Afros, Traffic and Rice

I'm in NYC and Gertrude has been delivered back to Steve. Gertrude and I have traveled 3,710 miles over 2 weeks!

We're both showing signs of some wear and tear. Gertrude's front tires need some more air and I think the cigarette lighter is broken. I have not fared as well--lower back pain and driving ankle pain coupled with shoulder strain. I have new found respect for truck drivers, even those tailgating me at 85 miles an hour.

From Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I drove through Pennsylvania to the Pocono area:
1) This was a gorgeous stop after a few days in the cities. The landscape changed from skyscrapers and asphalt potholes to rolling hills of densely packed trees, meandering curvy country roads and quaint steeple churches.

The hills looked like they had a dark green Afro wig on; individual trees seemed to have dense swirly pompoms for canopies.

2) I stayed at a wonderful bed & breakfast--Chestnut Hill Inn. Highly recommended. Breakfast was a hearty meal. Debbie, one of the innkeepers, has an unique laugh that gathered speed as the laugh went along. hhaahahahaHAHAHAHAHA! :-)

3) The air was crisp, the night sky full of stars and the road full of crazed drivers taking the winding roads at 70 miles an hour. A great juxtaposition of relaxation and stress.


After Pennsylvania, I started to head out to Rhode Island to see Carrie!
1) However, I did NOT make it to visit Carrie and Chris. :-( I had to take 95N, through NY, NJ and Connecticut to get to Rhode Island.

From NYC, it took me about 2 hours to go 35 miles. Yes, that's right. I tried timing it so that I would miss both the morning and afternoon rush hours. I realize now that there's ALWAYS traffic here.

I had to turn back. I would have reached Providence well after dinner and Carrie had her family visiting the next day so I turned back to New York.

This was disappointing as the visit was a major highlight for me but the traffic just broke down my resolve.


So, I got to NYC a day earlier and god, I love this city!
1) One of the most wonderful and overwhelming aspect of NYC is the fact that it makes you feel all five senses. Here's my first two days:
- Sound: Honking. Liberal use of it.

- Sight: A car lifted itself onto three wheels with its front left tire off the ground, bouncing up and down. It looked like a dog waving its paw at us on a Saturday night at Times Square.

- Taste: Rice! After two weeks, rice for the first time. SOOOOOO GOOD. Of course, the Korean feast Steve and Jee treated me to helped too--seafood, grilled beef, cod soup.

- Smell: Pungent bursts of fermenting sewer/trash as you cross each street light, sandwiching the aromas of grilling meats and caramelizing nuts from the food carts.

- Feel: The hug of a friend after two long weeks on the road. I didn't realize how much I missed seeing a familiar face until I met up with Steve and Jee. There's also the feel of a stranger who wanted to give me a "trial" of his massage services at a street fair. Yeah.

2) I saw a revival of "Sweet Charity" on Broadway. Christina Applegate was surprisingly good although her singing does not compare to that of Ana Gasteyer's in "Wicked". It's a touching story of hope and persistence.

3) In one day of walking (4 miles of traipsing up/down the city), I got to go to a farmers' market, a street fair, and a music and art festival. There is so much life here, almost suffocatingly distracting.


There is so much to do here in NYC, especially now that I have the basic tourist sights visited. It's going to be a great week of seeing Leland again, lots of food, music and sleeping in. Oh and SHOPPING.

I had a great time doing this trip, being open to whatever may come on the road coupled with religious planning of every day's route, accommodations and activities. :-) I am a big believer of planned spontaneousness.
This is the last of the posts! Thanks for sharing the trip with me.

Jess