Chadd's Ford, PA
It was a little after eleven when I picked up my rental car in Jersey City, and my gracious hostess Elly wasn't going to be home from work in Baltimore until 6:30, so I had time for the scenic route. In fact, my recent
excursion out to the UU Congregation of Shelter Rock really highlighted the fact that I'd been cooped up in the city far too long and needed some country air.
So I hopped the PA Turnpike around Philly and dropped onto old US 1, aka the Boston Post Road, aka Lincoln Highway, aka the Baltimore Pike.
Rte 1, for me, has a lot of the nostalgic overtones of
Rte 66 for many Americans. This is in part because my mother went to the University of Maine in Fort Kent at the northern end of the highway, but also because some Pennsylvania and Maryland stretches of Rte 1 are as familiar to me as my own back yard. Unlike her sophisticated younger brother I-95, Rte 1 runs through instead of around most of the towns and cities along her journey, frequently slowing down for stoplights, more friendly to Amish buggies. Greener and more scenic, it was perfect for my escape from the big city.
As I approached Chadd's Ford, PA, I realized that I was entering one of those familiar historic stretches. First, I ran across
Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site, wishing I had a picnic lunch to eat on the simple, expansive lawns. Then I spotted signs for
Longwood Gardens. Visiting these expansive botanical gardens was a special treat growing up, reserved for Grandma and Grandpa's visits on their way between Massachusetts/ Maine and Florida. As I pulled into the parking lot, I thought,
This is going to be far too expensive for my wallet! When I realized I could spend two hours photographing spring blossoms for about the price of a NYC brunch, I was committed! And it was totally worth it!
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