A Long Story About My Mini Vacation

I am a little exhausted tonight. I guess all that driving and staying up late has caught up with me...

I already mentioned how I inadvertently ended up in Delaware. I didn't say that I'd already turned around on 95 North to head south prior to crossing the state line, or how when I realized (in Delaware) that I should be going north, and got off (again) to turn around, that the on-ramp was closed due to construction. I had to follow a detour to find the highway again.  After crossing back into Pennsylvania, I stopped at the Pennsylvania Welcome Center for a potty break and got back on the road only to discover, after finally crossing the bridge into New Jersey, that my handwritten directions were missing. I had no idea how far I'd traveled off course, or that the remainder of my own directions, even if I did find them, were pretty much useless until I got closer to Heather's house..

I crossed the Commodore Barry Bridge from PA into NJ, and finding myself confused (and without directions), I turned south on Rt 130. I didn't go far before turning onto a dirt road. I got out of my car to look for the paper with the roads and route numbers and found it between the seat and driver's side door. I started north, felt unsure again, and took another exit to turn around go south once more, but the on-ramp for Rt 130 was unmarked and confusing. For the very first time on the trip I wanted to panic, but I decided not to. After braving the on-ramp, I connected again with Jen, turned around for what felt like the hundredth time, and started north again. I needed to stay on the highway, which soon turned to I-95, for about 40 miles before reaching my destination, from the exact opposite direction that I'd anticipated the entire trip. No wonder I was confused! Where was my trusty Road Atlas?

Heather and I had a wonderful time together. The weather was fully cooperative. We ate grilled cheese and fries at The Pop Shop  on Friday night, stopped for lunch in a diner on Saturday before making a visit to Wheaton Arts and wandered about the campus. Our favorite spot was probably The General Store, just because. We considered going to the boardwalk, but it was another hour away and it was almost dinner time. We opted to head for home and have the girls bring the babies over for pizza. Heather's daughter does foster care. (The photo is her son Davin.)

We stayed up too late on Saturday and Sunday morning arrived all too quickly. (Vacations are like that.) After the fiasco with being lost and miles off course, I was gifted a gently used Garmin by Heather's sister Jen. After years of resistance to a GPS I acquiesced and accepted the offer. Alan programed "Tom" to recognize home, but before getting on the highway north, I had another stop to make.

Grayce and I have been friends on Facebook since January of 2010. I am also friends with her sister Marilynn who I have met briefly years ago when her daughter lived nearby in East Rochester. We met through other Facebookers named Teal, some of them distant relatives. (Marilynn and Grayce are sixth cousins to my father in law.) I knew Grayce lived in New Jersey, but I didn't know where. I decided to get on my computer and see if I could locate her whereabouts. She was just fifteen minutes away! I sent her a message Saturday morning and had a reply just minutes later. We met Sunday morning and had a lovely visit. She made us a light lunch and we talked like old friends for hours before I looked at my phone and knew it was time to hit the road. I am so glad I looked her up.

By 2:45 pm, "Tom" (not to be confused with The Backroads Traveler) and I were on the road. He's a mighty fine navigator but a bit insistent if I make what he considers to be an unexpected detour (or potty stop). He also told me to "take the highway" several times, but he was most insistent when I did not keep left and merge onto I-90 on my way out of Syracuse. It was miles before he settled down and recalculated our route down 370 to 104. All in all he's a pretty good traveling companion.