Clouds Illusions on a Summer Drive

Whatever route we chose, we knew it was going to be a long day of driving. Despite Google Map’s best indications, you never know when you might encounter a parking lot in the middle of I95 South. Blue lines turn red when you are directly in the middle of them. “There’s a slowdown ahead.” Oh, thanks Google, we had no idea we are (already) stopped in traffic. Like the one on Friday night when we moved 4 miles in 40 minutes because of a road repaving project. Connecticut… what are you thinking? The roads seem fine to me. Have you seen the potholes in Pennsylvania?

We were reminded the day before, while attending the memorial service of my husband’s aunt, to enjoy the view. I really don’t have to be reminded. I literally overuse a hashtag called #theviewfromhere on Instagram. Give it a search. I am likely one of the few to utilize it. I often look at (and photograph) the same view and notice the daily changes. Most people would say the view from your bedroom window never changes. I heartily disagree.

Anyway, we were leaving on Sunday afternoon to return home from Massachusetts. The roads would contain thousands of other weekend escapees crisscrossing home from the Berkshires, the Catskills, the Poconos, and countless beach towns from Cape Cod to Cape May. Knowing that sitting in traffic was inevitable, we took a circuitous route. We mostly avoided I95, opting for the historic former toll roads that wind through towns like Tuxedo, New York. When you travel on a scenic route like the Merritt Parkway it’s easy to time-travel back and imagine well-dressed weekenders in a pre-war convertible zipping under the low-slung Art Deco bridges, refueling at the rustic little stone convenience plazas, and generally enjoying the views. We crossed the Hudson at Fort Clinton over the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge. We transversed the Delaware at Washington’s Crossing.

Throughout the entire ride I was captivated by the clouds. They danced with the sun. In. Out. A raindrop here. A rainbow there. In what was ultimately an eight-hour car ride, I continued to look up. And I thoroughly enjoyed the show.  Here’s a bit of what I saw… mostly through the car window at a blurry speed. No photoshop. Just observations.

If you are anything like me you will suddenly hear Joni Mitchell singing:

“…I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down and still somehow

It’s cloud’s illusions I recall

I really don’t know clouds at all…”

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