Autumn
Tag: Road Trip
Escaping the Wrong Way from New Jersey in WINTER
Newark Airport – Terminal ‘C.’ Early morning, quite a few years ago. “Florida?” “Hawaii?” …I could only dream! 
Retired now, but a glimpse back to years of employment often revealed necessary travel. How nice! But mid-winter? It meant up early in the cold, managing the slippery roads to the airport, and shuffle off to …Buffalo, or Detroit, or some other frozen landascape.
Renting a car was the norm. Bringing it back in one piece was the expectation.
Yeah, there was work to be done, and yes, often pretty landscapes in between.
But, at the end of some of those days, there was always a little nervous anticipation, often by the windows of the waiting room, pretending to read “USA Today” while supressing the notion of helplessly skidding or sliding down the runway in that plane out there. I would maybe think: Is this the fun part yet?
Thanks for viewing, and comments are always welcome. Zoom in for a closer look.
M 🙂
Wind Chill, and Snow – A Retrospective.
Not too much snow this season in New Jersey. So here is a look-back to Western New York State, seventeen years ago – January 15, 2003.
Above (and the next two pictures) …were taken just north of Hornel, NY
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, 55 Years Ago Today – Part One
October 21, 1964, I was fortunate to be there, …in New York City, walking around the Staten Island side of this brand new and, at that time, longest suspension bridge in the world. In an hour or two the ribbon cutting would facilitate the official opening, and we would be among the first to cross.
“New York’s Finest” on foot, and on motorcycle, as the latter start one final sweep of the roadway just prior to the official opening.
See Part Two, as we prepare to cross the new bridge, which after 2018 became correctly and officially named as the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with two z’s, finally conforming to the explorer’s actual name. Giovanni va Verrazzano was the first documented European explorer to sail through this waterway, in 1524!
Thanks for viewing, zoom in for a closer look on these original 35mm film images, and comments are always welcome. M 🙂
Bear Mountain – Forty Miles From “One World Trade Center”
This past week I drove up to Harriman State Park, NY, on the Hudson River. From the top of Bear Mountain, New York City, 30 to 40 miles to the south, is visible on clear days.
The top image is from just below the Bear Mountain Tower, and shows the vista to the south. The next image is from the same capture, enlarged and enhanced. In it, NYC’s skyline is clearly seen, with the George Washington Bridge at far left, …and “One World Trade Center” at far right. The iconic and once dominent Empire State Building is seen right of “Central Park Tower” the newest and now tallest building in the city …EXCEPT for the tower on One World Trade Center. (click the link below to see my previous post showing the very top of that tower.)
A view from the eastern side of the mountain, Bear Mountain Bridge crosses the Hudson River
Thanks for viewing, zoom in for a closer look and comments are always welcome. M 🙂
High Above – It’s “One World Trade Center,” New York
As seen from Battery Park, New York City, 6 years ago.
As usual… thanks for viewing, zoom in for a closer look, and comments are always welcome. M 🙂
On the Road – Alexandria Va., from N.J.
March 10, 2019
King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Va, 
Market Square, off King Street
King Street and the Potomac River, looking 6 miles north
The George Washington National Memorial – Located 1.5 miles west.
Thanks for viewing, Comments are always welcome.
M 🙂
Look Through My Window, To the Street(s) Below
Still “Winter Isolated” here in northern New Jersey, this morning I captured this image from our window, reminding me (obliquely?) of the classic Mamas and Papas song of forlorn love in the 1960s, here. And yes …those are still our trees in the foreground!
Thanks for viewing, and maybe even listening. Comments are always welcome. M 🙂
A Northbound Adventure – Part Three
Today, Wednesday, we would continue the adventure from Roberval, arriving at what would be our ultimate destination, indicated below as “Route du Nord”
In Part Two, I covered our initial 725 miles (1,167 km) non-stop drive over just under 22 hours from New Jersey to Roberval, Quebec Province, Canada. “Day Two” began at 9:45 AM August 31, 1966, in that lakeside town, driving North-West among more alpine lakes enjoying a smooth, well maintained paved road.
Within about 35 miles (56 km), however, we came across this worrisome signpost just inside another provincial park, (“Chibougamau Reserve”) indicating the end of the pavement. 🙁
65 mph (104 km/hr.) was no longer practical on the gravel surface that stretched endlessly ahead. Stones occasionally pelted the sides of the car; and as this was lumber country, massive logging trucks would fly by enveloping us in choking clouds of dirt and dust.
It would be 115 miles (186 km) before reaching pavement again, at the junction of Rt. 58 West (now known as Rt. 113.) After hours of gravel, the Sprite’s ride felt smoother than ever! Eight miles (13 km) later we would be in the last town while heading north in this part of the world, Chibougamau, serving a growing copper mining region, logging, and the Royal Canadian Air Force radar services.
Continuing, …the pavement ended again just past the town, as we once again were on the gravel road. Thirty minutes later we arrived at the barrier shown below. Its deterrent-rousing presence seemed to emphasize increasing aches and pains, emotional drain and weariness to us, not to mention the effects of dust inhalation and a worsening cold, on my part. We decided this would be our turn-around point as the road would end about 100 miles (161 km) further with limited or no amenities, and likely little change in scenery.
3:25 PM, 8/31/66, 918 car miles (1477 km) – 632 miles (1017 km) as the crow flies.
The non-stop return trip would first take us over 200 miles (322 km) on an unprecedented, unexpected overnight challenge of gravel and poorly maintained, primitive dirt road before reaching dawn and the increase of population, north of Ottawa!
See the conclusion of “A Northbound Adventure,” (Part Four) here.
Thanks for viewing, and comments are always welcome. Zoom-in or finger-stretch for a closer view of the maps and images. M 🙂