We spent the last two days driving home from Florida. Normally Rt 95 is a potential horror show with traffic jams, accidents and crazy drivers. But this time, it was easy because the volume of cars was much less than usual. A piece of cake.
Sunday morning, Rt 95 northbound, Latta, S. Carolina. 5/17/20. Eileen Goldfinger photo. ©
We were worried about overnight accommodations. We chose our usual stop in Florence, South Carolina at a Marriott Courtyard where they super cleaned each room after a guest and then let it sit for over 24 hours. We did our own wipe down. The furnishings were purposely sparse. The take out from a Longhorn restaurant was horrid.
The next morning we took out coffee and egg sandwiches from a nearby Waffle house which had all the seating spread out. They are open 24 hours, and no one was there at 7 am. The waitress called me “honey.”
The Carolinas are nice states to drive through–rural. Sunday morning the airwaves were full with Christian programming, fire and brimstone. I’m concerned about fire, but brimstone is usually tolerable.
North Carolina was feeling its oats regarding the virus: About every 50 miles there would be an electric sign over the road which had a simple message: “STAY HOME.”
The Carolinas are patriotic with giant flags along the route, including some of the confederacy.
Lumberton, N.C. Water tower. May 17, 2020. Eileen Goldfinger. ©
The approach was gentler in Maryland where they call their visitors “Hon.”
Rt 95 Maryland near D.C.
It was good to get back to Ocean Grove, but Jersey seemed to be dreary as we went onto the Turnpike, 195 and then Asbury Park. We tried to do Italian takeout at Jimmies in Asbury and Uva in Bradley, but they were closed at 6 pm on a Sunday. We wound up with hot turkey sandwiches at the Blue Swan on 35.
This morning I went to Wegmans at 7 am. It was dreary also, and everyone seemed tense–customers and workers. They have compromised their bagels, eliminating a critical step of boiling in water. And I couldn’t prepare my own coffee. I couldn’t even find the exit. Went home, unpacked the car, and said “hi” to a couple of neighbors.
But Eileen is thrilled to have her garden again and I will look for some photo-ops again in the hood.
Paul Goldfinger Editor.
KRIS BOWERS “The Lonesome Road” from Green Book
Welcome back! Yes, I think you may find that your morning visits to Wegmans are a bit more tense than when you left. And the shortages are real; you may leave without everything you intended to buy.
Welcome back, Ocean Grove is coming to life again. Stay safe!