Rise and shine. It was drizzling in New Jersey when I left this morning, but by the time the Volvo entered the New York State Throughway it was nothing but blue skies and foliage for the remainder of the drive. Directions were unnecessary, as I’ve made the voyage to Burlington countless times in the past five years. I-287N to I-87N to US-4E to VT-22a to US-7N. At times, I suppose, parallels could be drawn between driving through New England during “peak foliage” and driving up the Pacific Coast Highway at any time of year. Some of the momentary glimpses of scenery that speed by you are quite beautiful.
Rest stop bathrooms never cease to amaze me.
The drive took about five hours and change, although in reality it was closer to six, because it’s parents weekend at UVM and the traffic down Main Street, College Street and Pearl Street (the roads that bookend and bi-sect campus) was insane. After settling into the Sheraton it was off to my cousin’s in So. Burlington, where I got to meet my newborn cousin Hisham. Good looking kid. Like most babies I’ve come across in my day, he took to me rather quickly. Then he shit his pants and screamed and cried for a while, before passing out for an hour or two. Dinner was at a place in North Burlington. Then I walked Church Street for the first time in maybe two years, and watched the Tigers beat the Yankees from about three or four different bars. Finally settled at a place with an underground alcove where I was introduced to some friends-of-friends and whatnot, drank a bit more and hung out until the alcohol and the long day finally began to take its toll. Contrary to many television and radio commercials, buzzed driving is NOT drunk driving. It’s much easier.
Tomorrow I’ll re-visit some of the old haunts from my days at UVM (Pure Pop, RadioBean, Kountry Kart, etc), and pay a visit to the Magic Hat Brewery for a free tour and more drunken debauchery. Evening plans include dinner and the Mets game at my cousins’ abode, followed (perhaps) by another celebratory jaunt down Church Street.
