The last two towns I’ve lived in had populations of 64,000 and 14,000. Albany has a population of approximately 315,000. That’s a lot of people. How do they get around?
It takes three interstates and a state highway (that feels like an interstate)! OMG!!! Is that necessary? In an earlier story, I mentioned New York Drivers (NYDs) are intense, with regard to their driving skills. I now know why. They are trying to get away from each other.
My first month here in the City of Albany, I got misplaced (aka lost) every single time I went out. A 10-minute trip would end up taking 35 minutes or more. Though I did make a lot of friends.
For you who do not know me, I’m shameless. You should see me hand out my cards to complete strangers with my blog address on it. My stopping complete strangers for assistance isn’t a surprise.
For the first six weeks of my residency in the City of Albany, I had New Hampshire plates. Thank goodness. I would roll down my car window and wave down people at stoplights. I would tell drivers that I was from out of state and lost, which was true.
One time, I got misplaced (aka lost) in a residential area, trying to find the access ramp to I-787. I pulled over and stood in the middle of the road and waved a driver down. Yes, that’s me, the crazy woman literally blocking the road and waving her arms. The couple was very nice about my intrusion into their morning routine and helped me out.
I’ve found that there are many gas stations and churches on or near corners in the City of Albany. I was using one as my landmark for the turnoff to the road that would lead me home. Unfortunately, I had not noticed that there were two churches about three hundred feet apart so I didn’t turn where I should have. I kept driving toward downtown Albany. I know this because it has tall buildings. The streets at this point are all one-way and I just didn’t know which way to turn.
I called Mary and she was talking me through by looking at the map on her laptop. The problem was I would just have passed the street she would want me to turn on. I ended up going around “The Egg” more times than I wanted to.
What is “The Egg” you are wondering? It’s a performing arts venue building near the State Capital. I don’t know why so many people think it looks like an egg. To me it looks like a mushroom with half of its top sheared off or a spaceship. Go Google it to see for yourself.
I made a wrong turn and ended up going north on I-787. What?!?!?! I got off the next exit and guess where I ended up? At “The Egg” again! I had given up on Mary’s assistance and by now I was on my own.
I decided I would take a residential street and hope for the best. I did this and saw a young woman delivering a Domino’s Pizza (she had the sign on her car). She couldn’t get across the street, too much traffic, so I pulled over and parked my car. Then I stepped out in the road and stopped traffic by waving my arms. Yup, that’s me, the crazy lady from Nebraska. At this point, the Domino Pizza woman got across the street. I asked her how to get out of this area. She didn’t know, but a woman walking nearby did. It was hard to tell this woman’s age as she was very skinny and was missing a few teeth.
Every time I tell this story to the locals, they just gasp. It seems that the street I was on, South Pearl, is part of an area where illegal drugs are regularly trafficked. Oops! I will point out, that it was broad daylight. And the woman was extremely helpful. I followed her instructions and got to an area that looked familiar.
There are so many more “I’m Lost” stories. I’m now using my trusty paper road map. I’ve given up on using a GPS. All it ever did was to direct me to drive on one of the many interstates/state highways, (which I strongly dislike), to get to my destination.
Here’s a list of my fears while driving on those roads:
· 18-wheelers passing me;
· High winds pushing me off the road or into another car, or an 18-wheeler;
· Road signs showing that the road is going down to one lane. Yet there are drivers who don’t read those signs until the last moment;
· Concrete Jersey barriers;
· Drivers threading the needle and I’m the “eye” part of the needle.
Yesterday I had an errand, it required using State Highway 85, I-87 and I-90. I did reach my destination, but not without a lot of anxiety and sheer fear. That list above? All those happened within minutes of each other. OMG!!!
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