Can you say Parsippany?

Recently, we made a quick trip to Parsippany, NJ, so that Charles could teach a Project Management course for the International Institute of Learning.

While in the Garden State, we became acquainted with the New Jersey Left Turn. On 4 lane highways there are generally no turns allowed at intersections. Instead of providing left turn lanes and signals, New Jersey employs a device called a "jug-handle" (at top of photo) or an alternative, the "reverse jug-handle" (at the bottom).

The "reverse jug-handle" is particularly tricky because it occurs before you get to the intersection, perhaps before you know you need to turn left since you may not know where you are going. Also, once you take the reverse jug-handle to get to the street onto which you were trying to make a left turn, you must make a left turn, usually without the benefit of a light. To make sure no one tries to shortcut this system, there are plenty of "Jersey Barriers" to keep everyone in line.

While Charles worked, Mary Anne played, seeing the local sights. Nearby Morristown was the location of George Washington's headquarters during the winter of 1779-80. Below left is the Ford Mansion where Washington and his staff were stationed. Replica cabins shown below right are in the Jockey Hollow area several miles away where the army encamped during the worst winter of the century.