Part 4

Monday, June 26, 2006

Part 4

Current mood: amused

Lets see how many times this one shows up when I try to post it. So far Part 2 showed up 6 times and Part 3 showed up twice. Can we go for a record with Part 4?

I was going to title this as heading out to the highway but decided that I should keep with the simpler parts theme. I have a nasty headache but Im in the mood to write and I have all this information stuck up in my noggin and it needs to escape.

So here we are all gathering in the cars and off we head to the highway. Im in the lead with the toaster close behind. Then behind them is Hallie with John and Michele. If any of us slack and get lost, we all have cell phones to find the others. Easy enough. Or so you think. Or so I think for that matter.

We head out in the right direction and along the way I am pointing out to Lance the various highlights or the local sights. Im driving at this point so I have the general idea of the right direction. See? Im not being an idiot this time.

We start to head to the Taconic Parkway and thats when I have Lance call back to Jose and tell him to take the lead. He then cruises up ahead and Hallie comes up behind me. Im trying to keep her in my mirror while keeping up behind Jose. Not an easy task.

Its misty raining the whole way and I really hate driving in the rain. I keep watch on Joses car and all I can see is Nick moving back and forth in the back seat. I guess there are some things that I really dont want to know but that was pretty interesting.

Jose is doing about 70 and I see Hallie drifting back now and then so I slow up a little for her to stay in view. We hit a few toll booths and somehow I lose Jose. Well damnit... He goes through a Fast Lane that I didnt know was handing out the toll tickets as well. See here in NY we dont have such a thing. You go where they want you to go. There is no cheating.

Now they are long gone. Not to worry. We have cell phones. Lance and I are making jokes about the scenery and stuff and of course I have to pee yet again. Im doing about 90 to catch up to Jose and I can still sort of see Hallie behind. Shes keeping the pace as well.

Im watching the horizon for any signs of a toaster. I saw one go by on the opposite side going in the other direction. What a cruel joke for Jose but I know he isnt that crazy. So onward we cruise. I think I see them up ahead but whoops, its only a small SUV. I really need to pee so I tell Lance to call them and see where the hell they are. Wouldnt you know it, by the time Jose answers the phone, they come into view and I catch up to them.

Now Im looking for a rest area. In NY they have signs up miles and miles in advance to let you know where they are. You would think that on this road they could have the decency to do that as well. Nope. They let you know a half mile in advance. We call ahead to Jose to let him know to pull over. He answers just in time to past by the entrance. Well tough tooties. Im not waiting. We let him know the plan and tell him to go on and that we would catch up. Im getting good at that by now. He tells us what exit to get off of and we will meet him there.

We pull into the rest area and off I run like hell to the bathroom. Massachusetts somehow makes me want to have to urinate. Beats me. Move along. So now that my bladder is empty and things are taken care of. Its time to go catch Jose.

Both the cars leave and Lance is now driving. We are not bothering to go like a bat out of hell to catch up to Jose because at this point it would be impossible. That little toaster sure knows how to fly. Im sure Christy is having fun with them though.

We hit yet another toll booth and somehow lose Hallie. She went to a different ticket window than we did. We had a call from Jose a few minutes before telling us which exits to get off at and which highways to go on. We almost made a mistake coming off the toll booth. We swing in to the right one and almost nail another car. No biggie. The guy used his horn though.

Hallie is still nowhere to be seen. We come through Springfield and hit a rotary. I really hate rotarys. They are a pain in the ass if you ask me. But now everything is looking familure and I know where to go from here. I have been to this park a gazillion times.

We pull in to the entrance and still no sign of Hallie. We pull up along side of Joses car and get out to wait. Jose calls John and he gets the response that they passed an insurance company and asked if that helped. Helped? Helped what? Beats me. I just kept making jokes about asking if it was them every time a white car pulled into the parking lot. It was amusing me.

Finally they pull in and we gather around the ambition circle once more to decide what to do next. I guess its off to catch the tram to take us to the main gates.

Fun times ahead.