7-14-03: Day 5 of Summer Trip

Monday, July 14 2003

Day 5 of Summer Trip (leave New Jersey, headed to North Carolina)

7:58am – Departing Britta & Mike’s (101204)
Three days and four nights of          Too Sleepy to Write

10:00 am – Pit stop at a NJ service plaza (101315), 259.3 mi on tank, 14.7 gal, $20     I kept napping

10:18 – Crossed the Delaware bridge.

Time to recap our wonderful visit to Britta & Mike’s.

The guest bedroom was large and comfortable, with a private bathroom. It used to be the master bedroom before they built additions on their house. The yard was spacious, beautiful, and fun for the dogs.

Mike and Britta were pleased that Tessa & Vince kept a constant vigil for chipmunks and rabbits, making sure none showed their furry faces during our stay. Sounds like the rabbits around there are large and obnoxious about damaging the plants & lawn. 

Britta’s vegetable garden was small in size but dense in plants, and the layout with board walkways was very interesting. She grows almost everything from seed; has an efficient setup in the basement for starting plants during off-season. I’ll be trying her “wicking” method.

Britta, garden architect and plot genius

Friday morning we went with Britta to NYC on her commute to work. She drove to near Hoboken, then we took the transit (train) to the ferry dock, and went across the Hudson River to Manhattan. 

David & I were amazed and amused by the number of ferries on the water, the speed with which they zipped around, and the apparent lack of concern for proximity (i.e. ramming speed at perpendicular positions…).  Regular travelers didn’t bat an eye except to check their watches.
An interesting tidbit we learned from Britta is that NYC is not an early-bird town. Business usually doesn’t get going until @ 9 or 9:30, with people that deal with the west coast staying later at the end of the day to make up the time difference.
We parted ways after exiting the ferry and walking to the Winter Garden; Britta on a short walk to her office building and us on a self-guided tour. We were armed with camera, phone, map, ID, money, umbrella, and plans to meet for lunch.

During our 2 ½ hour walking tour we walked and walked and walked. Window shopping, mostly, with the first purchase being a $5 pair of sunglasses from a street vendor for me. The weather thus far had been warm, humid, gray skies (hard to see any views on the drive in, or of the skyline while on the ferry) but not actually raining. Soon after we started our walk, the skies lightened just enough to cause a glare for my sensitive eyes. For the most part, we felt fortunate weather-wise.

Foggy Lady Liberty

New York Architecture

Ground Zero

Other walking tour events included strolling along Battery Park, up Broadway, up & down Fulton, buying a fun ring for Leslie (August b-day) at a vendor’s booth.

@ 12:00 – took exit just S of Baltimore for lunch stop (McD’s) & potty.

@ 2:00 – Rest area at Virginia Welcome Center for post lunch pop break and David to stretch his legs after a 1-hour traffic jam (DJ note – the diesel pickup was a 5-speed manual tranny with a very heavy clutch) Skies are partly cloudy. Have decided not to call Karin & Dick because it’s the middle of their workday – we’ll get together another time. 

And now, back to the recap…
So, as noon approached, we headed towards Britta’s office building. After signing in at the front guard desk, we went up to the 5th floor and Britta walked us back to her office. She explained the city’s tight budget was the reason for old décor and general state of wear & tear. Her photos that dotted the walls soon distracted us, however, and we spent some time talking about the misc. scenes.

@ 12:30 we met Karin downstairs, and we walked a few blocks to Chinatown for “real” Chinese food. I especially enjoyed the prawn dish, but service was slow and the noise level so high we couldn’t converse very well.

After lunch, Britta returned to her office, and Karin took us on another walking tour. Some of the highlights: subway ride from Chinatown to Midtown, walked a short loop of Central Park, saw the park zoo (“swimming, diving monkeys”), walked up 5th Ave to Times Square, viewed Rockefeller Center, another subway ride towards Karin & Martin’s apt on 38th, walked through Grand Central Station--Karin did her grocery shopping--caught a view of the Empire State Bldg and the Chrysler Bldg, and on the verge of total exhaustion finished the journey to their apartment.

Me and 'Balto'

David & I at Central Park

"swimming monkeys"

Time out

Karin & I in Times Square

David got to meet Martin [Britta's husband], and he had some cold beers ready for us. Martin was working on his latest book, which is running into some contractual deadlines, and in addition to their upcoming move into their Shelter Island house (after renovations) said he had been summoned for jury duty.

Britta arrived shortly thereafter & we sat & chatted for a while.@ 6:00pm we headed out to return to the Perrys. Mike had graciously gone back to the house to let the dogs out about 1:00pm, and again after 5:00, so they had a wonderful day of napping.

That evening Mike made tacos for dinner, and we had more good conversation at the dinner table. Saturday morning was leisurely. Sometime @ 10 Mike & Britta drove to the local tennis court at a University, and we leashed up the dogs and walked over. That was a small adventure since we really didn’t know where we were going.

David had a kink in his neck and sore legs from the million mile city tour, but I felt okay enough to try my hand at some tennis when Britta offered to sit out for a while. It was fun, despite the muggy heat and the fact I haven’t played for 3+ years.

Britta serving (if the ball ever comes down...)

Mike is ready for anything!

Mike vs. Tina

Not very sportsmanlike, Tina!

Mike was hitting them pretty easy to me, trying to give me a chance. He and Britta played some more so we rounded up the dogs & walked back to the house. Had sandwiches for lunch and fiddled around outside until Karin & Martin showed up @ 3:00. (Karin & Martin’s dog, “Folly”, did not like Pav for some strange reason, and kept growling at him.)

We chatted a while, then we all headed to the tennis courts where the four of them played doubles, and David & I swatted a ball around. David has an accurate serve, and rarely hits the ball long; I have a tendency toward overpowering and under controlling. Martin was sick recently with Lyme disease (from a tick) and is still on meds, so he sat out after a while and let me join in. Karin & Britta teamed up against Mike & me, and David says I didn’t do too bad at all. I felt flattered by the group’s compliments on my forehand, and glad I was able to serve with some consistency. David has promised to study up on the rules of the game, so we can do scoring.

After tennis, we returned to the Mike & Britta's, cleaned up, talked, and wiled away a few hours until a fabulous steak dinner by Mike. Part way through the meal, Henry (Karin & Martin’s son) showed up and joined the crowd. Wonderful food, wine & conversation, with one little bump in the road between David & I that shall remain undetailed…

@ 11:45pm, M, K & H left, and we sent a photo CD with them to view at their leisure (we had a chance to show a few). Sunday morning started with fresh bagels & lox. Nice weather so we lounged a bit, then took a drive to see “The Great Swamp” and walk a boardwalk trail in the cool shade.

What a good looking group!

Beautiful (and practical) boardwalk

Next, a visit to the “Raptor Sanctuary”, a haven for injured birds of prey. Short visit to the “Great Swamp Nursery” for a few plants. Bought kneepads as a present to Mike. One of the large owls was a favorite of both me & David. Can’t remember the species name. Finished with a scenic driving tour of the area near their house, then home for sandwiches.

Had a great afternoon helping them weed and putz in the yard. So many nice perennials, shrubs, flowers and all tended by Mike, while Britta grows the garden. The dogs had another great day running around the yard. 

Dinner was grilled chicken, squash & rice. Watched their favorite show “Sex in the City”, then to bed @ 11:00 since they both had to get going to work in the morning. Terrific Visit!

4:26pm (101638) - Crossed into North Carolina! Planning to stop at the Welcome Center for a pit stop.

4:40pm - Pit stop and map check (David’s eta: 6:15pm)

6:16pm – Arrived at house in Cary. (101711)



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