"Travels with Rudolph"
Chapter 1
Bernardsville, NJ to Terre Haute IN
Chapter 1
Bernardsville, NJ to Terre Haute IN
Travels with Rudolph are the travelogues from my solo drive cross-country in 2008.
As I've said, I was going through a divorce and wanted to start a new life at 58.
Besides the houses themselves, we were selling pretty much
everything in both of them, the 5500 square foot one with the three huge storage rooms filled to capacity. It sat on five wooded acres in Bernardsville, New Jersey...
As I've said, I was going through a divorce and wanted to start a new life at 58.
Besides the houses themselves, we were selling pretty much
everything in both of them, the 5500 square foot one with the three huge storage rooms filled to capacity. It sat on five wooded acres in Bernardsville, New Jersey...
..and the beach house "Down the Shore" on Chadwick Beach Island, which was my happy place so many times over the past years.
I was taking very little from the homes…just personal things and a sofa, two chairs, and a spare bedroom set for a guest room. Besides living in new digs, and for the first time entirely on my own, I wanted new “stuff” when I got there.
Each “chapter” was dashed off every night in a different hotel. I saw an awful lot of stuff, but, I just didn’t have the time or energy to include those sites and events. I was usually drained after driving so many hours each day.
Travels with Rudolph, Chapter 1
For those of you who do not know the significance of Rudolph, my daughter-in-law gave me this wonderful birch and twig Rudolph Christmas decoration years ago. It has always been one of my favorites. It is somehow both delicate and sturdy. The packers and I couldn’t figure out how to pack it, so Rudolph is accompanying me in the car.
I have arrived safely in Terre Haute Indiana...765 miles, 12 hours from when I left at 7.30 a.m. and 10.5 hours of actual driving. I LOVE MY CAR!!! My Audi Q7 is no doubt the best vehicle I’ve ever owned.
I didn’t leave at 5:30 as initially planned because I went to bed closer to 2 a.m. by the time I finished packing the last minute stuff and trying to get it all in the car. I did manage, but since my biggest fear is being broken into while in a hotel, I take in two large tote bags, one with my jewelry and one with files that can’t be lost. I also bring in my suitcase with clothes that can be rotated for a week (my things won't arrive until sometime between April 2nd and 4th) and, of course, my laptop.
It was pouring when I got here. My shampoo tried to escape from the back of the car when I got my things to check-in, so there are bubbles (from the rain) on my bumper and a little stream of them flowing under it. I backed in as per Carly’s suggestion and then realized that I backed up to an empty handicapped spot so you can STILL see all the stuff in my car. Rudolph is not in the hotel tonight, so he will no doubt scare anyone away. He is, after all, a “Watch Deer.” By the way, his antlers are removable. He gets very chatty about six hours into driving, and I just can’t shut him up. But then I realized if I took out his antlers, he would get angry (I can’t take off his ears; they are screwed in) he'd get sulky, and then he’d be quiet.
It was Rudolph who had the Baconator today at Wendy’s, while I had a small salad with lo cal dressing.
Things I have learned so far on this trip:
Cows do not always lie down when it rains.
There is not only a McDonald’s in every town in America, but there is also a Wendy’s.
Each “chapter” was dashed off every night in a different hotel. I saw an awful lot of stuff, but, I just didn’t have the time or energy to include those sites and events. I was usually drained after driving so many hours each day.
Travels with Rudolph, Chapter 1
For those of you who do not know the significance of Rudolph, my daughter-in-law gave me this wonderful birch and twig Rudolph Christmas decoration years ago. It has always been one of my favorites. It is somehow both delicate and sturdy. The packers and I couldn’t figure out how to pack it, so Rudolph is accompanying me in the car.
I have arrived safely in Terre Haute Indiana...765 miles, 12 hours from when I left at 7.30 a.m. and 10.5 hours of actual driving. I LOVE MY CAR!!! My Audi Q7 is no doubt the best vehicle I’ve ever owned.
I didn’t leave at 5:30 as initially planned because I went to bed closer to 2 a.m. by the time I finished packing the last minute stuff and trying to get it all in the car. I did manage, but since my biggest fear is being broken into while in a hotel, I take in two large tote bags, one with my jewelry and one with files that can’t be lost. I also bring in my suitcase with clothes that can be rotated for a week (my things won't arrive until sometime between April 2nd and 4th) and, of course, my laptop.
It was pouring when I got here. My shampoo tried to escape from the back of the car when I got my things to check-in, so there are bubbles (from the rain) on my bumper and a little stream of them flowing under it. I backed in as per Carly’s suggestion and then realized that I backed up to an empty handicapped spot so you can STILL see all the stuff in my car. Rudolph is not in the hotel tonight, so he will no doubt scare anyone away. He is, after all, a “Watch Deer.” By the way, his antlers are removable. He gets very chatty about six hours into driving, and I just can’t shut him up. But then I realized if I took out his antlers, he would get angry (I can’t take off his ears; they are screwed in) he'd get sulky, and then he’d be quiet.
It was Rudolph who had the Baconator today at Wendy’s, while I had a small salad with lo cal dressing.
Things I have learned so far on this trip:
Cows do not always lie down when it rains.
There is not only a McDonald’s in every town in America, but there is also a Wendy’s.
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You have to push the button to get the gas to pump. (Little out of practice on that one since you probably realize that NJ is the only state in the Union which forbids self• pumping.)
There is a chain of fast food places called “Shake and Steak”...I am not sure if the “Shake” is what they require you to do if you want the “Steak.”
Casket companies make deliveries on Thursdays, using tandem trailers.
Most tractor-trailer drivers are considerate and safely operate their vehicles.
There is no limit to how many Hershey kisses you can eat for a sugar/caffeine rush because you don’t want to drink coffee since you only “rent” it and sometimes the next rest room is in another state.
There is a chain of fast food places called “Shake and Steak”...I am not sure if the “Shake” is what they require you to do if you want the “Steak.”
Casket companies make deliveries on Thursdays, using tandem trailers.
Most tractor-trailer drivers are considerate and safely operate their vehicles.
There is no limit to how many Hershey kisses you can eat for a sugar/caffeine rush because you don’t want to drink coffee since you only “rent” it and sometimes the next rest room is in another state.
I passed a sign that you couldn't see at first. It was in the midst of trees, and when I finally could see it, it read: "Hidden Village Estates." Yes. It was exactly that.
When they say
“Next Rest Area – 70 miles”
they MEAN it. I missed one once and had to wait to the Welcome Bureau in the next state. A slightly uncomfortable ride, to say the least.
There is no rush hour anywhere after you pass Pittsburgh.
Actually, there is not very much of ANYTHING after you pass Pittsburgh.
Amish people live EVERYWHERE. I had NO idea. I thought they were only in Pennsylvania.
You cannot take photos from a moving vehicle, in the rain, in fog. I have about six pictures of my side-view mirrors, which should be the skyline of Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Indianapolis.
No one cares if you yell "Good-bye Columbus" as you proceed on 70 West.
When they say
“Next Rest Area – 70 miles”
they MEAN it. I missed one once and had to wait to the Welcome Bureau in the next state. A slightly uncomfortable ride, to say the least.
There is no rush hour anywhere after you pass Pittsburgh.
Actually, there is not very much of ANYTHING after you pass Pittsburgh.
Amish people live EVERYWHERE. I had NO idea. I thought they were only in Pennsylvania.
You cannot take photos from a moving vehicle, in the rain, in fog. I have about six pictures of my side-view mirrors, which should be the skyline of Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Indianapolis.
No one cares if you yell "Good-bye Columbus" as you proceed on 70 West.
Cargo DOES shift on exit ramps.
If you put in a dollar for pretzels in a rest area in Ohio, you will get two bags of cheese popcorn (and yes, I DID put the right numbers in to get pretzels)
Wet naps do not necessarily remove cheese popcorn stains from your hands... or your clothes.
EZ pass works outside NJ.
Everyone except NJ still pays to have dead animals removed from the road.
The Heartland is precisely that. Clean, pristine, peaceful, especially in the rain.
There are HUGE parts of this country (at least the first third) that do not have houses plopped down on them. People still farm. I never realized HOW big the USA is... I am enjoying the ride...all territory untread!
Thank you ALL for all your help and support. I am on the road to a happy life, literally and figuratively! You have been there for me through my worst times and now hopefully will share some of my best times... nowhere to go but up... or actually, WEST.
By the way, don't be offended, but my new best friend is Nurse Diesel, the voice of my GPS. Oklahoma City tomorrow, but I am NOT setting an alarm. I haven't slept for more than 4 hours in the last month ...and this place has soft, mushy pillows and a big TV!!! Love you guys!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
PS Rudolph told me he wants to have a steak dinner in OK City. Glutton. I hope I don't gain weight on the way west because of him.
xxxooo
Thank you ALL for all your help and support. I am on the road to a happy life, literally and figuratively! You have been there for me through my worst times and now hopefully will share some of my best times... nowhere to go but up... or actually, WEST.
By the way, don't be offended, but my new best friend is Nurse Diesel, the voice of my GPS. Oklahoma City tomorrow, but I am NOT setting an alarm. I haven't slept for more than 4 hours in the last month ...and this place has soft, mushy pillows and a big TV!!! Love you guys!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
PS Rudolph told me he wants to have a steak dinner in OK City. Glutton. I hope I don't gain weight on the way west because of him.
xxxooo