Take 95 South

 

New Jersey Turnpike this morning

STEDMAN, North Carolina -- I know this drive.

Greenwich to Stedman, which is just outside of Fayetteville. 

Or Mahopac to Stedman.

I've done it -- what? -- 12 times over the last decade?

It's right around 600 miles and, if the fates align, can be done in nine hours in probably the best-case scenario.

With stops, Sean and I were here in just under 10.

Stops. Just three. All Wawa's.

Kearny, NJ. Abingdon, MD. Fredericksburg, VA.

The one in Maryland was foolish. Sean asked for a restroom break. I didn't need to veer to a Wawa for that but it's a habit in the "land of the Wa" to go to one.

But that's it. We just kept moving.

We hit some traffic.

Washington, DC. As I told you we might.

We hit some construction traffic here in North Carolina also.

But every time we're here I am reminded of why we're here.

It's family who get us and who we get. It's quirkiness and fun. None of us take ourselves too seriously.

Plus there are cats. And a dog. None of that hurts the appeal.

My alarm went off at four. Yes, 4 a.m. As it was, I didn't sleep that great and I often don't, especially before traveling. Mostly because I'm mentally afraid I might miss my alarm.

To that end, Seans' phone was doing some kind of update and turned his alarm off. He was less than thrilled when he discovered it was 4:40 and I was dressed, packed, and ready to go.

But we left at 5:09. It's hard to be annoyed at that.

The miles then began to move. As New Jersey reached its conclusion, I prepared myself to conquer the beast that has lingered in my mind since last November: a bridge.

To be clear, it's the kind of bridge that rises to a peak. This isn't the bridge over the Tappan Zee or the Bear Mountain Bridge. 

This is the Delaware Memorial Bridge in this case. 

Last September, I came home from Virginia via Pennsylvania and into New Jersey on the Commodore Barry Bridge. At the apex, I felt somewhat lightheaded and the makings of a panic attack. I safely got to the bottom despite the lunatics in my brain and immediately found some food, figuring I was too hungry.

A few weeks later, I experienced similar things on three bridges to and from calling softball in Staten Island.

I had not been over that kind of bridge since and knew today was the day.

Despite the buildup, I'm here to tell you I made it across without any incident. I'm hoping my prognosis of making sure I'm adequately energized is correct.

Washington Crossing the Delaware
Emanuel Leutze, 1851 (Public Domain)

I can't tell you how good it felt to cross the Delaware. I felt like George Washington.

It had been weighing on me for months. I was truly worried that I couldn't drive across bridges like that. That's not to say I won't be conscious of it in the future but it was a relief for today.

I relaxed after that and we carried on.

As content as we are here in North Carolina, we will be back on the road early tomorrow morning. 

We will be in the Florida sun before it sets.