300 miles of heaven on earth 10am, 1.8 miles from Ground Zero. It's going to be a beautiful day, and I am going for a drive. I put three coats of Zaino on Emmy last weekend, Mario just changed her oil, bled her brakes, swapped out her plugs- she even had a full tank of gas. She looked great. The Holland Tunnel is open again, with police stationed before it's mouth. They stopped some cars. A new set of flags hung above the tunnel made me smile. Out the tunnel and drop the roof. Decided to take the fast way there, and the long long way home. I went to visit my mom. 90 miles. Instead of convalescing at the nursing home, she was back in the hospital. Backing out of the nursing home parking lot, Emmy stalled out. I hate to admit it, but the hesitation problem is still there. It wasn't the spark plugs. :( At the hospital, I have a regular space. On the roof of the lot, parked way to the side. I sorted out a few things checking on Mom and telling her jokes. Time to go. Next stop- my best pal since I was 12. I figure I better give her last year's Christmas gift before it's Christmas again. Abington PA to Lansdale PA. Great big yellow leaves were falling into my open car. Her kids have grown a foot a piece. I showed off the Traffic Pro, it showed us as "off road". Called Lisa in Easton. Traffic Pro didn't have her address listed so I headed up the scenic 523 to 611 to 32. About 60 miles. Never got a frikin break. A car in front of me doing less than the speed limit every step of the way. That's OK, I figure I am paying karmic traffic jam dues. It does help that it is fall and the trees are changing color. Lots of car shows nearby, sometimes it was even fun to follow. I met up with Lisa and showed her the nail polish I had found. How do ya like that, I matched her car nearly perfectly! ;D What color was that anyway Lisa? We should keep track of these things. Which nail color best matches which color car? Maybe we can get Tim UK to start a special section on his color site. Wow, it sure is nice to have a lawn! And a back porch! And the GRILL!!!! OK so when is the BBQ? I understand Mario has already volunteered to act as Chef. I can always bring my appetitie :) I "saved" Lisa's "position" in Traffic Pro, so I can always get back without directions. :) Doreen was kind to cook, and we had a lovely meal to prepare me for the return to the city. 90 miles. Good thing, too because the Traffic Report called the wait outside the Lincoln Tunnel at over 90 minutes. George Washington Bridge was 15 minute wait. It was just about 9pm I think. I wasn't sure how to get to the GWB so I grabbed the Garden State Parkway. I remembered driving this with Shawn and Melissa on the last leg of the 99 Shag Convoy. I was just reminiscing about this when the orange light clicked on. 271 miles on the odometer. How did that happen so fast? GSP not giving me any clue where the next gas might be, it's after 10pm and I think I just missed the exit for I-80 going East to the GWB. Ruh Roh. Hello, Traffic Pro? Where is the closest gas station? Traffic Pro took me to a Shell Station, 500 yards away but it was closed. Hello, Traffic Pro? Where is the next closest gas station? 1200 yards, Amoco. Yee haa. Listen to radio- still 90 minute back up at the Lincoln Tunnel. Where the heck am I? OK, Traffic Pro, get me home. Problem: Traffic Pro has routed me home via the Lincoln Tunnel. I can not figure out how to tell it to take me in via the GWB. Rather annoying. I remembered from a recent trip having to take Route 17 to Route 4 and followed those signs to NYC. By the time I crossed the bridge around 11pm, the traffic at both the Lincoln and the GWB was reported to be negligable. Natch. Still, I had looked at the map and wanted to try swinging around the north end of Manhattan and coming down the east side on the FDR instead of taking the earlier exit for the Henry Hudson Parkway down the west side of Manhattan. I remember the days when a wrong turn from the GWB could end up getting you dead. Even though I knew what I was planning to do, those exits come up VERY fast in agressive traffic. Traffic Pro gave me good early warning. I breezed down the Easy Side, Yankee Stadium glowing bright over my left shoulder. Cruising down the East River by the United Nations. The exit for 15th street, my home, was blocked off by barriers and police cars. So close and yet so far away. The next exit was Houston Street, and Traffic Pro had already recalculated. It just makes it so much easier, when it's dark and it's late after 12 hours of driving 300 miles, I am not in the mood for the "challenge" of finding my way, I just want to find my friends and family,get gas and get home. Hesitation, traffic and all, it was a grand day. I love the hell out of this car.

since October 15, 2001

Esmerelda's Pages ~ Z3ers.com Esmerelda's Home Page