DC to Long Island adventure

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

I finally made the trip, glad to check it off my bucket list. It was pretty enjoyable for a good bit of it, then became miserable.

Julie met me at my work, I got early relief at 5:30, so we were on the road at 6am. It was still pretty chilly, so between Arlington and the Bay Bridge, we had to pull over twice to thaw our fingers out. We crossed the massive bridge to the eastern shore and fought a strong headwind most of the way to Delaware, and I actually ran out of gas about 1 mile from a gas station. They were few and far along US-301, but I kept pushing past each junction hoping the next one would have services. Finally I searched on Yelp for one, and made it just short of my goal. Julie had to ride ahead and fill up, then but a bottle of spring water, just for the empty bottle to bring gas back to me. On we go.

We then crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge into NJ, connecting with CR-551 up to Woodbury. I should've stayed on 130 at that point because it took seemingly forever to get through Haddon Height. We took a lunch break at the Marlton Whole Foods. From there, we bypassed Mt Holly and blasted across most of NJ on CR-537 Monmouth Rd northeast to Freehold. That stretch was a nice road and relatively empty. After Freehold, we got on US-9 which was much busier, but quickly got us close to NYC. It got dumpy and crowded with trucks from Woodbridge to Newark Airport. Just before the airport, the roadways split to local and express lanes with no trucks allowed in and minimal traffic in the express lanes. The roadway (Pulaski Skyway) carried us high up and over the port of Newark, as well as most of Jersey City, dropping us off right at the portal to the Holland Tunnel.

The HT was smooth, about 30 mph pace, but we hit complete gridlock in Manhattan. We eventually made our way to and across the Queensboro Bridge, assuming 25A (Northern Blvd) would be an easy and nice ride out to eastern LI. Big mistake. That stretch of roadway was a nightmare through most of Queens and into Nassau. We stopped at another Whole Foods in Manhasset, because I was completely exhausted and needed to get off the bike. I never thought I would feel that way. That's what happens when you go less than 30 miles in over 3 hours.

Julie stated at that point that she'd rather just ride on the expressway, and I then realized what an amazingly smart woman she is. We backtracked 2 miles and rode the LIE I-495 service rd the remaining 50+ miles east, and in great time. Should've been the plan from the start.

We finally got to my parents around 8:30, total saddle time was 11hrs 17 mins. Should've taken a lot less, more like 9 hours, to go 335 miles. The return trip will need some revision, but I can't even begin to think about that now.

She's a real trooper for toughing this out with me!