Last week I had an appointment in Southampton at 4:00 in the afternoon...on Friday. Now anyone will tell you if you live out here you don't make any trips like that on a Friday afternoon in the summer. The traffic is going to be a nightmare. In both directions.
Actually I plan most my car trips around the traffic all year now days. I prefer not to head west between 2:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon and I try not to come east in the mornings in the summer. Being an ambulance driver I know the worst traffic times and I've learned to avoid them. But in this case it was unavoidable so I headed west about 3:00 knowing it would take me awhile to get where I was going. I didn't even bother to gauge the main roads, I simply turned my car north and went through Sag Harbor. Then, remembering there was some road construction on Scuttlehole, I headed over the bridge and navigated the roundabout, driving along Long Beach to go through Noyac. As I drove that long stretch of road following the sand, I marveled at what a pretty vista it was, water to the left (with houses dotting the far shore along the cove) and to the right, as far as I you can see. I decided then that Long Beach was one of my favorite spots on the East End and I really don't get to see it often enough.
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Sometimes its the quick little bursts of wonder that are the most profound. We tend to forget about the beauty around us when we see it too often - we become immuned to its wonder I suppose. But in the case of Long Beach it had been just long enough since I'd driven through that part of the world that I was once again taken by its charm.
The trip to Southampton was more pleasant on the longer route as I wove through Noyac and then North Sea. It took me a full 45 minutes to get into Southampton Village, but it was an enjoyable drive and I was glad I'd been forced to make it. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves how pretty the East End is - especially at this time of the year when its so crowded and busy. Who can blame the masses for wanting to enjoy it along with us? And after all, we do get to have it all to ourselves most of the time. Even on a busy Friday night I was able to say I was glad to have made the trip.
1 comment:
Reading your blog about taking the long way brought to mind how little of East Hampton and the surrounding area I really explored. I left there in 71 as you know. I had only been driving for a year or so and didn't do much exploring. It is amazing how little of the east end I do know. Knew northwest woods pretty good but could have got lost in Montauk ! Well,not really but you know what I mean.
Enjoy !
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