Garlicheads - California or Bust Day 1

Friday, June 29, 2007
Driving start: 9:30 am EST, Norwalk, CT
Driving stop: 7:30 pm EST, Clarion, PA
States: CT, NY, NJ, PA
Crash pad: Microtel, RM116 (pets allowed)
Total road time: 10 hrs

The move-out morning found us packing the van, trailer and car. Last minute cleaning was also on the to-do list. We finally made it out of the house at 9:30am EST.

Connecticut, New York and New Jersey went by in a blur. Lots of green with rock faces here and there. The driving was pretty smooth sailing and uneventful until Pennsylvania. We experienced lots of rubber band traffic all the way to Clarion, PA. Road construction sites seemed to crop up every 25 miles. Traffic would slow to a crawl and sometimes come to a dead stop. blah!

Poor Willy the cat. He did not like the start of the trip and promptly made his discomfort known by pooping on Syd and then on Keith. Ewww! The rest of this trip will find him segregated to the back of the van! He's got lots of space back there to roam with all his amenities.

We stopped for the evening in Clarion, PA at 7:30pm EST. Luckily, the first hotel we found allows cats -- Microtel Inn and Suites. We headed out to the Roadhouse Restaurant for some grub. The Roadhouse is one of those steakhouses like Outback Steakhouse with a tame Roadhouse theme - no mechanical bulls in sight. Syd was fascinated by the peanut shells that littered the ground. After being trained not to be a litterbug, what a weird concept it was for her.

Syd says hello to all. She is in good spirits although her tummy has been queasy the last few days. Instead of the license plate game, Syd enjoyed spotting the roadkill.

"Roadkill!" --Syd

One More for the Road

Thursday, June 28 found us at the ABF Milford location. We decided to get a third relocube to ship our stuff. The main concern was the weight load moreso than space.

Cracker Barrel

Thanks to Maria and Mimi for our going away breakfast!

Party Kids

Thanks to the Snedaker family for hosting a Happy Trails party!

Syd, Matt and Emma

Syd and Abby

Thanks to the Schiff family for the fabulous spool party!

Syd and Amalia

Thanks to the Maric family for those Fat Cat pies!

Syd and Kim On the Trampoline

Thanks to the McGuire family for letting Syd bounce around.

Rowayton School Strings Concert

Syd and Rachel. Sydney did a solo of Minuet by Bach. Thanks to strings instructor, Sherry Seskin, for inspiring Sydney during the last two years of violin.

Merit Music Spring Recital

Thanks to Dorota Peglow for instructing Syd in her second year of violin. At the recital, Syd played Waltz by J. Brahms and Bouree by G.F. Handel.

Gloria Giraffe

Thanks to Abby, Sabrina and Courtney for coming to see Syd perform as Gloria Giraffe in Crystal Theatre's produciton of Bella Basset - the musical.

Ms. Van Bueren

Syd received her 1st degree recommended Black Belt in May.

Lady Liberty

We visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on a cold April morning. Also encountered snow flurries on the ferry ride to the islands.