day 2

day 2: after coffee and cinnamon rolls, we were off for Gettysburg. Chris' aunt packed us each a brown bag of little treats - very sweet. We made a west virginia pit stop after an hour and then didn't stop again for at least 5 hours. little troopers. We listened to books like Clementine and Judy Moody and something about a little girl living in a haunted house. There was a terrible storm. I got off the highway at 30 to get to Gettysburg - via hairpin turns and 9% grade in the driving rain. I felt sorry we'd ever left home. I felt sorry I'd insisted on Gettysburg as a casual lunch stop between Columbus and NYC.

2 or 3 hours and 60 miles after leaving the highway, it was still raining in Gettysburg. I had a terrible time finding the visitor's center, and when I did, it turned out not to be free as I'd thought. I pulled over at a battlefield, took a few pictures of the kids, and tried to get them enthusiastic about the history of the place. We studied Gettysburg as part of our civil war Liberty Belles club last year. I think they had a tiny appreciation for it.



NYC was a 4 hour drive away and it was getting late. Everyone told me not to stop at Gettysburg and they were right. I planned on no stops till Brooklyn. We had to make a pit stop around Allentown anyway, which was particularly frustrating because we had to wait at least 15 minutes to get back on the highway where a construction crew had both ways sharing one lane.

It stormed so bad on the NJ turnpike that the tops of bridges were flooding. I got distracted, marveling at how the rain was coming down in swimming pools - literally sheets. The GPS got so disgusted with me for missing turns once in Brooklyn that it just said - follow the highlighted route and gave up. I pulled over and re-entered the address and arrived about 90 minutes later than planned. Margaret had brownies and spaghetti and meatballs waiting for us. It was great to see my sister.

Again I got no sleep due to the slumber party stylings of the sectional.