Different

The east is very different from the west.  This trip to NY has been my longest exploration of the northeast to date.  One might count parts of the roadtrip out to Burlington.  However, as Kyle will tell you, I slept for most of the NE part of that. 

My drive was pretty easy because I got into the zone, the driving zone.  I was glad about this, because I was having a hard time finding the driving zone when we were coming over from pdx and was afraid that I might have lost it.  Perhaps it only kicks in 100% when I am alone in the car?  I am not sure. 
I knew I was not out west anymore when my directions from google included "go through Massachusetts and Connecticut."  I saw 5 states (saw but did not enter NH) yesterday and didn't even use a full tank of gas!  The final evidence that I am on the other side of the Mississip' came in CT when I saw THREE warning signs that there would not be another gas station for a full FIVE MILES!  I found that to be hilarious.  I really wished that I could take a picture, but there was no safe way to do so. 
As I drove south, I found that people had less and less interest in what the actual speed limit is.  It has been a while, but my Michigan driving upbringing kicked in.  Before long, I felt pretty comfortable with the fact that I was surrounded by people that seem to think there is some benefit to hurrying.  I adjusted my speed according to the rules that I developed in Michigan, so that I would not be annihilated for following the speed limit.  These speed rules, sadly, do not conform to an equation, but would look something like this.

As you can see, I am quite conservative.  I am content to drive the speed limit, but this is a kind of a "When in Rome... OR ELSE" situation.  As I approached the city, I was starting to get a bit nervous, mostly about parking in Manhattan and a little bit about the legendary traffic.  Both were not a problem.  It was post-primetime for driving.  There were a lot of sensory inputs and it was kind of like being in a video game: taxis everywhere, lights of all colors, kamikaze cyclists, bold pedestrians and tunnels!  And parking was easier than Ann Arbor.

In the end, I got two great rewards (trophies to continue with the video game idea, I suppose) dinner and Kyle!  Yay!