Excitement in New Jersey

Sept 17 - 19

Spent my birthday doing almost nothing. Perfect. Stayed in the campground until almost noon, then drove only an hour or so to another rv park in Pennsylvania, hooked up electric, poured myself a glass of wine and put my feet up. Looked at all the birthday greetings people sent online, answered a few phone calls and texts.   73 is OK.....

Missing Bobbie with me, especially hearing her singing Patsy Cline's  Lovesick Blues, complete with yodeling.  Who knew she had that range?!  

Am  realizing I only have 6 weeks to finish seeing the north east before the snow flies. Already seeing the leaves changing color a bit.

Checked out the historic Bedford Springs Hotel on the way across Pennsylvania.

It was remodeled recently but still retains that wonderful feeling of authenticity.

 Woolrich, PA

This 1820 cabin was moved to this spot in Woolrich Park  for the 100th anniversary of the Woolrich Mills in 1930. 

Of course I had to make a stop at the Woolrich retail outlet next door.

There's nothing like a Woolrich jacket in cold weather.

Kitty corner across PA in the north east corner is Roseto,  famous for the fact that in the first half of the 1900s the Italian community here had almost no heart disease or blood pressure problems.

This small town of modest homes is a testament to a time when life was simpler and healthier.  Written up in medical journals as a place for a stress free life, I had to stop and have a big Italian lunch of pasta.
 Found the addresses of several local cafes and set my GPS.  Upon arriving found the businesses closed.  Local Becky was out delivering Meals on Wheels. She said there were no more cafes in town, only a bakery now. Stopped there for a meat pie, like an inside out Pizza, to go. The owner said the town has now caught up with the rest of the country in health concerns, and maybe has even more stress with many businesses in town closing.

Crossing a part of New Jersey, I had been on a rough county road for a bit with everything shaking around in the Doodlebug.  Then I got on a turnpike and things were still rattling.
Just as I thought I should get off and see what was going on, BLAM!, a  blowout on my right rear tire!

I was in the fast lane with a wide emergency lane, so pulled over but cars and 18 wheelers were whizzing by at 70 mph. Called AAA for a tow (there was no room to change it there).  AAA told me I wasn't covered for towing because I was a motorhome and didn't have Premium coverage. I told them when I bought the insurance they knew the kind of vehicle I had. She said California coverage was different than other states. I asked for a supervisor just as two highway patrol cars pulled up behind me with lights flashing. I told them what AAA said and they said they had already called a tow for me as I was in a dangerous place and just needed to get off the freeway.

I was towed a few minutes away to Riverdale, NJ where I went down the street to Karen's Country Kitchen while the tire was being replaced.

It was shredded.

At the cafe I had lunch with these nice folks.
Jack insisted on buying my tuna sandwich so I would "think well of New Jersey".

Owner Karen, waitress Debbie, customers Judy and Jack

Judy is my same age, my twin.
We compared life stories.
 ,

Another celebrity photo op, this time with
 an early Bob's Big Boy
in front of the cafe

$395 later I was on the road again:

tow $162
tire $186
labor

State Farm will pay the tow and I will deal with AAA

It was scary but not as scary as posting that picture of the real me with the American Gothic painting in the Chicago Art Institute.

Stayed that night in the Catskills, the home of the movie
Dirty Dancing.

 A bit of excitement today and I know it won't be the last.