Lost (again) in NJ

The last detour sign I saw happened to be the very first, which said, "Bridge out, follow Amwell Rd detour signs", with an arrow turning right. So right I went. Wrong!

I think there are only two compass headings in NJ. There are roads that lead to New York City, and roads that form concentric circles around New York City. I thought if I drive long enough, I would run into one of New Jersey's 13.2 billion miles of interstate highways (and parking lots). I am still trying to wrap my brain around this one: I was heading due east, made a right hand turn, and then made a left to end up going west.

So I tried to call Charity to see if she could lo-jack me.

I say , "I am on route 602." She replies, "There are no numbered roads on the map." I discover that the major road up ahead has no street name like the other five before it. Then my call is dropped and I start the cycle all over.

Most fortunately, James was asleep for the hour long tour.

Finally, I see a road sign and discover that I was heading in the exact direction away from home, well, I should say the exact direction away from New York, which happened to be on the far side of home. So, Charity was my lifeline and told me how to shimmy across the back roads to get to the one special highway that was paved through my neck of the woods.

I am beginning to think that the whole purpose of Jersey "jug handles" is to create a place for lost and out of state drivers to burn gas and wait for divine intervention--kind of like those frogs in a shallow tide pool waiting for the rainy season. But I digress.

So, I got home and Charity had a wonderful dinner waiting for me. She is the best. Lessons learned: When lost, Charity makes all wrong turns right.