Have you ever found yourself in the absolute wrong place at the wrong time, and somehow, it made the best story later?
That was us. In New York City. With our fifth wheel.
Crossing the George Washington Bridge
Might as well enjoy the sights!
We know not to trust Google Maps when towing, so we usually rely on Truck Maps. But here's a fun fact: miss one exit, and even Truck Maps will send you straight to the wolves.
One wrong turn, and suddenly we were weaving deeper into Washington Heights, hoping for a miracle. The looks we got from pedestrians ranged from shocked amusement to silent curiosity. We were equally baffled.
Streets are getting a bit tighter!
But there is still so much cool stuff to see!
Then came the sign: Low Bridge – 11'6". Our fifth wheel is definitely taller than that.
The only escape route? Back up. Onto a side street. And then back down it. Cue full-body panic. Jody patiently looked at me and said, “You’re going to have to get out and guide me.” I nodded, hoping I didn’t look as panicked as I felt, and got out to direct traffic.
I braced for honking, shouting, maybe even a few creative hand gestures. But here’s the twist: nothing. Not one honk, no yelling, not even a dirty look.
It was… quiet. People just stepped aside and watched the chaos unfold like it was street theater. Fifteen white-knuckled minutes later, we made it out, hearts pounding and pride only slightly bruised. We even got back on track, right in time to cross the George Washington Bridge again.
See that sign saying "No Trucks, Buses, RVs on Parkways"? Yeah, neither did we.
And again. I think our GPS owes us an apology.
The final toll bill? $98.
Moral of the story? New Yorkers are a lot kinder than we expected. Also… don’t miss your exit if you are towing a fifth wheel.
Next week I'll share a more purposeful visit to NYC with some tips to see the city without spending a fortune (I'm looking at you George Washington Bridge!).