I've been away from the desk for the last few weeks getting some autumn air up on Long Island.   After 5 years without, RRR&R came back this month... only now it goes the other way around!   Instead of New York to Florida every August, I'm thinking about Florida to New York every October.   (Info on the trips of 2001 and 2002 are up in one of the 25 Years articles)

I'm thrilled to say that (besides the fact that I made it back in one piece, always a plus) I didn't "need" this vacation nearly as much as I used to need them when working at Wendy's... I take this as a good career indicator.   The car performed admirably and now has earned it's nickname: "Alacrity" (the first car where I only have to turn the key once to start the engine).   I saw the family, looked up old friends in Patchogue, took a day trip to Orient Point (on Asphalt Day), went into the city with my dad, and got to wear my jacket in chilly air.   Winter can stay far, far away... but I missed autumn.   I even brought back some fallen leaves for my northerner co-workers.

The wired highlight of the trip came in the form of two Toynbee Tiles (link to Wikipedia article).   I first read about them several months ago, and decided to stop and see a couple spotted in I-95's rest areas.   The one I photographed is from Chesapeake House in Maryland, I saw another one in the Molly Pitcher rest area along the New Jersey Turnpike.   Just like numbers stations several years ago, the act of actually standing in front of one of these mysterious tiles creeped me out as much as the articles I read about them.

I'm back in action again, uncertain if there will be a RRR&R 2008.   These trips do cost money, after all, and it needn't be an annual thing.   Another month, another 3,000 miles on the Cavalier!