I’m Not Sure How To Get To Work

Friday night I took a non-intuitive route and made the trip in 35 minutes! “I’d go that way every night,” I said to Helaine, “but I’d get arrested regularly.”

How to get to work? That is the question. Actually it’s been the big question troubling me for the last week. I live in a no man’s land where all roads lead in the wrong direction. Seriously. The most obvious way to drive north begins with three miles of driving south!

I’ve told anyone who asks it’s a forty minute trip. Maybe. Sometimes. Difficult to say.

If there’s a wormhole in the space/time continuum I can probably shave off a few more minutes.

Friday night I took a non-intuitive route and made the trip in 35 minutes! “I’d go that way every night,” I said to Helaine, “but I’d get arrested regularly.”

My 35 minute shortcut swung down I-84 to I-691 and then south on a deserted Route 10. The Route 10 speed limit is mostly 40, but goes down to 25 through the center of Cheshire.

Did I mention I was the only one on the road? That will make me easier to catch.

I’m not sure my car can maintain 25 mph without the dashboard breaking into a sweat.

Today I took the back roads past “The Oakdale” toward Route 15, the Wilbur Cross Parkway. Five minutes into my trip I ran into construction. Only one lane was open. I’m not sure how to count this trip minutewise.

Finding the right route could take weeks… maybe months. It’ll give me something to think about for the forty minutes while I drive.

28 thoughts on “I’m Not Sure How To Get To Work”

  1. Why can’t you get on the side streets through Cheshire Village then 84 to Hartford? Seems like the shortest path

  2. Nice for a belly laugh, Geoff! This line:
    Friday night I took a non-intuitive route and made the trip in 35 minutes! “I’d go that way every night,” I said to Helaine, “but I’d get arrested regularly.”

    produced the biggest laugh. Love it! Funny! Funny!

  3. Straight through Mount Carmel Ave crossing Hartford Tpke over Toelles and onto I91 at exit/entrance 13?? I think it gets you on a faster road faster without going south first.

    1. I think this person is correct Geoff. Past Oakdale jump on the Meritt. Boys in blue is Cheshire love the speeders on 10. Though you could get lucky and go Mountain Road and come out up near the Notch off Mountain Road, jump on 84 there. Worst thing to contend with would be the Deer and Coyote, and whatever wildlife runs out in front of you. Good Luck.

  4. And Mt. Carmel Ave is fun to drive quickly…I mean carefully! I grew up in the same area, and you’re right, there is no easy way anywhere!

  5. OMG!!! Geoff your story telling makes me lol. I hope you don’t get stopped for speeding but if you do, let’s just hope the cop is not a big fan of Channel 8 News.

  6. I am going by memory here, but what about Route 9 and how about going through Middletown along farm country? Also, go to AAA website for directions. In fact, it would be interesting to go to all of the websites for directions and see how different they all are! haha.

  7. You are right Geoff. It will take months sometimes. Check Google maps or Bing for all possible alternate routes. Drive one everyday and check for the shortest. Rising gas prices.

  8. I hate I-84. I use it when I’m going to Torrington. Last time my GPS got me lost, I think because my sister upped the volume throwing us into a previous route. Can’t tell you how we did this, but we went through Bristol, Terryville (or something like that) and then the GPS got us on Route 8N only 10 miles from our exit. A miracle and I avoided I-84 altogether. Couldn’t do that again if I tried. Did I mention I’m geographically challenged. Don’t talk to me about north and south, say left and right, etc.

  9. Take a left onto Shepard from West Woods, left onto Whitney at Aunt Chilada’s, 1st right onto River Road. Left at end of River and follow behind Sleeping Giant and keep taking a right at forks until you’re on Mansion Rd (Blue Hills Farms) to Hartford Tpke. Right at the Credit Union and swing left onto Toelles Rd. and straight onto I-91 north. It’s the fastest way – no lights, no traffic until Hartford Tpke and Toelles Rd. Honest!

      1. That’s either cool or scary depending on your POV. It seems like your fans here are nice and not lunatics. Well, I’M not a lunatic (usually…).

        1. People are normally very respectful of my privacy when off-the-job. I think we’ve struck a fair balance.

          I give people my phone number all the time and no one’s ever used it for anything other than the original purpose.

  10. I know where you live because I grew up in Hamden and you were a regular customer of Steve’s at the Exxon station on Whitney. My brother Jim always pumped your gas!

  11. I have a similar dilemma. North Guilford to the west side of Middletown. 35 minutes portal to portal. No highway makes any sense. It’s back roads through Durham, Middlefield and Middletown. Posted at 25 to 45. Unless I have a CSP cruiser behind me, speed is a little faster.

  12. Try and relax and enjoy the ride. Listen to some nice tunes and don’t get stressed out. It going to take x amount of time and all you can do is cut a few minutes off by getting a little heavy on the pedal. I worked in Milford for 28 years. my ride was 10 miles. if I did 60mph I got there in 10 minutes. if I did 120 mph I got there in 5 minutes and very stressed out. it just isn’t worth it. (not that I actually did 120 mph)

  13. Wilbur Cross North to Berlin Turnpike North to Rte. 9 North to I-84 East. Get off at Capitol Avenue near the Legislative Office Building and voila!
    Bob’s advice is sound — good tuneage is the key to enjoying the ride.

  14. Regardless, exit 66 on the parkway is Sonic. The food is awesome! (and dangerous when you drive by every day.. They know me by name..)

  15. I only know because my dearest friend lived on West Woods and every time we drove by your road, she’d say, “That’s where Geoff Fox lives!”

    I hope I didn’t infringe on your privacy….only wanted to help you get to work faster. Mea Culpa!

  16. After moving to hamden five years ago, my husband and i decided there is no easy way to get to anywhere from here. its like a backroads adventure no matter where you want to go! 😉

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