A Three (+) Hour Tour

(If you are of a certain age you'll know what that is in reference to...if not...you know what to do)

Wednesday, March 19th should have been just like any other Wednesday.  Go to the office, come home, and head to the Poconos.  It SHOULD have been.  It was not.

I did go to the office as usual.  There were problems to face and try to solve.  It was seemingly a typical day.  However, I had an end of the day call/meeting from 4:30 to 5:00.  Since it was so late in the day, I asked my manager if I could leave the office early and do the call from home.  She had no problem with that as she was going to be on the call and doing it from the train.  (There was no way I could do a call from the bus.)

I left the office at 2:15 and was able to walk in the front door before 3:15 (I finally hit the sweet spot; if I had gotten a bus just a few minutes later, it would have been full of students just let out from school.)  Once inside, I pulled out my laptop to get back to work.  Only nothing happened.  It wouldn't turn on.  I plug it in to a different outlet and still nothing.  I am trying not to panic, but you know how good I am with that.  

I called two different help desk people who I trust.  Both went to voicemail.  Then I got sneaky and called the mobile number for one of them.  He was in a meeting, but picked up.  Hearing the panic in my voice, he told me what to try to do.  It took a few minutes (which felt like an eternity), but it did work.  I owe him a debt of gratitude.

I was able to do some work and get on the call, which lasted a bit longer than I would have liked.  However, I got on the road, told my husband I was on my way and that GPS had me arriving around 6:30.  All was well with the world.  Or was it?

I was going at a good clip, staying in the left lane.  I was chatting (hands free) with my aunt when traffic started to build up and stop.  I finished my conversation and tried to figure out what was going on.  My GPS was telling me to get off at the next exit, but I wouldn't.  It was bumper to bumper and there was no way to get to the exit.  I kept moving slowly (inch by inch) and GPS kept telling me to get off at the next exit and I couldn't.  So just stayed where I was, inching forward as I could.  All the while, plenty of police cars were going by on the shoulder. And there was plenty of police presence on the east bound side of the highway as well.

This went on and on, the clocking ticking and my time of arrival getting pushed back and back.  And then I came to the point of no return.  Route 80 was closed in both directions.  

As I have mentioned in previous posts, heading back to NJ from PA has been challenging due to the sink hole issue on the eastbound side.  Work is still being done there.  While they were putting together a cross over lane (to ease traffic eastbound by changing one westbound lane into east for about a mile), a NEW sinkhole opened up in the median (which splits east and west).  All traffic has to get off, get on another little highway, loop around and get back on 80.  It doesn't matter which direction you are headed now...`EVERYONE has to get off and do this.  If you are not aware Route 80 is the highway that connects California with NJ/NY.  There are tons of trucks every day on this road...and now they, along with everyone else, has to get off on this (not major) highway and loop around.  Believe me when I say that this is a BIG problem for anyone traveling on Route 80 in NJ AND it's also a major problem (and headache) for those who live in my area.

I know this is NOT a quick fix.  (If it was it would have been resolved in February.)  I know teams have been working on resolving this and getting it done right around the clock.  However, now we are really in deep...well you know...Nutshell, this is a NIGHTMARE that just keeps getting worse and worse.  I know I am stressed out by it, imagine how others, especially those in the vicinity of the area, are feeling.

Once I finally made it through the detour and back on Route 80, two hours had already passed since I'd left my home in NJ.  Once again I was traveling at a good clip.  There were amazingly few cars on the road.  (Where did all the traffic go?)  At one point there was no one ahead of me on the highway that I could see!  When does that happen?

I finally crossed over into PA and got off at my exit.  GPS is putting me arriving a little before eight.  

There was not much traffic on the two lane, tree lined "highway" that would just about deliver me to my home.  (It's not really a highway...it's got a route number, but it’s one lane each way with no lights, few houses and mostly trees.  I am five miles from turning off the highway and getting onto the backroads (heck they are all back roads) that will take me to my house in less than five minutes when...

There is a policeman in the road.  His car is blocking the lane heading south and he's not going to let me continue on north.  I have no idea what happened.  (Google is not giving me anything.)  He told me to make a right and follow the road which would loop around and bring me back down to a different road.  (One that I had heard of, but didn't know very well.)  So I make the turn and (foolishly) let my GPS do the rest.

Now, my home in PA is pretty remote.  However, where I was that night was even more so!  No lights, no houses (or very few) and no idea where I was headed.  I'm going uphill on this one lane road (with a drop off on my right side, or so it seemed.)  My husband is trying to call me.  I'm ignoring him so I can focus.  He keeps trying to call me and I finally answer when he asks "Where are you?  What are you doing?"  I have no idea where I am or what I am doing, but I keep going.

After 5-10 minutes (I'm guessing; it seemed like an eternity to me), I finally made it back down to the road I had been on previously!  I may have even been in the same place!  It was dark and I'm not sure.  There was someone from the police force there, but it wasn't the person I'd spoken to before and the police car was gone.  However, it was clear that something was going on and wouldn't be able to turn right and go north so...

I turned left.  Headed back down the road to where it intersections with another "highway", which takes me further west.  From there I am able to pick up another "highway" which will get me to the road that leads.

FINALLY, at 8:10, three plus hours after I left the house in NJ, I pull into my driveway.  I'm shaken.  I'm tired.  And, of course I need to go to the bathroom!

It was a hell of a drive.  And guess what?  I have to make the trek back in the other direction on Saturday, though this time my husband will be with me.  Then on Sunday we have to take my son back to college and head back to PA as we have morning dental appointments here on Monday.  Then it's back to NJ...And this insanity will continue...