Flag Plaza at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Jersey Beefsteak Tomatoes!! I love when you pick up a tomato, put it to your nose, and it actually smells like a tomato.
But of everything we brought back to the truck, I can't wait to make that eggplant! The lady at the farm stand said once you try Sicilian Eggplant, you'll never go back to the regular stuff.
OK, so maybe not the entire web, but some people think I'm pretty snazzy.
A lot of work goes into organizing events, big and small, but when it's something like this, or a football game, or a concert, where the whole world may be watching and thousands of people are attending, you have to make sure it goes off without a hitch; both for the pleasure of those watching, and for the safety of those attending.
Sometimes we load in the belly of the arena, waiting in a marshalling yard before being directed in. Other times, like with this load, we go directly to a parking lot where the equipment is waiting in what seems to be organized piles before it's put on the truck.
This was an easy load; the materials were lightweight, it didn't require a tarp, and all Ed had to do was throw a few straps and then winch it down. The materials we picked up are going to a staging and production services company in the Northeast, and other equipment from this event is going to California. In addition to their United States location, the company we're working with also has branches in Australia and the United Kingdom. They do set-ups for everything from concerts, awards shows, football half-time shows, game shows, and movie premiers to festivals and corporate events.
Although we were so close to the arena, I didn't get to see any of my favorite Democrats, but knowing that we were part of making it happen - without trucking, this stuff wouldn't have gotten here - in a very small, never recognized way, is still kind of cool.
So, see? Even though this entertainment company (and others) provided the equipment for the rigging, sound, lighting and production for this convention, which was organized and planned by others, even though they were the ones who literally "built" the stage the speakers, First Lady and President stood on, they didn't, and couldn't, do it by themselves.
From head to toe, the First Lady glowed. From the sheen of her shapely café au lait shoulders, to the glint of light bouncing off her glistening gams.
So that's about as close as I come to a "fashion review". For more on Michelle Obama’s style and fashion, check out Mrs. O, a blog written by Mary Tomer Byun, who has been following the First Lady and documenting her style since 2008.
Taken at Wilson’s Ribs in Evansville, Indiana. 
We went bicycle shopping again today - this time we hit an REI in North Carolina. We found a great rack that we could use on the truck, something Ed's been trying to find for a while. We may be very close to getting the actual bike now.
Tunnel in North Carolina along I-40, taken in the wee wee wee hours of the morning. This area is SO beautiful, but we rarely get to travel this route for some reason. This is the first time we've been here in years.
Ed and Anthony devouring the breakfast my best friend Vicki whipped up for them. 
Silhouette of the Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The stacks are part of the defunct Bethlehem Steel plant, which is now where the Sands Resort and Casino now stand. It's interesting, because as you drive around the property, the casino/hotel building is surrounded by the abandoned steel plant buildings. Kinda of eerie-cool.
Then, I had to have an eggroll. I've been so disgusted with the egg rolls I've gotten at places around the country, that I'd forgotten what a real NY egg roll is like. Sammy's brought my childhood back to me when the giant egg rolls were delivered to the table. Scalding hot, fresh from the fryer, a beautiful golden brown, with tiny little bubbles all over the wonton wrapper. I cut into it and heaven steamed up under my nose. I should have ordered two.
The prices at Sammy's are affordable, their menu pretty extensive, and the portions abundant; we had plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. They wrapped them up nicely for me when I told the waiter we'd be walking a bit more that evening. I know there are plenty of Chinese food restaurants in the city, and of course, there's Chinatown to conquer, but since I know where this is, it's my new place to go when in the area.
I don't know if Marlaina is evil, or an angel sent from heaven, for turning me on to their Coconut Ice Cream, but I've never had anything so amazing in my life. Creamy rich coconut flavor, with shredded coconut and toasted coconut folded in. Since we went a month or so ago, I've been craving it. I've even looked for it in a few grocery stores, but haven't found anything I'd even be interested in trying. I think I'm now spoiled.
Here's a photo of a girl waiting for the train at the Newark Station in New Jersey - where we wound up when we missed our stop. 
The studio is located right in the lobby of the NYU Langone Medical Center in midtown Manhattan, on the east side at the corner of 34th Street and 1st Avenue. We weren't exactly sure if we'd make it, since we're not very familiar with the train and bus system, which is what we were using to get into the city. I was more concerned with the fact that it was a bazillion degrees and that I was going to melt into the hot New York asphalt.
We each had a headset, and as the producer explained, the microphone was to go where we went. If we turned our heads yet were still talking, it was to turn with us. If we raised or lowered our seats, we were to raise and lower our mic with us. And if we had to cough or sneeze, there was a button labeled "cough" that we were to push to mute our microphone, cutting off the noise to the rest of the world. Here's Ed, with his mic and headphones ready for action.
And here's me in front of my mic. Of course, the headset crushed the top of my spiky 'do, but I insisted Ed take several photos and this was the best of the bunch. I guess it doesn't matter if your hair isn't perfectly coiffed when you're on radio. And Ed loves my fat little cheeks, as long as I'm happy and smiling.
Dr. Lajam breezed in shortly before the show started, giving me a HUGE hug and giving Ed and equally big squeeze. She was effervescent, friendly, down-to-earth and extremely welcoming. She wore a cute black and white dress, her thick, wavy hair bounced as she spoke, and she was never without a smile. I didn't feel at all like I was in the presence of a surgeon. Who, from what a lot of people hear, act like they're God. She did not have one iota of that air about her.
Doing the show was just a lot of fun. I was smiling the entire time. We had several callers, and we also had a certified personal trainer, who co-authored the book The 7-Minute Back Pain Solution, join us on the air by phone. Dr. Lajam was a great host, keeping the conversation moving and natural, and threw several questions our way so we were able to give our views freely.
It's been suggested (even prior to this little stint) that I should do a show - TV, radio, Internet - so maybe I have another career to consider when the trucking thing goes belly up. Our friends suggested that Ed and I should do a podcast. Lord knows what we'd talk about, but if people line up to watch the Kardshians and listen to Rush Limbaugh, I'm sure we can find a few people who have nothing better to do, and will decide to use their free time to listen to us.
I took this photo of the mighty Hudson River - the river that flows in two directions - as we crossed the George Washington Bridge on our way to New York City.
Every time we drive I-95 through New York, we see this movie theater from the Interstate. It's the Whitestone Cinema on Bruckner Boulevard in the Bronx.
I went to get fingerprinted for my background check yesterday. I don't know why some of these people are there being printed, but I've gotta say, I felt like I was in the processing room of a police station.
