NEW YORK CITY - THE BIG APPLE

Once again we are in Croton Point Park Campground outside of Yorktown Heights, New York to visit with my Aunt Jean who is wonderfully spunky at 91, cousin Andrea and her husband Joe.  We both have looked forward to this revisit since we were here last September.

                  NEW  YORK  CITY  -  Saturday May 30

It is 6:30 am and we catch the train just outside our campground and are headed for an exciting day in the BIG APPLE.  BIG change boarding the Metro North train in wide open countryside and stepping into the hustle and bustle of GRAND CENTRAL STATION!!!  First stop is the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING which will cost us $58.00 for the elevator ride.  We attempted to sneak into the employee elevators but security is tight and begin playing the 20 questions game the second you are in the lobby.

After walking "miles" of roped off crowd control corridors (seems like in times of no crowds one could just walk to the elevators but this is big city East coast thought process so we walk several hundred yards to reach the elevator 10 feet in front of us) and two elevator rides we reach the top.
The view is spectacular and we spend over an hour fighting the crowds of tourists for picture and viewing opportunities.  Emotional to look South toward the new World Trade Center 3 building.

Next stop after a VERY exciting MTA bus ride (these drivers know how to maneuver a BIG bus through the tight crowded city streets of pedestrians, insane bicycle riders, more insane taxi drivers, and EVERYONE else beware) is the WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL.  Very touching and more emotional place than I would have ever thought.

Third and final stop of our whirlwind tour after another thrilling bus ride is TIMES SQUARE.  We don't last long as we are soon "peopled out" in the huge throng of hyper people gathered here for some cartoon character convention.  Walk back into the madness of Grand Central Station and through some major miracle find our train, correct platform, and a quiet car for the ride back.

 JoAnn crashes but I have a quick dinner and drive 55 miles to Middletown for a big block modified race at ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY.  Awesome fast racing on the big 5/8 mile track but thanks to a long rain delay and reworking the clay track back into racing condition it is after 1:00 am before I am back home.