World Series of Birding: places

If you've read previous posts this week, you know that I took part in this year's World Series of Birding as a member of a "chase car" that shadowed Team Zeiss during the 24-hour competition. You know that I enjoyed hanging out with great folks -- but did you know that I love to drive? That my daily driver of 14 years is a 1972 BMW 2002? That I volunteer to work at BMW club driving schools at racetracks? That I relish the chance to try out twisty backcountry roads?

That's exactly what the chase car gave me: the opportunity to see much more of NooJOYzee -- my previous experiences being limited to highways leading to/from Philadelphia as well as the Garden State Parkway and Cape May County -- and the chance to drive some wonderful asphalt while in hot pursuit of a swiftly moving target. (That... would be Team Zeiss.)

Rest assured, Marleen and Sheila. We didn't drive recklessly or endanger ourselves or anyone else... well, maybe that little rodent that ran in front of the chase car at the last second.

During my seven-hour stint behind the wheel, I might've irritated my navigator and passenger with the number of times that the words "Lookit this gorgeous scenery!" -- or some variation thereof -- came out of my mouth. My previous trips to Cape May involved driving from Philadelphia, so my eyes knew how pretty southern New Jersey can but hadn't seen anything of northern Jersey. My finger became a little snap-happy on the camera, but maybe you -- like me -- didn't know how appropriate the state nickname truly is.

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