Raleigh, North Carolina

I'm tiiiiiiired. I'm in Raleigh with Jayna. I survived the first leg of the trip solo. Sri was instrumental in helping me to pack up my car, and the voice of reason in sorting through things I needed to throw away because they wouldn't fit. (In my defense, the car was smaller than I was anticipating, it wasn't that I had too much stuff!)

I left around 2p, and it actually took me well over an hour just to get out of New York/Manhattan. Being in Queens I went over the Williamsburg Bridge with the spectacular view of the city on my way into Lower Manhattan

I had to take the Holland Tunnel into New Jersey and got the brilliant idea to take a picture of every state I crossed, and it was easy when I came out onto a sign like this

But then when I couldn't get my camera in time for Pennsylvania's massive billboard welcome, I decided it was going to be too much effort! The funny thing is that I've gone up and down the Eastern seaboard at this point, between visiting Chrishon, Sri and Palak in Boston, Philadelphia and DC, (and Palak and I even did that road trip down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for Memorial Day Weekend in 2012) but because I was trying to avoid the toll roads, the route I took was different, and much more scenic. Passing through Wilmington, Delaware was so beautiful and cute, I wanted to pull over and start my life there! Who knew?

I pulled over on the border of Delaware and Maryland for a break and to get food, and it was so deliciously warm and humid and lush and trees in the distance as far as anyone could see. I'm really going to miss the mid-Atlantic, I really liked this scenery, and the rivers and the sound of the crickets and cicadas. I mean, not that I ever saw this being in New York City, but it was easier to get around to. This was crossing a river around Maryland I think, and then the triple spire is a Mormon temple in DC, I think Silver Springs or Bethesda.

So,  New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina later, here I am! I'm glad we've been able to hang out and relax around here this morning since my back is still recovering from the 11 hour journey. We have a six hour trek today to her sister's place in Atlanta. Peace.