Yesterday was our fifth and final day on the road to NYC. We woke to our respective alarms and motivated ourselves to get ready so we could have a waffle and get on the road. This hotel was packed, the breakfast room was tiny, every table was taken, and a grumpy old man was hovering near the waffle maker. Somehow we lined up cups for the fresh pot of coffee that was brewing, we wrangled some app-range juice (a delicious combination of apple and orange), and ate a couple of mini muffins while we waited for a table to open up. Finally some gal wrapped up her noshing and we could move in and do our thang. We were lucky enough to see a gentleman wearing a fine specimen of an American flag shirt, and that reminded us that it was the Fourth of July! Hooray! 'Merica!
Fueling up on gas and sparkling water (if we haven't mentioned it already - we're both obsessed with the stuff), we were both excited to be starting the last leg of our journey, going from Woodstock, VA to New York, NY! Thankfully the weather was sunny and partly cloudy, with these gorgeous white fluffy clouds floating across the sky. As we got on the I-81, we saw an extraordinarily patriotic couple standing on the freeway overpass, waving a large American flag and yelling "Happy Fourth of July!" to the cars and trucks passing beneath them. Right on, my friend.
The road was flowing pretty nicely, and Megan was happy to see that there was no rain in sight. That's right, we switched it up a lil and had Megan drive the first half so that I could maneuver the mean streets and toll roads in New Jersey and New York. We chatted a bit, sang along to some music, and Meg had me laughing so hard when she talked like Uncle Si from the TV show Duck Dynasty. I don't know how she does it, but Megan does a DAMN good impression of Si. It's something about pronouncing all of the syllables very clearly.
Anyway, soon we were plowing through states like a farmer turning up nice soft soil. We finished up with Virginia, entered West Virginia, then not long after that we were into Maryland for a bit, and then boom we were in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was very hilly, and we drove by some great sites such as the Mason-Dixon Line, Hershey PA, and the Crayola factory. An impressive state with lots of history, I will be back to visit PA again for sure. We stopped someplace near Allentown for a pit stop and to top off our fuel (and we're living here in Allentown...). It was a truck stop/restaurant situation and I was reminded that until this trip, I didn't remember or didn't realize that truck stops often have showers available for truckers. I think it's odd, but I understand the concept. I mean, a clean trucker is a happy trucker, right?
I took the wheel and we cruised across New Jersey (also quite hilly), taking the 81 to the 78 across to the 287, down to the 95 aka the Jersey Turnpike, and then over the 278 into Brooklyn! We wanted to circumvent Manhattan, and I seriously can't imagine driving a big truck on those busy streets. The turnpike situation was interesting, taking the ticket and then paying at the end of your drive - totally not a California thing. Neither was the bridge toll. Now, we came prepared with a bucket of change ready for little toll booths, etc. We paid the nice guy at the turnpike $4.90 in nickels, but when we crossed the Goethals Bridge, it cost $30!!! $10 per axle. What the heck, man? Thankfully, Megan had some cash so we were good to go. Through Staten Island (woohoo!), over the Verazzano Bridge (woohoo!) and on toward Atlantic Ave (woohoo!). As we drove along the raised highway, we crested a hill and out of the corner of my left eye I saw a familiar shape. I screamed like a little girl, "I see the Statue of Liberty!!! I see it!" We were officially in New York. I'll try not to bore you with the details, but driving a 16' box truck on the highway and streets of Brooklyn is an experience like no other. The perpetual construction, the crazy cabbies, the polite New Yorkers who actually let me over when I had to go around a double-parked car, the millions of pedestrians stepping off the curb with an apparent death wish in their heart because here I come hurdling down the road at a bracing 35 mph and I mean really now, Judith, get your toches back to safety! But no matter the obstacle, we made it safely to our building, and as we circled around Grand Army Plaza, excited to be home, the good luck and blessings from the trip were evident once more as we were able to just pull into a beautiful, shaded spot right across from our building.
I stuck Rufus into his harness and tightened it, since he somehow wrestled out of it in the parking lot of the Econo Lodge the night before. Attaching the leash and watching for dogs, I felt a lil silly "walking" Rufus around the boulevard, but it was a necessary precaution. Some guy who totally reminded me of the actor who plays Adam on the HBO show Girls stopped and pet Rufus right there in the street. Hubba hubba! Too bad "Adam" had a lady friend with him... Before long, our roommate Matt and his lady friend Rashelle were walking across the street and they helped us carry our daily essentials inside. It was so great to see them both! And to see our building again. I got Rufus settled in, and Matt popped a delicious bottle of champagne to celebrate our arrival. Some bubbly, some chatting, a tiny bit of nesting, and then we freshened up and went out for food and drinks.
We visited a couple old favorite places and went to a couple new places as well. Dinner was at Woodland, crispy pork shank and spaghetti squash for me (and for Matt/Rashelle), and a burger and the BEST fries I have ever eaten for Megan. We scarfed that delicious food and guzzled some amazing cocktails. Then we cruised to Cypress Ave for a pint with one of my favorite Irish bartenders. A brief walk over to Vanderbilt lead us to Branded Saloon, a place that came up as number one when I searched for "country western bars in NYC." Branded has the décor, but is certainly not a country western bar, at least not from what I could tell. I did detect a certain something though, and then it dawned on me. I asked the bartender Alex, "Uh, I'm just curious, is this a sexuality-specific bar?" Meaning, is this a gay bar? There happened to be rainbow flags about and I usually see them in the Castro district or in whatever gayborhood that I'm in at the time, so I just had to be forthright and ask. Mind you, neither Megan nor I (nor Matt for that matter), give a hoot who you love or what you do in your own free time. In my head and heart, a bar should just be a bar and everyone should be able to come and go as they please, and flirt with whomever they want to. But nonetheless, I needed some context about how NYC works versus my home state, and Alex was willing to oblige my questioning. After Woodland, we slimed our way over to Sharlene's, a favorite of ours from the first time we were even in the Prospect Heights/Park Slope area. I say slimed because it was hot and humid and we were moist. The beer helped us cool down though. A late-night grocery trip for toilet paper, chips, beer, and we were headed home.
Of course, as we hung out chatting and going over our night, a ginormous cockroach scurried across the floor and Rufus chased after it, batting at it, trying to eat it, and not being successful at exterminating the alien. Our first NYC cockroach on our first NYC night, how poetic!
After all that excitement, sleeping on Matt's queen size air mattress was dang inviting, so we got ready for bed and sweltered while we dreamed of what our new lives were going to be like. We had arrived.
*****PHOTO UPDATE*****
Getting on the road from Woodstock, VA, there was a couple with their American flag just waving to traffic. It was the Fourth of July, after all.
Rufus really is way too comfortable in the truck now.
Picturesque Virginia.
Rufus reminds me of our childhood cat Garfield sometimes. Especially here, when he purposefully stuck his paw out to touch my arm. Garfield used to do that.
West Virginia, hello and goodbye!
Maryland, it was great to see you!
Rufus slept through at least 3 states.
Hallelujah, we're in the land of the Yanks!
Our route for the day.
I'll be seeing you soon, PA. I hear Philly is amazing!
Just gorgeous.
And we're living here in Allentown. Oh, and the first sign for New York City!
The traveling pro.
Heh heh heh.
Why are those grain towers so visually appealing?
Dietrich's Meats! For our roomie Matt.
American flags were all over, especially today.
Mmmmm the smell of beer a-brewing!
Meg caught me with a dirty habit and a neat cone shaped building.
Pohatcong? What the?
Oh heyyyyyyyy Jersey!
We then got on the 78 east.
Flag + Wal-Mart = 'Murrica!
And then on to the 287, getting closer!
Don't be fooled, that's not our route!
The last day on the road really was a blur.
On to the turnpike! Our first and only toll road of our journey.
Turnpikin' it!
Hello.
Here's our exit! Holy crap we're almost in NY!
Lucky number 13.
I think we have to go over that bridge?
The lanes were REALLY skinny.
I was freaked out but figured that cars would leave me alone if I looked crazy.
And then I saw that guy up ahead and felt better.
Ahhhhhhhhh! A little nervous here!
Calm, cool, and collected on the surface. But really I was just so excited to be getting to our new home!
Our first glimpse of Manhattan from the bridge!
Manhattan to the left, Brooklyn to the right.
The other bridge we had to go over? I think?
Staten Island, yo!
Follow that route!
The roads in Staten Island were the worst we had on the entire trip. I think I knocked a filling loose.
No wait, THAT is the bridge we have to go over next. From Staten Island to Brooklyn!
Coney Island.
What an awesome and exciting view!
Bklyn, here we come!
That guy was all tatted up. You can see the Brooklyn clock tower in the background.
The streets of BK!
Driving on the raised freeway. Highway? Turnpike? Whatever.
Church.
Church 2.
Oh hello, lady Liberty!
Meandering through Brooklyn.
Our exit! Hooray!
Now comes the real challenge - driving on the streets of Brooklyn in a 16' rental truck.
Cruising up Atlantic Avenue.
Ahhhh, mecca!
The new Barclay's center, home to the Brooklyn Nets. Woot woot!
Home sweet home. With a bomb parking spot to boot.
Walking Rufus while we wait for Matt and Rashelle to come let us in.
Rufus loved it.
Ahhhhh, home!
Freak on a leash.
Finally inside, and found his new spot.
Our apartment building, 50 Plaza Street East.
Kelly, Matt, Megan, toasting to a new chapter of life. Hooray!
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