Tuesday, June 20, 2006

The Back Way

Sorry I've been so lax in posting lately. Things have been busy and when I find myself with time to post..... I can not wrap my mind around what to post about. It's a vicious circle.

Yesterday, Gary needed to take the boat to Connecticut to have some work done on it. My mother asked if Hannah could go to the beach with her for the day instead of ride with us. hmmmm..... it really wasn't a hard decision for Hannah to make. On one hand, we have the beach, complete with gulls, sand and sun. On the other hand, we have a drive to CT, with traffic, tolls and giants scoops of B-O-R-I-N-G.

Gary and I are scooting along 95 south just as rush hour is beginning. Oh wow- if you have not driven in Massachusetts at rush hour YOU HAVE NOT LIVED. There's nothing in the world like being less than 3 feet from the car in front of you, traveling at 70mph...... it really gets the blood pumping nicely. One person applying the brakes needlessly can cause a chain reaction traffic jam that can last for a long time.

We delivered the boat with a promise from them that it will be ready for pick-up on June 29th. In other words.....oh vay! I get to make this trip again! Heading home.... it was hot. We had the AC on screech and it was very comfortable in the cab of the truck. I took a picture of the outside temperature to share with you....


About 5 miles before the Hampton Tolls in New Hampshire, we come to this: A dead stopped jam.

We happened to be right near an exit so Gary pulled off and took a left. He said if he could get a few miles north on Route 1, he could avoid the jam but unfortunately, Route 1 North was totally jammed as well. He turn left again, cut through a school parking lot and turned right onto a back road. Winding from one back road to another, I got confused. I had no idea where we were. Maybe near an industrial park? There were CocaCola packaging facilities and big trucks. Suddenly, we were back at 95 north PAST the Hampton Tolls and heading home again.

"Gary, how in God's name did you know where we were going?" I asked him.

"I worked down here a couple times when I was with NES." he replied.

"Come on, Gary, that was 10 years ago. How the hell can you remember which way to go after 10 years?"

He says, "Sheri, I just do and the roads are the same and the direction of north hasn't changed. Be more observant of your surroundings. If you travel a road once, you should be able to remember where you went."

"Um, hello, Gary, I can not even remember what I did yesterday, let alone where I drove 10 years ago. No amount of observing is going to help me in this respect."

I'm just thankful that he has the inner common sense to know what to do when faced with a challenge like that. After 23 years, the man still amazes me. I would still be sitting in that traffic jam, sweltering in the heat.

10 comments:

mainiax said...

Did you stop in Wells for dinner. mmmmm I want to go there again.

Sandi said...

I do the same thing to mom here. We almost never take the same back road twice, and it is killing her that she doesn't know where we are. Does this mean that you will have to put up with Gary at the campsite this weekend? Without a boat? Will you be able to stand it? :)

Larry said...

Dude, I am convinced that Mass. deliberately designed their chunk of I-95 to cause traffic jams. Then again, think about how many exits have been added to the interstate in Maine alone since it first opened. For example, before they renumbered, the Bangor Mall was at exit 49. Now it's at 187. That's a bunch of new ways for dreaded traffic to get in the picture, and screw up a perfectly peaceful road trip.

Mike Todd said...

Does it kinda make you wonder if, somewhere up the line, one of Gary's ancestors did it with a homing pigeon?

Kim said...

they can remember routes from ten years ago, but "forget" how to work the washing machine. uh huh. men.

Sharpie said...

I have NO internal compass - so I sympathize with you!! I would have been on the highway too!!

lime said...

i bet you are su[er grateful hannah got to be at the beach. and yeah, that inner compass is bizarre. i need roadmaps and a navigator myself.

ccw said...

Giving me directions by saying north or south is meaningless to me. I have no idea which way is which when I am on a road. I am amzed that people can do that.

So glad that Hannah was having a nice day at the beahc instead of sitting in that traffic.

Beth said...

It's a guy thing. My husband tells me to always be mindful of the mile markers. I don't even SEE the mile markers. 99 degrees. Dear God, is that a mirage? Haha.

Momma Monster said...

Its a guy thing Sheri! It really really is, I'm convinced. My Hubby has lived in the state what, seventeen years and knows his way around even better than I do and I've lived her 34 years. He is KING of backroads...seriously, people call him and ask the best alternative route from point A to point B.........its a scary thing!