Murphypalooza Day 1: Happy Father's Day!

We started our trip on Sunday, with the last of our goodbyes and the official passing of the house keys. Besides heartfelt wishes of a happy Father's Day, Mo got six hours of driving time in the car and my dad got closer to 10, with my dogs. Thanks Dad. And thanks Mo. I really appreciate you giving up the US Open (is that the right one?) to transport the family.

Since our trip is coast to coast, I felt it wouldn't be complete with an official and appropriate beginning: a ceremonial toe-dip in the Atlantic Ocean.

Then we remembered that Isaac left his shoes at a friend's house, we needed to fill water bottles, drop some stuff off in town and do other various time killers that made the first 10 miles of our trip a bit circuitous. But eventually, we did hit the road.

Finnian and Isaac were excited about their new travel journals and immediately began writing and drawing. We started the license plate game and I began searching for songs from all the states we would visit that day. We counted bridges. We counted IKEAs. And I tried to make a mental note of the car's condition, because I can only imagine what it's going to look like in 3000 miles.

Connecticut's state song is Yankee Doodle. Sorry itunes. I can't justify 99 cents for that one. So we skipped ahead to New York and listened to New York, New York as we passed the state line.

We waved to the Big Apple, drove over the GW bridge and the boys spent the next half hour asking if various things were taller than the Freedom Tower.

After marveling at the beauty of the Newark airport, the docks near Bayonne and the other industrial sites off route 95 in Northern New Jersey, we drove over the John Basilone bridge (anyone see The Pacific?) and ate dinner at a rest area with a view of a power plant and a stray cat looking for whatever he could find. The boys thought it was great.

We're not all down on New Jersey. One of my best friends lives there and we've all enjoyed visiting the state. It is just a wee bit ugly along 95. You know? While we were debating between Boss and Bon Jovi songs to represent New Jersey, but ultimately we found an even better tune: I like Jersey Best. It's a Murphy boy hit. Wait until fixmix 2012. The poor cousins will get nothing but cheesy states songs.

The soundtrack of Delaware was Delaware by Perry Como (Mo and I's favorite to date) and Maryland's was Maryland, my Maryland. We cruised through and descended on friends in Annapolis that night. The first leg was smooth, safe and done. We slept like babies.

Miles traveled: 337.9

# of ear piercing screams: 4

Quote of the day: (5 minutes after we left) Mama this is so boring. -Finnian

(as we pull into a rest area) Let's get some food, get some drink, so we don't die on this trip. - Finnian