This is a rerun of a very exciting day in the lives of Kip and Mary McNinch. (October 22, 2018)
We left our spot near New Haven, Connecticut yesterday morning and headed for Manhattan. The GPS said our new RV spot for the next couple of days was just a short ninety-eight miles away. We were pretty proud of the fact we had found a place that looked really close to everything we wanted to see.
It was a lovely drive. We navigated through some tricky places, and we were congratulating ourselves on our ability to remain calm and follow the GPS map… and the reassuring voice of the GPS lady we have come to trust. Less seasoned RV travelers could surely benefit from our obvious expertise, we decided.
Then…for some reason, we have yet to figure out, our GPS lady turned on us.
Kip: This place is in Jersey City, right? We’re supposed to exit in a couple of miles and head west through the Bronx. I figured we’d probably stay on 95 and go across George Washington Bridge and then down to New Jersey.
MG: Remember the other day when we thought the GPS lady didn’t know what she was doing so we didn’t follow her map and we got lost?
Kip: You’re right. She must know a better way.
A little while later…
Kip: I can’t possibly turn up that street! It’s too narrow and there are cars parked on both sides. I’m going to have to go straight!
Mary: Wait! GPS is rerouting. That’s never a good sign. Haven’t we been on this street before? Watch out for the pedestrians!!!
Kip: What is that up ahead?
Mary: Let me look on the map. That’s the Queensbury Bridge. I think the GPS lady wants us to go across it.
After going around in circles to find a street that would accommodate us (never mind the Jeep we’re towing), going around a construction crew twice, and listening to two GPS ladies, (by this time, I had my cell GPS going too), we made it to the bridge that we hoped would get us closer to our destination…
Kip: We can’t go on this bridge!
Mary: What are you doing? We’re stopped on a very busy highway. We have to keep moving!!
GPS lady: Clearance violation! Clearance violation!!!
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Kip: It says maximum clearance is eleven feet! We’re eleven feet and six inches!!
Mary: I think that bridge’s clearance looks higher than it says.
Kip: Me too!
GPS lady: Clearance violation!!
Kip and Mary: Shut up!!
Silence as we proceeded to go across the bridge…Both of us are ducking our heads. It had to be close, but we didn’t hear any “ripping off the roof” noises.
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After we said, “Thank you, God,” we saw a tunnel up ahead. There was a guard waving at us to stop. Kip slowed down and managed to get his window open. The guy yelled something and Kip said, “No.” The guy nodded and we proceeded to go through the one and a half mile long Holland Tunnel. It dawned on me that all three dogs had disappeared with the cat. We later found them hiding under the table.
Mary: Did that guy ask if we had propane? (We do…)
Kip: Maybe…I couldn’t really hear him.
Silence…even both of the GPS ladies kept their mouths shut.
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After getting through the tunnel without blowing up, we cautiously breathed a sigh of relief. We were on the New Jersey side. We made it to the less than beautiful, but absolute best RV spot ever. I will tell you why we love it so much when I write about yesterday afternoon and today…probably tomorrow.
Kip: Well at least we know we won’t blow up in a tunnel even though we have propane.
Me: I bet they’re trying to find us now. That guard is probably telling the authorities, “That guy had propane and lied about it!”
GPS lady: (I had accidentally hit the microphone on my cell and she thought I was trying to verbally ask for directions.) “I don’t know what to do with… that guy had propane and lied about it!”
Kip: Oh great! She’ll probably share that with Google…
So far, we have escaped the law. We plan to head out before dawn tomorrow. Stay off the streets of New York…
nps means not my picture. I was busy when we encountered the bridges and tunnels…
Those 70ish Girls 