The Great Slider Ride (March 15th, 2008) Is On...

The Great Slider Ride, to commemorate my 54th birthday is still on for March 15th, 2008. I intend to pull up to the White Castle on Route 37 (westbound), a hundred and fifty-yards west of Hooper Avenue, in Toms River, New Jersey, at 12pm (Noon), give or take 15 minutes. Once there, I will purchase 54 cheeseburgers, otherwise known as sliders. I will distrbute the same (minus 5 for myself) to the curious and idle assembled in the parking lot.

The Legendary Slider -- Buy 'Em By The Sack -- Eat 'Em When You've Got A Bag On

Soft drtinks, french fries, and onion rings will be the responsibility of each individual in attendance.

There have been forecasts of sunny weather and rain all week. The lastest forecast is for partly sunny skies in the earlier part of the day, with clouds coming in at 2pm, and the rain starting in West Chester, Pa at 8pm. That’s good enough for me. My original plans called for wolfing down the sliders and heading over to the shore, 15 minutes to the east, for pictures and a possible sarsaparilla. That may change.

If the weather-guessing jerks have gotten this wrong, the ride will be cancelled if there is enough water on the road to create spray, or if rain is suddenly expected before 4:30pm.

I am leaving from the Exton Diner (Exton, Pa -- RT. 100 and Ship Road) at 9:30am. My route will be the Pa Turnpike to the NJ Turnpike  (Exit 7a), and I-195 (East), to Rt. 571 across the pine barrens to Rt. 70 (South), and then Rt. 37 (East) . There is a U-turn for Hooper Avenue. From Exton, this will be 200 miles roundtrip, but 80% slab. There are $8 in tolls.

This is one of the silliest rides I've ever proposed. Yet my friend Kate Farrell admitted to me yesterday that when she was a little kid, one of her younger birthday requests was to be driven to a White Castle for three hamburgers. It was the last time she would ever settle for a birthday gift that cost 30¢ in total. "I thought White Castle hamburgers were the most wonderful things," said Kate. 

Jack Riepe

AKA The Lindbergh Baby (Mac-Pac)

AKA Vindak8r (Delphi)

AKA The Chamberlain -- PS (With A Shrug)