Excitement into the Bronx

I have made it to the Bronx, but the trip wasn't without some excitement. The plan was to drive to Newtown, PA, from Rochester, MN, in 2 days; stay with my uncle for a day (2 nights), and then drive the rest of the way to the Bronx the following day. In a trip of nearly 1300 miles, the first 1200 or so were no problem. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio all look essentially the same: flat and full of farmland. As I've told many of my friends, I think I've seen enough amber waves of grain to last a lifetime. Pennsylvania, on the other hand, is gorgeous. Driving down I-80, we were treated to the sight of majestic, forested hills and mountains dotted with the occasional farm and perfectly painted red barns. Once we came to Newtown, it was fun to stay with family and buy ridiculous amounts of Target furniture for my apartment.

After that much traveling with no noteworthy glitches, you'd think the last 90 miles would be a piece of cake. Well, they would have been if the unseen object in the middle of the highway hadn't thunked my car loudly, doing some sort of damage that caused the radiator to smoke and leak. Yes, my car, which had served so honorably, obediently, and faithfully across 1200 miles of country, was indeed out of commission in the middle of New Jersey. It was towed back to Newtown, where it awaits diagnosis and repair. Meanwhile, my aunt, who had decided not to come with us because she wasn't feeling well, heroically drove to our rescue. We transferred all of my luggage to her car, and she drove with us the rest of the way to the Bronx.

All things considered, it could have gone much worse. We made it to the apartment only an hour or two behind schedule. We were able to move all of my things up to my new place and assemble most of the furniture before my uncle and cousin had to leave. By then, I was so good at identifying parts (pan-head vs. flat-head screw? I've got it!) and using my handy dandy toolkit that I was able to assemble the last bit of furniture essentially on my own. Once I get everything unpacked and in its proper place, I will post pictures of the apartment. It's a nice place, and my two roommates are awesome as well. Tomorrow will be our first sojourn into the city -- I can't wait!