POLICE ESCORT!!!

July 17, 2010. We were a bit anxious about our departure from New York after our ride in, so we carefully mapped it out. We were to travel north on Route 9W, a route 18 wheelers regularly travel up past West Point to Interstate 84. Unfortunately, we made a wrong connection about a third of the way up, and ended up on Route 6 West. We had considered that route initially since it was a bit shorter, and since we saw trucks on it we thought we were ok. Again unfortunately, after passing through and across Bear Mountain Park we approached a large traffic circle (this was obviously where the 18 wheelers then went a different way) and continued around it to follow the route we were on. But just as I turned off the circle, I spotted the sign! "Palisades Parkway, Passenger Cars only." There was room off the road, so I was able to quickly pull over right away, just prior to where the center divider began. We then sat there for about 45 minutes considering our options. We could have made a u-turn but decided it just wasn't safe. So we ended up calling the State Troopers and also speaking to the Parks Police. They told us that if we drove up to the first exit on the parkway, we would be able to get off and turn around. Just as we pulled back onto the parkway, we heard the siren and horn of a police car pulling us over. Although I've never in my life been so happy to see those lights in my mirror, I wasn't sure where he wanted me to pull over, but it was evident he wanted me to stop so I just stopped right there in the right lane of the parkway. I told him how glad we were to see him and that we had called them. He confirmed that there was an exit ahead, but stated that there was one overpass PRIOR to that exit. He said he was "pretty sure" that we could clear it, but said he would follow us just in case to see what happened!!!??" Holy, Shmoley, Batman!!! Are you kidding? We said many prayers as we passed under at 30mph, with the police car holding back traffic. The nice policeman then followed us as we exited, then held traffic again as we made a turn to get back on the parkway back to the circle and then back on the 9W north up to Interstate 84. Although the New York visit itself had been wonderful, we were never so glad to see a freeway and even the state line into Pennsylvania!!! We'll be sticking to the interstates for a while.