Thirteen states, nine days, four national parks, two needy cats, and one semi-reliable Subaru. I encountered two more hotels that weren’t pet friendly on check-in, the Subaru’s check engine light came on in South Dakota (which is about the time water condensation from the air conditioning started leaking onto the floor of the passenger seat), and, with the exception of a Whole Foods in Ohio, I lived on Subway sandwiches.

So I arrived exhausted. Beyond exhausted. The most draining thing was anxiety about getting there and getting settled. It was mostly car logistics–driving in Manhattan, keeping the car and cats safe while picking up the Airbnb key from the management company, finding somewhere to park while unloading the car, deciding where to store the car for a couple months, learning how valet garages work, finding a garage that fits the budget (meaning outside Manhattan), and figuring out which ones are near the train lines that go to the Airbnb.
Thankfully, Alyssa volunteered to come up from Philadelphia to help. She was waiting at the Airbnb when I arrived (with a gift of hand sanitizer and an N95 mask that I’ve been wearing everywhere since). She helped unload the car and settle the cats, and then she took me on a walking tour, pointing out food places, grocery stores, landmarks, train stations, and generally getting me acquainted with how to exist in the city. Best friend right there.

The cats did well on the trip. They still hate the car, but they learned the routine (the sooner you get in the car, the sooner you can get out of it), and by the end of the trip they were (nearly) anxiety-free when exploring a new hotel room. Here is Violet as a hoodie purrito on the couch in NYC.
And here is Hugo working up the energy to get off the couch. This is the first two-bedroom place we’ve lived, and every night at bedtime the cats ask to be taken to their bedroom and shut in for the night so they can sleep in a small, anxiety-free area that they’re familiar with. (Of course they regret their life choices around 4 am when they have the zoomies and want to be let out.)
Look at how huge the skyline is! The Subaru made it the entire way without breaking down. I found a mechanic in Wall, South Dakota, who confirmed that the check engine light was for the same O2 sensor issue that the mechanics in Ashland told me to ignore. He didn’t think ignoring it was the right choice, but he didn’t think it needed to be fixed until I was settled in New York. And then he thought I should pay in cash so the government wouldn’t steal from him under the guise of taxes.
Ready for the Lincoln Tunnel?! Driving in Manhattan wasn’t bad. The traffic laws seem fluid, based on whatever common sense the situation calls for, which is much less stressful than some of the other places I drove through (looking at you Chicago Heights). Plus that means that you can sort of park anywhere (non-blocking) to unload your car and no one minds.

I spent this week doing car stuff. After unloading at the Airbnb, I parked it in Manhattan overnight. The next morning I drove to Jersey City to find a mechanic for the check engine light and the leaking air conditioning condensation water. The mechanic was a great communicator from the “Hey, how you doin’?” (in a Jersey accent) for everyone who walks in, to texting photos of the adapter that someone stuck on the O2 sensor, which two other mechanics missed, and which I realize now was causing a host of weirdness. (The shuddering while idle, the complete loss of power on acceleration from time to time, the horrible rattling on starting the car.) Once they’d removed the adaptor and fixed the air conditioning water leak, I picked up the car and took it to its home for the next couple months, a valet parking garage (also in Jersey City).
But it bothered me that the water leaking onto the floor of the passenger seat meant that carpet had been wet for DAYS. Every night at the hotel I took a Tupperware and bailed out the water, but it never got dry, and I could already see some discoloration starting in the corner where the leak was. It’s so humid out east that it seems like nothing ever dries. The mechanic recommended I park the car in a driveway and blast the floor with heat for 4-5 hours, which I can’t even think of how to pull off given my current situation. So this morning I took the car to get cleaned. I asked them to just clean the front two seats, but they threw in a fancy car wash (both hand-wash and machine-wash) and now the car looks AMAZING. And they charged me a fraction of the price I expected.

Anyway, the car is back at its parking garage in Jersey City, and I plan to take the train out there every couple weeks to drive it, but whew, that was a lot of car chores!
Now I can start exploring the city, and I’m VERY EXCITED. This is the first Empire State Building sighting (from the walk with Alyssa).
And this is the view from the Airbnb. I love watching the people and the changing sky and the cars moving around (the parallel parking skills here are top-tier, they always do it in three moves).
By 2 Comments on Made it to New York 8.21.22

2 Replies to “Made it to New York 8.21.22”

  1. Woe!! What a trip! What a gal! I grew up in Manhattan and Bronx from age two to early teens.. The view from my bedroom window was the Empire of State….but not so much traffic. Most of my relatives have left NYC and live in Puerto Rico or Florida. After leaving the city and moving to California with my family, I did visit my family, but never loved NY again….too busy, too many people. A small quiet hamlet in the south of France is what appeals to me now, but looks like I may have to stay in Redland for the time being. I admire what you are doing…traveling so far with two cats and having so many experiences. I pray for your safety and good health daily. Have really enjoyed reading of your adventures. Take care! M.

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