.

Don't be afraid of mom and pop diners, especially if there are a lot of cars in the lot. Many a fine inexpensive meal are had at these places, and if they have scrapple on the breakfast menu try it with maple syrup and eggs. Park-N-Dine in Hancock comes to mind serving locally aged steaks. Hancock is at the I68-I70 split and don't take the Md.68 exit, the one with the sign that says, this is not I-68.

You might be more comfortable in B&Bs than chains, so have a look at them, but they may not have Internet connections.

Anything else, just ask.

-Hoot

[Ready4Change]

15. To be honest, 95% of winters here are no problem at all.

Odds are you could come here in the dead of winter and have no issues at all. It takes a really major storm to cause problems for more than a day. If you were travelling back into the woods I'd advise more caution, but if you're going though on major roads you'll be fine.

(Now watch. They'll show up in the middle of the worst storm in 100 years!)