Here and There

[Longboysfan]

How could you leave beloved Jersey behind and go to stinky Texas

Come back man, we need you here.

Kidding aside, I wish you luck on your new journey.

Did you move alone or with your family(wife and kids)

I would love to hear more about your story as I am from Northern New Jersey myself.

I'll post a few lines about my trip. Just got to go back in email and find it.

 

[Longboysfan]

Welcome to Texas. Liking the weather? How many people have you talked to from NJ that were concerned if you were okay or not since last night?

Fort Worth is a great town, but there is a ton to explore and do all over DFW. It's basically a small state... roughly the same size as New Jersey but not as many people.

5 got in touch with me in Email and on the phone.

That lightning show provided by God was spectacular.

I'm still in the explore mode.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Something I noticed up there was that Bills fans were the biggest blowhards in the world. Jets fans kept their mouths shut for the most part, and would only admit to being Jets fans if you asked them. Giants fans were pretty mellow, and great to talk too. I was there when Landry was fired, and they seemed to be more mad about it than I was. Maybe because Landry is a former Giant? At the same time many of them were also saying Walsh was a better QB than Aikman, so they really aren't that wise.

LOL!

Yeah the Bills' fans are opinionated. Living in an area where they are as thick as thieves can be interesting for a Cowboys' fan.

But I'll tell you, their stadium has loads of good football atmosphere... very loud and jubilant.

 

[Longboysfan]

O.K. I called it an early night in Jersey on Friday at 9pm.
Sleeping till my body clock – which runs on about 6 hours a night got me up at 3:30am.
Could not sleep any more on Saturday morning – got up and loaded the Rav4 the rest of the way.
7 packing crates, two suitcases, referee clothes bag, various snacks and my cooler of drinks.
Out of Fair Lawn at 4:53am and onto the roads.
Trip was Routes 80 to 287 to 78 to 81 to 40 to 30 to 820 then to the extended stay off of 820 in Fort Worth.
I was out of Jersey about 6:06am. Pennsylvania was about 3 hours. Switched over from 78 to 81 in Pennsylvania.
Then a quick trip through Maryland and a bit longer in West Virginia.
Into Virginia for the long ride down 81 till you get a bit into Tennessee. There was a traffic accident that backed up the interstate in Virginia for 3 plus miles. I got off a ramp and with my 30 year old rand McNally atlas drove 15 miles on the back roads and got past it. Well it was a side highway all were going 55 or so as it was posted speed limit. Got back on well past accident. Then into Tennessee. Road switched from I81 to I40.
Wow was Tennessee a long drive about 500 miles from tip to tip. It is real nice driving through the valley in Virginia and Tennessee. I did notice – no trash along the way. Jersey interstates are major trash on the side of the road.
I made it to about 80 miles from Memphis the first day. Stopped about 9pm. I averaged about 63 MPH even with the quick gas stops and a lunch break.
Slept in a rest stop for about 3 ½ hours in the car as there was too much to unpack and I did not want to leave all that alone in car.
Up about 1am. Drove into Arkansas for about 25 miles. Into another rest stop. Slept there 3 hours till 6:55AM EST – Did not change my watch till I got here. Then back on the road and the sun coming up was chasing me in Arkansas. There were a lot of farms in the first part of Arkansas.
Second part was wooded as it looked like we were in rolling hill country.
About 6:10am I hit a stretch of road in Arkansas they were fixing. One lane with out side, my side, having the break down lane.
Well it was about two plus miles in the barrier switched and a few miles later a truck was broken down on the other side coming the other way. No two truck, no police. No one. They were using the other side of our road to the east bound traffic. I drove 2 plus miles and it was mostly trucks and a few cars all backed up. Ouch. They could not go around as the inside lane area was too sloped to allow anyone other than 4 wheel drive to get by.
Past Littlerock, switched from I40 to I30, where the farms gave way to hills and woods. As I was about 30 miles from going into Texas the farms came back but it was mostly cows. I got into Texas about 9:30am or so. Hit the visitors center for a map and in the visitors center there is a Cowboys helmit.
Then after about an hour plus after into Texas I slipped in behind a sem tractor trailer and followed him into Dallas – he got off in town somewhere. Man I sat back about 50 feet from him and behind and he broke the wind for me. My gas mileage went from about 27 MPG to 35 MPG following him.
Around on I30 just within sight of the building in the Dallas down town there was a small accident – held me up for about 10 minutes.
Then smooth sailing on I30 to I820. I820 not a problem till I get to the top where road runs east to west and I am going west now. All construction on the road. Oh… No… Well I found the exit just past 377 and onto the service road. Went through about 4 lights and thought I may have missed the hotel.
Stopped at Speedway gas and asked where to go. Got bad directions and went where I thought and found the hotel.
Now about 2:30pm or so. Checked in and moved all the totes and suitcases into the room. Crashed and slept for about 4 hours, normal as I had done same with Florida runs many years ago. Slept till 6:55pm then up and drove to Kroger’s for food. Then drove and found Data Center – no too bad. Back to hotel and watched TV and had nice salad for dinner. Slept well.
Switched my watch to Central time. Up at 5:30am. Did my normal 300 plus sit up’s then changed and ran a few miles about the back area where I am. Still dark. Back in and cleaned up and off to work about 7:45am. Where did all these cars come from.
Took till 8:20am to get to office where yesterday was a breeze. Today not so good.
I will look and adjust tomorrow.
Here and working. I hope this covers everything. Lots of AM traffic trying to get onto the construction on I820.

 

[ShiningStar]

What part of Jersey hip?

 

[Rack]

Hit the visitors center for a map and in the visitors center there is a Cowboys helmit

In Texas it's spelled "Helmet".


/subtle humor

 

[Faerluna]

I would love to hear more about your story as I am from Northern New Jersey myself.

Where in North Jersey?

I lived in Tarrytown, NY (and all over Westchester), just over the Tappan Zee for almost 20 years prior to moving to VA.

 

[Sarge]

Give it time. You will love Texas. I've lived most my life in the Bay Area, and also upstate NY and Arlington VA. My parents were both from TX, and moved back in 2001. They convinced me to come out to Austin, and I absolutely love it. I didn't care much for the weather in upstate NY, but loved the fishing. The people there were as hillbilly as it gets. Absolutely hated Arlington and Washington D.C. Loved the Bay Area, and it will always have a hold on me, but was too expensive for me as a single father raising two boys. Austin has been perfect.

Where in upstate NY were you?

 

[muck4doo]

Where in upstate NY were you?

Catskill and Coxsackie. Greene County.

 

[Sarge]

Catskill and Coxsackie. Greene County.

Oh - ok - ya that area can get quite "Deliverance" like - lol.

 

[Shunpike]

Where in North Jersey?

I lived in Tarrytown, NY (and all over Westchester), just over the Tappan Zee for almost 20 years prior to moving to VA.

Morris County. Madison to be exact.

 

[BigDFan5]

In Texas it's spelled "Helmet".


/subtle humor

:laugh2:

 

[ShiningStar]

Morris County. Madison to be exact.

Madison is beautiful. Was just up there last week.

 

[Longboysfan]

What part of Jersey hip?

Northern. About 10 minutes off the George Washington Bridge.

 

[Longboysfan]

Is it a State law that in every strip mall there must be a Mexican Resturant?

 

[Rackat]

Just an FYI - I35 is going to be under construction from I30 to to US287 for the next year or so. Then from US287 north to TX114 after that. The 114 interchange is going to be under construction starting next year (replacing the bridge and widening 114).

Blue Mound Road from 820 is hell, but may be used as an alternate, or jumping over to 377 will work, too. Both have a lot of local traffic, but usually runs pretty smooth.

 

[Longboysfan]

Just an FYI - I35 is going to be under construction from I30 to to US287 for the next year or so. Then from US287 north to TX114 after that. The 114 interchange is going to be under construction starting next year (replacing the bridge and widening 114).

Blue Mound Road from 820 is hell, but may be used as an alternate, or jumping over to 377 will work, too. Both have a lot of local traffic, but usually runs pretty smooth.

Why??? That section looks O.K.????

 

[Rackat]

Why??? That section looks O.K.????

287 to 114 is going to be for lane expansion from 2 lanes to 3 or 4 lanes. THe entire stretch from Fort Worth to Denton will be expanded over the next 6-10 years to allow for major growth along the I35 corridor. The City of Fort Worth city limits encompass Texas Motor Speedway, with Extraterritorial Jurisdiction north to the town of Northlake, west to Rhome, with plans to annex all of that land within the next 10 years.

The I35/114 interchange has to be completely re-done to accommodate 114 going from a two lane black top to a 4 lane divided highway.

 

[Rackat]

Oh, and depending where the traffic jam is, exiting I35 and taking the back way via Litsey Road is another option.

 

[TheCowboy]

Hip,
I hope to follow you soon to Texas as well. I am from Rochester, NY. I have to get my bachelors degree up here and then I will see you there soon!