My Roadtrip to Hamvention

Wednesday, May 13

To avoid the morning commuter traffic, I left as soon as possible after getting out of bed, so I forgo dressing as a woman in exchange for preferred traffic conditions.

Except for a 10-minute back-up due to construction in Scranton, the trip went smoothly and I reached the half-way point by mid-afternoon and got a room in a Travelodge near the intersection of I-99 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

I could have continued driving, but check-in time at my hotel in Dayton was 3 PM, so there was not much point in driving further just to cool my heels in the hotel lobby waiting to check-in. (In the past, I would make the 727-mile trip in one shot both coming and going, but for the last 10 years or so, I have split the trip to Dayton in half in order to conserve energy for the two days at the convention.)

Turns out, there was a not so obvious truck stop across the street from my hotel room and for most of the night, I was kept awake by tractor trailers downshifting to make the left hand turn into the truck stop. Even earplugs did not help and I probably got less than three hours of well-needed beauty sleep.

Thursday, May 14

Unable to sleep, I rose early and had plenty of time to get ready, so I was all woman when I went to the hotel restaurant for the complimentary breakfast buffet.

What I Wore ― Blue jeggings from Dress Barn, black tunic top from Avon, black patent heels from Payless over Victoria's Secret bra and panties, a forgotten company's waist cincher and Berkshire nude thigh-highs. I accessorized with silver door-knocker earrings from Napier, silver dangling heart bracelet, black watch and a black hobo bag, all from Avon. For driving, I switched to black mid-heel wedges from Payless, which I am wearing in the accompanying photo.

The restaurant was quiet with about a half-dozen customers. The waitress was pleasant and treated me like a lady, but my woman's intuition told me that she suspected that something was amiss and that I wasn't.

After a filling, but uneventful breakfast, I returned to my room, finished packing, moved my luggage to the car and went to the front desk  to check out. The woman who checked me in the previous afternoon when I was in boy mode was working the desk. Now I was in girl mode; nevertheless, she was pleasant, all smiles and never let on that she suspected anything, although she most likely knew because I checked in under my male name and she was viewing that information as I checked out.

I sashayed to my Subaru and headed due west;  next stop: Dayton (actually Miamisburg).

Wearing Zoe

Grayson Perry's Claire