On to Baltimore

Starting Data
Mileage:   66, 210 miles
Time:  8:10
Weather:  48º and partly cloudy
Book:  Pops


Dave ate breakfast at the motel.  He said it was good and quite crowded.  He took the first load of "stuff" down to the car and then we took the rest of the our things down later, and avoided the need for the luggage cart.  Dave loaded things into the convertible and walked around and completed the check-out.  We left the motel and filled the car and then headed on our way.


Our drive along the NY Thruway had some beautiful scenery--lots of deciduous trees and some just beginning to show some fall colors.  We could catch a glimpse of the Catskills Mountains which made us both think back to comedians who made their names there--Shecky Green, Norm Crosby, Buddy Hackett, BUrns and Rossi, Alan King and other folks that we grew up seeing the The Tonight Show and The Merv Griffin Show.  


We passed a sign for the KOA campground in Newburgh/New Paltz.  That has good memories for us.  Elizabeth, we celebrated your birthday there with beef and noodles during our trip to Maine.  Do you remember that?  Our campsite was in a really forested area.


We took about a 10-minute stretch just before we got to New Jersey.  We entered the "Garden State" at 10:35.  Our GPS took us on an "unusual" route.  Rather than just getting on the Parkway we drove on Hwy 17 and somehow on I-80 before we finally got on the NJ Turnpike (I-95).  It was making us both nervous as all the signs made us think that we were heading for New York City instead of the Turnpike.


We stopped again for about a 30-minute lunch and stretch spot along I-95.  Dave ate at a Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grille.  Dave had a patty melt and fries.  It was done just right--You know--The right crunch to the bread when you bite into it.  I had a cup of tea.  We were back on the road at 12:30.  The air felt much different when we left.  There was a cool gusty breeze and the sky had become completely overcast.


We encountered some road construction and watched in amazement as cars would dart in and around between one another as if any lane was moving more than 2 mph.  Road weary, we stopped at the Clara Barton Service Plaza for about 20 minutes.  Dave got some coffee and we sat outside and just enjoyed the people-watching.


We crossed into our most expensive state.  Good old Delaware.  We entered at 2:15 and exited at 2:35.  During that time we paid $8 in tolls.  I think they got their money's worth out of us.  We finally saw a sign proclaiming that Baltimore was approaching.  We got to Dave's brother Bob's house at 3:45.


It was so good seeing Bob and his oldest son, Sean.  Zach, his youngest son, was busy on campus.  We visited and then all piled into the convertible.  (Dave and I in the backseat.)  Bob drove us to a very cool grocery store, which was great fun.  After the 4 of us walked around with our mouths hanging open at all the cool stuff, we picked up what we needed and headed back to the house.  Bob grilled chicken for supper.


After supper Dave and Bob played "dueling i-pods."  What a hoot.  The music was amazing and we listened until well after 2.  (That explains why I didn't post yesterday!)