My Senior Moment - A Coast to Coast Road trip from California to New York -- Part 3

 

 Part 3 - New York City to Lancaster, Penn

Day 12, Sept 24, 2026 - Jersey City to New York City

I have to be honest: I was nervous about our day in New York City. I knew we were going to be using public transportation, which was entirely new to us, and I worried about things like using the city's restrooms, navigating the subway, and just getting around. Still, the excitement far outweighed the nerves.

We started our morning with a walk around Jersey City, since our hotel—the Canopy by Hilton—was right in the Jersey City Arts District. Making our way toward the waterfront, we were surrounded by skyscrapers, murals, bustling restaurants, and a vibrant atmosphere. I loved our walk, especially when we got our very first look at New York City across the water.

Afterward, we headed back to the hotel for a yummy breakfast in the lobby café. I sat back and took in all the gorgeous art and architecture while we waited for our food to arrive.

"We made our way to the PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson), which dropped us off close to Battery Park and the Twin Towers Memorial around noon. The feeling around the Twin Towers memorial was quite somber and a little overwhelming to take in. Just a short walk away, Battery Park was bustling with people, construction work, and bright sunshine, and we headed down there to catch our first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty.

Catching sight of her brought on so many emotions: the inner child was thrilled, the adult was equally enthralled, and there was a deep sense of pride involved—a poignant reminder of our immigrant history.

Note on photography: I didn't take my big camera into the city with us that day, so all of our images were captured with our phones. Since we were going to a play at the end of the day, I just didn't think carrying my camera would be very convenient."

We took our first subway ride and ended up in SoHo, where fashion stores were everywhere! We got sucked right into the flow of the city—fast-paced, vibrant, and fun. We stopped at a deli for a delicious sandwich, eating at a sidewalk table just to enjoy the people-watching. Afterward, Washington Square Park was full of people playing frisbee, having lunch, and enjoying the day. From there, we rode the old wooden escalators in Macy’s (which also had lovely bathrooms; I learned that there are plenty of very nice restrooms in the city—you know us seniors need to have those close at hand!).

Later, we grabbed delicious gelato at Anita for another chance to watch the goings-on, and walked past the New York Public Library, where a protest was congregated. We hit all the classic sights—St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park—and topped it all off with dinner at Carnegie Diner right by Central Park. I chose a salad and chicken noodle soup; who would have guessed it would end up being my favorite meal of the trip? Delicious!

What came next was a dream come true. Nicole had gotten us tickets to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Broadway. It’s housed in the historic Studio 54 space, which, growing up in the 70s, was quite something to take in. I remember watching Andy Warhol, Michael Jackson, and so many others partying there on our old TV—the kind you actually had to get up to change the channel on!

Nicole told me we were sitting front and center, but I imagined we'd just be in the front row; we were literally the front two middle seats! The show was fabulous, and we took in and treasured every single glorious moment. The actors were just a couple of feet away from us—unbelievable. We were so sad when it was over.

But the night went on. We had walked through Times Square earlier on our way to Central Park, but seeing it on the way back in the dark was entirely different. Holy moly! There were lights, dancing, singing, and people everywhere. I wish you could bottle up the excitement you can feel in those streets. I’ve watched the ball drop with Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest every year, and I always thought Times Square was huge. In reality, it’s about 5 blocks—not just any blocks, mind you, but a remarkably crowded, busy ones. We adored it, and we just stood there spinning in a circle to take in all the sights.

Next came Madison Square Garden as we headed toward 33rd Street to catch the PATH train back to Jersey City. A hockey game was just letting out, and we knew the train was going to be packed. We rushed, and sure enough, at every stop we packed that train right up! We were crammed in like sardines, just like in the movies. And guess what we saw in the station? Our very first New York rat!

New York City was everything I dreamed of: loud, scary, wonderful, diverse, and filled with friendly people. I will carry these memories with me forever. Loved it!

Back in our hotel room, tired, happy, and ready to work on our journals—yes, I got a little carried away and dedicated several pages just to the city.

Day 12 Stats:   32723 steps - 10.16 miles

A Subway and a Train, no driving

Day 13, Sept. 25, 2026 - Jersey City to Rhinebeck, NY (our retreat)

We started the day with a walk around Jersey City. A nor'easter was blowing in, and you could feel it—windy, blustery, and chilly. We stopped for breakfast at a cute little restaurant called Alessio's; it was quaint, the food was good, and the people-watching was top-notch.

As we prepared to leave, I turned to Nicole and let her know I only wanted to take smaller roads to our next destination. I didn't care how she managed to get us out of New Jersey—I just wasn't ready to tackle the freeways again quite yet. True to form, she navigated us through the state on wonderfully quiet roads. I love the back roads because you get a real sense of how people live and what the little towns look like up close. Plus, I desperately needed a break from the massive trucks!

We wound our way along beautiful country lanes framed by blowing autumn leaves, stopping for a comforting chicken pot pie for lunch along the way—YUM! Later, we paused in Ridgewood to pop into a charming little tea shop before getting serious about reaching our final destination: the Omega Institute for our retreat.

Looking back, it’s wild to think about how this whole journey started. Nicole is a massive fan of Elizabeth Gilbert—the brilliant author behind Eat, Pray, Love—and she had originally invited me to join her at this exact retreat just to listen and learn from Elizabeth. Of course, that one idea snowballed into an incredible, almost month-long coast-to-coast road trip!

Arriving at the retreat, we pulled up only to discover we needed to drop our luggage off so staff could golf-cart it up to our cabin. It was a lovely, convenient service, though as we unloaded, we couldn't help laughing at ourselves, still holding onto a bit of lingering "trauma" from feeling like the Beverly Hillbillies back in New Jersey! Once our bags were squared away, we registered for the weekend and took a peaceful stroll up through the property to our cabin.

Our room was cozy and inviting. Before long, we headed down to the cafeteria for a healthy, buffet-style dinner. Everyone was mingling and chatting, and the air was simply full of anticipa........tion—a little Rocky Horror nod that felt fitting after our Broadway night!

After dinner, Elizabeth spoke, giving us a taste of what was to come over the weekend. I could already tell we were in for some wonderful challenges and deep self-reflection. By the end of the day, we were wonderfully tired, took a quiet minute to capture it all in our journals, and fell fast asleep, ready for the big days ahead.

We told James that the junk journal judging was finished, I think he thought that was a good idea.

Day 13 Stats:   8898 steps, 3.55 miles

About 125 miles driven

Day 14, Sept 26, 2026 - Retreat Day 

This day began with a short walk. We were limited on time, having to grab breakfast and make our way to our classes. Our instructions were to sit next to someone we didn't know rather than the people we came with. That made me a little apprehensive, but we followed directions and started meeting people.

A super nice woman named Denise sat beside me. She and I started working on the exercises, which included drawing ourselves with our eyes closed and naming our drawing. I named mine Butterfly; when Phil was on his journey with cancer, he had called me Butterfly, so it felt appropriate. We shared our meditations, answers, and thoughts with each other. I came to really like my partner, and it turned out we had a lot in common. I hope we stay in touch.

As the classes went along, everyone began to open up, and each meal became more lively as we reconnected. Everyone got into the spirit of things and began bonding—it was a wonderful experience.

By the end of the day, I learned a lot more about Elizabeth Gilbert and finally saw the magic my daughter had seen in her all along. I’ve got a couple more of her books to add to my reading list now. I ended up loving her and everything I was getting out of the retreat.

What I learned about myself on this whole trip was that caring for Phil through his brain cancer had left me living in a box. I had come to identify with someone who had no choice: no choice in whether Phil got sick, no choice in the financial situation it left us in, and no choice in whether Phil would die. All those things happened, but it was time for me to realize I was no longer in that box. It was time to break free.

The act of driving across the country—taking on a trip that Phil and I had talked about and lost the opportunity to do together—helped me realize that I was allowed out of the cocoon and into the butterfly. What a life-changing trip!

It rained off and on all day, making our walking a bit of a challenge, but we managed to get our steps in between everything. What an astounding day!

Day 14 Stats:  6081 steps, .81 miles

No driving, just emotional journey

Day 15, Sept. 27, 2026 - Rhinebeck, NY to Lancaster, Penn

A short walk, breakfast, rain, and our last class. I was sad that our time here was dropping anchor; I truly enjoyed the property, the cabin, the food, and, most of all, the wonderful people we met. Elizabeth Gilbert is a treasure, and I loved this experience. I feel like I gained a renewed sense of self-confidence from our short time there.

Before you knew it, the retreat was over, and we were weighing anchor and back on the road. We didn't sail far before heading right into Rhinebeck to check out the town. It was adorable, and we enjoyed a delicious meal at Buns Burger for lunch. We also popped into Paul Rudd's sweet shop. We had a great time just walking around and looking at everything, always on the prowl for treasures for our junk journals.

With the rain at our backs, we navigated onward toward Pennsylvania. We stopped for a fun meal at Cracker Barrel and did a bit of shopping. We arrived at our hotel just as it was getting dark, and talk about a treat! We were staying at the Fulton Steamboat Inn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We honestly didn't know what to expect, but what we found was a hotel shaped just like a real steamboat, complete with every authentic riverboat detail imaginable. The decorations were phenomenal, and our room was fabulous! They even had an on-site laundry room, so while we spun our clothes, we played a little pinball and had a wonderful time.

Between the whirlwind of NYC and the emotional depths of the retreat, we were completely plum tuckered out by the end of the day.

Day 15 Stats:  7817 steps, 2.78 miles

Approx 300 miles driven

Stay tuned for Part 4!  Holy Moly!  What a trip.  Next section will have more photos from the Steamboat and more.  

My Senior Moment - A Coast to Coast Roadtrip from California to New York -- Part 2

 Part 2 - Little Rock to Jersey City

Day 8, Sept. 20, 2026 A Day in Little Rock, Arkansas

Growing up right outside Little Rock makes coming back feel special, especially since my daughter Nicole now lives in her great-grandmother’s historic home. My brother, Mike, and his family are also nearby, so we always have a full house and plenty of loved ones to catch up with.

We kicked off Day 7 early, hitting a park close to Nicole's house to beat the morning heat. From there, a busy itinerary awaited us. First up was a stop at Nicole's booth (at Treasure Island Antique) to check out all her wonderful treasures for sale, followed by a fun lunch at the Purple Cow, where I couldn't resist indulging in some delicious sweet potato fries.

Later, we gathered with family: my brother Mike, his wife Michele, my niece Caroline, and her wife Kim, along with the two cutest little ones around, Eli and Sunny. Watching the kids play was the absolute highlight of the day. It was wonderful to see everyone looking so well and feeling so happy.

Junk journaling got a whole lot more fun with Nicole by my side. She had all kinds of craft supplies ready to go—including a neat little portable printer that let us print photos straight from our phones right into our pages!

Nicole, James, and I wrapped up the evening with a casual, delicious buffet dinner at Tokyo House. Of course, the night ended the way most travel nights do—reorganizing the car again and leaving three grocery bags of extra stuff behind at Nicole's house. Tomorrow morning, we'll pack up the "mini bitchy" and head out for Nashville!

Day 8 Stats: 12,152 steps (4.20 miles)

Approx total miles driven Day -  My daughter drove me around this day.  Happiness! 

Day 9, Sept 21, 2026 - Little Rock, Ar. to Nashville Tn.

We started the day early with a quick little walk, while Nicole proved herself a master at packing suitcases, snacks, and supplies into the car. We headed straight to Enterprise to get Nicole officially added as a driver of the "mini bitchy," and then we were finally off toward Nashville!

The drive through Memphis always brings back a lot of memories. When I was a young girl making our way to Memphis, there were still slave quarters visible from the highway. I will never forget those images or how they made that little girl feel. Even though those buildings are long gone, the feeling remains after all these years.

We soon made our way to the Memphis Visitor Center, which couldn't have been more timely since I was doing a pretty serious pee-pee dance! The center was filled with cool Memphis music memorabilia. We walked around taking selfies and pictures, giggling, and feeling the absolute thrill of the open road.

Next, we stopped at the iconic pyramid building right as you cross the Mississippi River. I've always loved that building, and now it houses a massive Bass Pro Shops pyramid. Wowza! It was huge—I'm pretty sure they had just about anything you could ever use for outdoor sports, plus indoor aquariums—and we grabbed lunch at Wahlburgers right there in the middle of it all.

After leaving the pyramid, Nicole took a turn behind the wheel. Given that Nicole is taller than I am, she quickly found the driver's seat uncomfortable, and I was miserable in the passenger seat! It took all of 20 minutes for us to realize we needed to go back to our tried-and-true setup for the rest of the trip: I drove, she navigated, and I fell even more in love with that little car.

From there, we raced the clock to make a timely arrival at our Nashville hotel, The Soundry. We checked in just in time to head out for a very special event: getting to hear blues musician Patrick Sweany live. Phil and I first met Patrick when we were living in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in the late nineties, and our whole family has enjoyed his music ever since. This was the first time I'd heard him play in over 20 years!

After checking into our room, we grabbed food from a local taco truck, Cheap Charlies Tacos, which happily let us bring our dinner right into the bar, The 5 Spot, where Patrick was playing. He and his band, The Tigerbeats, were already on stage when we arrived. After the set, we went up to talk to him—it was so wonderful seeing and listening to him again.

Back at the hotel, I tried to make up for my step goals by exploring the courtyard, finding some stairs, and walking up and down the hallways. To finish the day, we both propped ourselves up in bed to work on our junk journals, which somehow got more fun with each passing day.

To make it even better, James (Nicole's boyfriend) stepped in as our official judge for the entries. It gave him a chance to see what we were up to and feel a little included, and James has a subtle, dry humor that I enjoy very much. Naturally, that day he declared Nicole's entry the winner!

Day 9 Stats: 10,685 steps, 3.76 miles

Approx total miles driven Day 8 -  400 miles

Day 10, Sept. 22, 2026 - Nashville Tennessee. to Roanoke, Virginia 

Rising early to sneak in a morning walk at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park was such a treat—the park was packed with rich history and plenty of stairs to get our steps in! Afterward, we headed over to the Nashville Farmers' Market for breakfast, a little shopping, and our signature round of silly selfies. Driving down Broadway at 10:00 in the morning was an experience all on its own; live music was pouring out of every little bar on the street. It turned out Dolly Parton was being honored that day, so at every single turn, you could hear a sweet Dolly tune playing. And rightfully so! Nashville made a truly wonderful impression on us.

From there, I finally got to experience my very first Buc-ee's! Whoa, talk about massive—it was huge! There were aisles upon aisles of every snack imaginable, with people wheeling around shopping carts loaded to the brim. We grabbed a quick lunch, and I had a mouthwatering barbecue brisket that was just YUM. (Though during our nightly junk journal judging later, I unfortunately got docked points for not spelling Buc-ee's correctly. Dang it!)

The drive from Nashville to Roanoke turned out to be a long one. We hit some heavy construction, dinner didn't come easily, and Nicole ended up serenading me with her newly invented hit song, "Dinner at Wal-Mart," after we stopped just to grab something quick so we wouldn't starve. That impromptu tune instantly became our theme song for the evening and is still making me giggle!

We finally arrived at the Spark by Hilton Roanoke Civic Center later than anticipated—tired and ready to crash. But not before finishing our junk journals, of course! I lost to Nicole yet again, mostly due to my spelling mishaps. If anything, it's just made me more fiercely competitive. I honestly love putting the journal together; it’s such a fun way to jog my memory after being out on the open road for so long. We ended up getting a wonderful night's sleep, knowing that the next morning we’d be meeting my dear friend Chris for breakfast, who drove all the way up from Charlottesville just to see us!

Day 10 Stats:  13,053 steps, 4.23 miles

Approx total miles driven Day 9 -  450 miles

Day 11, Sept. 23, 2026 - Roanoke, Virginia to Jersey City, New Jersey

This is going to be one of those days I will never forget for as long as I live. It was, without a doubt, a day of all days!

It started off in the most lovely way imaginable. I kicked off the morning with my dear friend Chris, taking a long walk around Roanoke. Chris and I have been taking walks together since the 1980s, and there is something so grounding about catching up with a lifelong friend as you wander a charming city. After our walk, Nicole and I threw our things together and met Chris at a fantastic local spot called Little Green Hive. I had a quiche that was out-of-this-world good—I can't recommend this place enough if you're ever in Roanoke!

Right next door was a store Nicole had her eye on: the Mast General Store. Stepping inside felt like walking into an old-fashioned department store that had a little bit of everything. The staff was wonderfully friendly, the merchandise was displayed so creatively, and we all walked out with a few fun little treasures. But all too soon, it was time to say a bittersweet goodbye to Chris and get back on the open road.

As we were driving, Nicole casually asked if I wanted to go see a Natural Bridge. Sign me up! We stopped to stretch our legs at Virginia's Natural Bridge State Park, which was breathtaking. As luck would have it, there was a ranger meeting going on that morning—and let's just say there were a lot of very cute people looking exceptionally sharp in their ranger outfits. I'm just saying, I am certainly not too old to appreciate the natural beauty of the park or the rangers. Ha!

By lunchtime, we spotted a darling pink building with a pink Cadillac parked right out front. Perfection! The Pink Cadillac Diner completely delivered with ultimate comfort food, pictures of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, and a heavy dose of pink, pink, and more pink.

And then... then began what I can only describe as a drive. Well, let's just be honest: it was not a pleasant drive.

We cut through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania on our way to New Jersey. While I loved catching glimpses of the roadside sights, visitor centers, and all the rest, Hwy 81 and I were in a deeply rocky relationship. Construction, frayed nerves, and trucks, trucks, and more trucks—I have genuinely never seen so many semi-trucks on a highway in my life! They were whirling all around our little "mini bitchy" like angry hornets.

As the sun went down, the highways grew increasingly entangled, crowded, and frantic. Before I knew it, I was on a massive freeway hurtling toward New York City, and you could feel it. I was sandwiched between towering multi-level highways with traffic streaming in every direction at warp speed. Nicole was an absolute rock star, keeping our energy calm and guiding me through the white-knuckle lane changes. At one point, I looked over and watched a Suburban-sized vehicle literally bounce over a median barrier just to change freeways. Absolute, crazy-city-driving chaos!

Of course, the adventure didn't stop there. After a couple of "getting lost" detours, we pulled into a gas station in New Jersey—only to remember that they have to pump your gas here. Talk about a rookie moment! I haven't had someone pump my gas for me in decades. I pulled up way too far from the pump, wobbled all over the place coming off the freeway, and well... I'm just Linda! For those of you who know me, I know you can picture the exact spectacle I made. Thankfully, the kindest young man helped me out, completely steadying my nerves for the final hour of driving to our hotel.

Winding our way through the side streets of Jersey City to find our hotel parking lot was a whole sensory experience. Scooters, bikes, cabs, cars, and pedestrians were everywhere. Lights, storefronts, blaring music, street lamps, and sirens—I was definitely a little overstimulated, but I'm laughing just thinking about it now!

We finally found our home for the next two nights: the Canopy by Hilton, Jersey City. The catch? Valet parking. We were about as unequipped for a skyscraper hotel arrival as humanly possible, wrestling an unorganized mountain of suitcases, a cooler, random bags, hats, and road-trip debris onto a single luggage cart.

The crowning moment of the trip happened in the elevator on our way up. We squeezed in alongside another woman—someone who looked like she might naturally be quite stoic and proper. She took one look at us, looking like a modern-day cast of The Beverly Hillbillies with a cart overflowing on all sides, and she just cracked up laughing all the way to the top floor. Her reaction brought me so much joy. After a brief struggle getting the overflowing cart down the hall (bless the random stranger who stepped in to help us wedge it into the room!), we flung open our door and gasped with delight.

Our window view of the sparkling city life right outside was incredible. The hotel itself is artsy, playful, and buzzing with energy.

And, naturally, we capped off the night the only right way: with our nightly junk journaling. I had an absolute ball putting today's page together. At the bottom of the page, I decided to pull a fast one and offered our official judge—James—a $5 bribe. And yes, I won the contest that night! Ha! (Though James firmly noted that the bribe wasn't officially considered... I still paid up anyway.)

Day 11 Stats: A lot of miles, a whole lot of grit, and a city adventure I will never, ever forget.  15,529 steps, 4.70 miles

Approx total miles driven Day 10 -  450 miles

Stay tuned Part 3 to follow soon!