Zoom Zoom...

Yesterday I drove to the Breakwater Design Studio in Bridgehampton.. (I know, what was I thinking?) I put Will in his car seat and hopped on CR39 to 27 East—crept past the Southampton Jitney stop and onto the back roads. Somehow, I made it —I breezed right past the angry traffic demons that haunt the Hamptons and into "Bridge" in under 20 minutes. What?—Even then, slinking over Main Street and behind the Candy Kitchen to our back parking lot... a space awaited. A huge parking space in our building's private lot that is used by... well everyone in town. I was stunned... I was amazed. Our stay was short, as was our stroll around town—packed with shopping lunchers, and then we were back at it -- this time heading west. I drove our tank of a Toyota with the aggression of a graceful charging mother elephant... only to find ourselves home again in under 20. Angels singing. The heavens have finally acknowledged the number of lifetime hours that I have spent driving a car, sitting still in traffic. I am a Golden God. 

I know, this is a very tedious description of a rather lame afternoon -- but while nearing the confines of the main drag, I spied traffic sitters on 27 -- going east with their boats in tow -- bikes, over packed cars... all frustrated to the nines. All too familiar to me and all in the name of the beach...

A few weeks ago, I drove -- with loving passengers -- to Rehoboth, Delaware. We left around 9am on a Saturday... spent about 4 hours, which should have been 2 on the NJ Turnpike and another 3 on some god-forsaken route in Delaware.. which should have taken under an hour. Stop, go, stop, go, stop... torture.  I was not involved with the suicidal timing of this quest, but I don't think it had too much to do with it. Had it been Tuesday at 5:30am, we still would have found ourselves at a standstill. Be it The Hamptons, Cape Cod, The Jersey Shore, Rye Beach New Hampshire, Ogunquit Maine, Ocean City Maryland, Todd's Point... The long-awaited shoreline of choice does not come without a few hours, if not days, of self-inflicted sacrifice. Just focus, pack mean snacks, keep one hand on the wheel...your foot hovering over the break and breathe—September is only  a few weeks away.