THE DAY HAS COME!!!!!!

No, not May Day. Silly. . ..

Rather, moving out of the Boston area. We haven't reached Chicago yet, though.

Back during the pre-major packing stage, we had planned to make the trip a three-leg journey. Boston to PA where we would stay with a couple know for the night, off to Cleveland where we would stay at a hotel then on the way to Chicago the next day.

We decided to stay another night in Pennsylvania, though, to rest from all the packing that we've done and the long drive down here. Last night didn't really give us a great opportunity to hang out with our friends even though they gave us some great food. Besides, the cats looked like they could use some time away from the car.

DO CATS DREAM OF SLEEPING IN THE BELLY OF ELECTRIC RATS?

Speaking of cats in cars, the two of them surprised me quite a bit. They acted as normal in their carriers, caterwauling and tearing at the doors. After about a half hour or an hour on the road, though, Max, broke out of his carrier then ran around the car, caterwauling, looking all around outside and for his sister who hadn't gotten out of the car yet. He even hit the shifter into neutral while we were going 65 down the I-90.

Kinda scary.

So we stopped at the next rest area, where we also let Miriya out of her carrier. Hooked the leashes onto their harnesses. We let them have a breather and walk around the car a little. Only difficulty came when Max just about crawled under the car, and I had to pull on his leash to come out.

Since Max could break out of his carrier, the fiancee and me figured that we'd build a nest of blankets in the back seat (reminds me of stories the fiancee tells me about when her family went on long drives) then continue on our journey.

Worked like a charm. No caterwauling, just the occasional meow to say hello and ask for some attention. For the beginning of this new stage in the trip, Max sat on my headrest, so I didn't get sit all that comfortably, but I didn't mind suffering that compared to the noise they made in the carriers. He eventually got down, though, then sat between the fiancee and me on the compartment that holds random stuff (maybe we should put maps or something in there).

Overall, though, they behaved so incredibly well. They didn't bother anyone that drove. Most of the time, they just slept on the blankets, poking up their heads occasionally to see what was going on, most especially at toll booths. A couple times, we worried that that the cats might jump out the window but nothing like that happened.

Miriya, when the third and last driving shift started and I was in the lotus position, crept up front and sat down in my lap for 10 minutes. She doesn't normally do anything like that, even outside of a moving car. I felt touched.

Letting them out of the carriers really did everyone a favor, though, cutting down on everyone's and every cat's stress.

SCENERY BETWEEN BOSTON AND MEDIA, PA

We spent most of the time on Interstates and shopping strips to get gas. Scenery pretty much came at a premium, but Rte 15 in Connecticut, roundabout the MA border to the NY border, really looks so incredibly beautiful. At least, it looks great at this time of year.

It looked like a colorful sylvan paradise. Tons of trees with all types of blossoms. Plenty of space under the trees, but they didn't look as if they were planted by man because they didn't look evenly spaced out or anything, at least, not artifically so.

Otherwise, I can't say the scenery on the Interstates excited me too much, except maybe for driving over the Hudson River somewhere north of New York City. I didn't realize that it was so WIDE. I mean incredibly WIDE. I'm sure plenty of other people have driven over the the thing, but still. . .I'm simply amazed at how WIDE this river was.

Then the fact that human beings made this incredible bridge that stretched over the whole width of the water. Amazing, I tell you. . .amazing! Amazing that nature once again created such a monument to its grandoisity and also amazing that humanity built such a feat of technology as a work around (not conquer -- I hate that attitude of human chauvinism. . .) to this barrier for us.

LAZING OUT IN PENN

Today, the fiancee and I took the opportunity to wake up early, have a good meal, walk around downtown Media and buy some beads. Taking our hosts out to dinner to thank them for letting us stay a couple nights, even they're good friends and enjoy having us around.

THEN WE JOURNEY ONWARD

Probably around tomorrow at 11, we get to learn if the cats continue to behave in the car. . .all the way to Cleveland.

It should be interesting.