Results 26 to 27 of 27
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07-31-2015, 09:12 AM #26
So I promised a trip report. The deal was completed earlier this week. Shotgun rider for the trip was my father. He came up with the idea that we make a slight detour to see a long time family friend part way about 2 hours away from the car. We left on Sunday afternoon and hit the interstate. A bit of rain just before we got onto I-80 and then the road construction signs. Just after the first warning of construction zone- traffic comes to a complete stop. 1 hour and 20 minutes to travel 5 miles as the merging of traffic into the single lane was not going smoothly for this weekend volume. Dinner stop was moved to just after the 2 hours it took to get through the 11 miles of traffic and then the construction. Then back on the road for the rest of the trip. Just about when it was getting dusk, 3 separate bands of severe thunder storms complete with lightening and heavy rain was the final delay of the first segment. Arrive at the friends and catch up some before heading to bed. Up early in the morning and friends suggestion is we go out for breakfast at the local's diner hang out which we did and visited some more. One more short trip to see the family friends business and meet one of her sons. Finally send a message to car seller that we are about 2 hours out and hitting the road. If this was not a last minute thing could have made it a bit of vacation as we are driving though many State Parks and also now the morning of the 2nd day the Pocono mountains and Delaware Water Gap with plenty of trails and hiking that could have broken up the travels.
Arrive at the car sellers location just a few minutes before they shut down for lunch on Monday. Car is inspected, test drove and everything is pretty much just as described with the exception of the star chip in the front window that was not disclosed. Seller heads to lunch while we check on the Insurance binder and make a few calls to see what the window repair costs are going to be. Ended up negotiating some off the price due to the window damage and deal closed and papers all signed.
We head off to the DMV office to get the temporary tag. Fee for the transit tags was only $12.50 and seemed like it would not be too far out of the way to get the tag. However typing the address into Google on the phone starts out good with the navigation until we turn up the road for the location is on your right. Screw up is there is a King Rd (which I selected out in the country side) and a King St - which is the DMV. So by that time, out in the rural countryside and no internet data signal or cell signal is available. Head back and figure if we head in the right general direction and get a signal again we will find the DMV office. Next we start seeing detour signs for the route and have to finally stop at a local business to get the directions straight. Head down the main road and Google kicks in with take a left in x number of feet. I look down at the compass on the dash and know that has to be wrong, but by that time we are heading up the interstate heading off northeast. Next exit off the Interstate and make our stop for a late lunch and regroup. Cell phone battery is just about dead due to the GPS and constant signal searching it was having to do, even with it plugged into the car charger it had died on me once. So finally get to the DMV- actually one of the better experiences to give this office credit. There was a line, but it moved along and while we waited we started with info required on the forms and within 5 minutes our number is called. Finished up the tags paperwork, the DMV finds the previously faxed insurance information and we pay the fee. Paperwork returned and out the door with directions on how to get back to the Route we need to take to get heading home.
Good old Rt 17 which turns into I-86 is also filled with much needed construction and really in rough condition... I've been on dirt roads smoother than this highway is.
So theme of the trip is Google Maps failed at least once. Only thing worst than the orange cones and road construction traffic jam is no road construction and rough pothole filled Interstate highways.
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07-31-2015, 10:23 AM #27
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