Myfirst road trip changed me forever. I was a senior, in the middle of a verydifficult year when my best friend and I decided to get away from it all and takea trip. For our first solo sojourn we chose Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, GroundhogDay weekend.

Early on the frosty morning of February 1st we set out onthe six-hour pilgrimage. Instantly we felt the freedom and excitement of the openroad. Neither of us had ever been there before, but with me at the wheel and mybest friend as navigator, we fared well through scary rest stops, pumping our owngas, and a rebel tractor trailer driver from Nebraska who would not let us pass.We loved every second. But our adventure was just beginning, and by its end Icame to understand why they had chosen to make "Groundhog Day," themovie about a strange twist of fate set in Punxsutawney, because there truly issomething intangible and inexplicable at work there.

Our first stop inthat town was to get souvenirs. Just as we were walking out of a store, a newscrew from "Good Day Philadelphia" walked in. At first they ignored us,but when we explained we were from Burlington County, New Jersey, they put us onthe air! After this television debut we ate at McDonald's, leaving our car therewhile we saw a showing of "Groundhog Day."

When we came back itwas so cold our key snapped in half as we tried to open the door. It was alreadyafter nine, and we went on a wild goose chase trying to find a store that madekeys. Finally we asked the police for help and they drove us around trying tofind an open store, but again without luck. They ended up calling one of theirown locksmiths, but when he arrived he spoke with such a rural accent we couldnot understand him. Apparently he could not help us, because he left.

Bythen we were cold and frantic, and we tried to flag down the police again, butthey thought we were saying hello, so they waved back and drove on. Daunted, weconsidered taking a taxi to our hotel 20 miles away, but we didn't want to missPhil, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, we had traveled 300 miles to see.

Finally the locksmith returned and we listened carefully as he told us towait at the local hardware store because he had called the owner, who was alsohis friend, to come to help us. When he arrived and fixed our key, free ofcharge, his name was none other than Bill Murray, just like the star of"Groundhog Day"! As we drove to the motel, we could not believe whathad happened. The next morning we got up at five to see Phil, but I will neverforget that fateful Groundhog Eve when through the strangest chain of events - Igot on TV, rode in a police car, and was saved by Bill Murray in Punxsutawney!