Day Trips

Took my first of six intended summer day trips.  An easy one, to a museum near Independence Hall.  The Weitzman Museum of American Jewish History offered an extraordinary display, one more than worthy of subsequent visits, which allow more attention to detail.  The summer travel also should include two trips to the beach, one intended next week, and two to NYC by cheap bus from Philadelphia or NJ Transit from Trenton.

This visit offered a learning curve for some of the future outings.  My age allows me a SEPTA Senior Pass, which enables mostly unlimited public transit in the Philadelphia region.  My home is a ten minute drive from the train station.  I did not know about suspension of parking fees until I had already deposited four quarters in the slot with my parking space number.  I had ridden the train multiple times before, never really accomplishing useful work on it.  Instead, the picture windows lure me to a variety of vistas, mostly shabby towns just north or where I get on, more attractive suburban housing in the middle, followed by parts of Philadelphia that could use major cleanup, and ending with the glory of gleaming high rises as central Philadelphia approaches.  I depart at the last stop.  My destination being a little farther than I wanted to walk, and wanting to check out the bus area where I might catch the transportation to NYC, I entered the subway.

I would need to know how long it took from departing the SEPTA train to arriving at the bus station, including waiting for subway.  Getting a subway train in the direction I wanted to go required me to use an overpass.  It took longer for the car to arrive than I expected.  In addition, the one I boarded did not stop at the Spring Garden Station where the buses congregate, so I really do not know how long it would take to get the train that does.  Nor do I have a sense of the safety around that station.  So really cheap bus to NYC may not be the best option.  I got off near my museum destination, which lies a mere block from the subway stop.

Big mistake, not eating breakfast or seeking lunch before entering the museum.  Despite the display's attractiveness, I felt hungry while touring the exhibit.  Because of this, I left an hour earlier than planned, prompted by a need to find some lunch.  I knew Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, one of America's grandest food courts, was near the SEPTA station.  I opted to walk in that direction, though really intended to pick up a sandwich a little closer to the museum.  Despite this being the top tourist district of Philadelphia, there were no food trucks like I found parked in a line outside Washington's Smithsonian.  Kosher Deli would be a great treat.  Kosher near me search on my smartphone located it a bit farther than I wanted to go, even by bus, also included with my SEPTA Senior Pass.  I headed back to Center City.  To my surprise, there were very few sandwich places along the six blocks I walked.  Not wanting to go to the Reading Terminal Market, I entered a small bagel place, bought a sandwich that charged more than I expected from the display price, but had a satisfying late lunch followed by a very disappointing donut from one of the city's iconic donut chains.  Then back to SEPTA and home by late afternoon.  Between departure from home and return, I had devoted some six hours, accomplishing little other than visiting my museum destination.

Moreover, once I got home, I felt too exhausted to pursue my Daily Task List.  Treadmill done before I left home.  But household chores, writing, planning, rehearsing an upcoming talk all required more focus than I felt able to provide.  That day trip, two hours in a terrific museum, had basically superseded anything else I might have done that day.  Going to NYC would be more so, though the two hours on the very comfortable motor coach with access to electronics would permit some useful activity en route in each direction.  Still, the reality of the clock is that it will be difficult to arrive in Manhattan before 1PM using my free or discounted public transit, and I would also have to head back.  So maybe four or five hours in NYC and even more time getting there and back.  I may not want to do this a second time if the first trip proves problematic.  To be sure, I will be doing little else of value that day.

I could make the same comment about the beach, though it is offset by other pleasures.  I like driving downstate, even more so when I have my wife with me.  We can leave early, get a hoagie made someplace along the way to eat either at a picnic table or on the sand.  At the end, we can stop somewhere, often for an early dinner.  So it is a real outing.  What I don't get to do are the things that occupy nearly all of my Daily Task Lists.  Still, there is much to support a day dedicated to being with my wife.  The pursuit of my Semi-Annual projects just won't happen that day.