I was very fortunate in that my birthday happened to fall on my regular day off (Friday). I did very little, and yet, it was the best birthday I've had in years.
My mother has a horrible habit of waking me up early on my birthday. I don't know if she did it on purpose this year (given that she knows I'm off on Fridays) or what, but she woke me up at 7:30 to wish me a happy birthday. I wound up not being able to go back to sleep, so I got up and got my Friday chores (laundry, dishes) done rather early.
Originally, I had planned to drive up to Staten Island (don't ask...I had no real plan), but then decided to head towards the Jersey shore. I knew if I took I-195 east from Trenton, I would wind up somewhere near the shore. So, I just started driving. I had never driven all of 195, so I didn't realize that it goes through a mostly rural area, with lots of trees on both sides of the highway. The colors are looking great...better than on this side of the Delaware.
Then, I got a bit lost. I wandered around several towns, trying to figure out HOW to get to the ocean. Unfortunately, I didn't have my road atlas on me, and I was completely unfamiliar with the area. After a bit of driving, I stumbled upon Belmar, New Jersey. I had never heard of the town, but apparently, it is a small resort town.
Finally, I saw the signs for the beach and stumbled upon the Atlantic Ocean. It was a clear day, with mild weather, and few people on the beach. So, I spent my time drawing in the sand, collecting seashells, and playing in the waves (which were rather high).
This little town seems like the perfect place to go if you love the beach, but want to avoid all the tourist trappings along many beaches. Very peaceful, with a few restaurants, hotels, and a 7-Eleven. I'm a sucker for the ocean, so it was hard as hell to get back in my car and drive home to Philadelphia.
As I drove home, I stopped for gas, and decided to take a detour, driving through the backroads of Mercer County. I had to change my route when State Police had one of the roads blocked off...I later found out about the guy from nearby Fort Dix that shot several people. I guess they were trying to head him off at the time.
All in all, it was a great day, and it reminded me a lot of the drives I used to take when I lived back in Missouri. And, *gulp*, it made me better appreciate the state of New Jersey. I've seen plenty of rough spots there, but I don't think it's as bad as some (including myself at times) make it.
