I can't stop giggling. The rain is pouring. I mean, really coming down hard. And I'm just laughing.
And now I'm in my new "home state." People ask where I'm from and I never really have a solid response. The new answer is: "I live in North Carolina."
Last night I couldn't stop giggling in NashVegas. We had a great dinner on the town. Then we visited the Vanderbilt campus, which I'd heard so much about. Then we honky tonked. Live music? Every bar? No cover? And this was only a Monday night. What a town! Oh yeah, and they have a Parthenon. Didn't know you could just install on of those in your town.
We hit the road this morning and drove through the remainder of Tennessee, a bit of Virginia, and a smidgen of North Carolina to arrive at my mom's cousin's home in Mt. Airy, home of Andy Griffith and the basis of Mayberry. We received the royal treatment, again. So much for roughing it! Shingled roof > nylon tent.
Tomorrow I'll really be home. We'll head out of here to my new residence in Durham, North Carolina. I will start my new life. My ski bum plus road trip is officially over.
I've really enjoyed this adventure. Thank you first to my grandmother for letting me crash in the family condo. Thank you secondly to LaundroMat for getting me safely to my destination. Thank you thirdly to everyone that helped along the way: friends and family in Sun Valley, friends, family, and friends' friends and family along the way (confusing but true). I am so lucky to have had this opportunity to have a break from work to complete my prerequisites, enjoy the outdoors, and make the most of this interim between first career and graduate school. This ski bum really left if all on the dance floor during her last chance. Hopefully I entertained some of you. If I didn't, just think of this as documentation of what I did before I grew up and became an adult.
Thanks for sharing this last dance with me!
Mileage today: 410
Mileage tomorrow: 125
Total mileage count: 5580
Days on the road: 17
Destinations: 13
States: 16
Showers: 6
Flat tires: 1
Weddings: 1
Bridesmaid dresses: 2
Campouts: 4 (1 unauthorized, 1 with fee)
Fast food stops: 0 (except for a Pita Express walk-in after leaving the bars in Austin)
French fries consumed: 1 fry
Family gatherings (crashed or created): 6
Speeding or parking tickets: 0
Runs: 2
Texting, emailing or web-surfing while driving: too many
Beverages lost off the top of the car roof: 1 known
Audiobooks started: 6
Audiobooks completed: 2 (on the legs Kirforce did pre-LaundroMat)
Best sign: "Go to church, or the devil will get you."
Best line: "Don't open that door."
Road kill hit: 2 already dead
Best local flavor: Virginia peach, last bite of the beignet
Missed exits: 2 both by Kirforce
Best dancing: the wedding
Best attempts at a vegan offerings: sushi and jello
Worst CDs: Kirforce's "Road-tripping Mixes" from 2003
Biggest disappointment: Muleshoe, TX
Best deal: Getting to Zion before it opened, so we didn't pay the entrance fee; being hosted
Caffeinated beverages consumed while on the road: 2 coffees
Over the course of my entire bumhood
Old friends seen: lots!
New friends made: lots!
Classes completed: 3
Self-taught refresher courses: 1
Ski days: 31
Hike days: 10
Favorite wildflower: Chocolate lily, Slender-leaved lovage, Sticky chickweed, Columbine, Lupine
Mountain bike attempts: 1
Road bike outings: around 10, not counting commutes to work
Car washes: 0
Speeding or parking tickets: 0
P&L: I don't take accounting until I'm at the business school, so I'll let you know then.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Visibility
Our visibility has been impaired. "Where is this rain coming from? I can see shadows. Is the sun raining on us?" Visibility has also improved as I experience southern culture and get closer to school.
Before departing New Orleans, we enjoyed sleeping in (a luxury!), dining out, and walking through the French Quarter. Wise local knowledge instructed us to go to Café du Monde and get an order of beignets with coffee. This task was completed messily and happily. We also caught a girl shredding it on the washboard at a local establishment. Very cool, even in the muggy climate.
Originally I thought that we would take the freeway all the way East and then head up the coast when we hit the Atlantic. Scratch that! LaundroMat has a pal in Nashville willing to put us up for a night, so the Escape is missing some states that we anticipated, but gaining some others. Without a favorable destination between here and Durham, we'll continue to pursue our luck with fabulous housing accommodations instead of finding a campsite.
Since we put on our tourist hats yesterday, we didn't leave NOLA until late afternoon. Clocking in three and a half hours on the road, we crossed three boarders. That's right, we averaged more than one state per hour. Lousianna, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Mississippi was where we confronted miserable torrential rain. Kirforce giggled maniacally through the sections where she struggled to see the road. And then it was gone and then it was back and so on. We arrived in Pensacola around dusk.
The rain subsided as we settled at Fort Pickens State Park. The gate attendant told us to be back before the gates closed at 10 PM if we chose to go out. She also recommended a few coveted sites but warned of loud cleanup crews. That's right, we were on a peninsula impacted by the oil spill. BP had a whole parking lot reserved for their equipment and facilities. We did a bit of exploring before attempting to get some shuteye and ignore the croaking frogs (they frequented the camp bathrooms along with gigantic dragonflies), humming generator, and pooling sweat.
The Fort was even more impressive by the light of day. I felt like a little kid, climbing all over the military base. Beaches and the ocean (via the Gulf of Mexico) are officially checked off our list, which is good since they'll be out of our scope for the remainder of our trip.
It's nice to be back on solid ground. During our drive along the coast yesterday, we spent many miles on elevated freeways and highways in the bayous and bridges across lakes, rivers, and marshes. Reminding myself that there are no earthquakes here was only a slight relief.
We just stopped in Birmingham and after missing the address twice, we walked around the Southern Progress Corporation campus. When I started at Sunset, we reported to corporate offices in this facility. Time(s) have changed and they now report to New York. But I worked with a lot of folks via phone, email, and the dreaded web conference, so it was nice to get a visual of their great offices tucked away in a wooded hill.
We should get to Nashville before 7 PM, plenty of time to enjoy another festive town. Then we may try to depart the premises early and annihilate the last 525 miles of our drive to Durham, North Carolina! If not, a stop along the way is sure to be beautiful (already feeling bias towards my new home).
Mileage yesterday: 220
Anticipated mileage today: 460
Total mileage count: 5045
Before departing New Orleans, we enjoyed sleeping in (a luxury!), dining out, and walking through the French Quarter. Wise local knowledge instructed us to go to Café du Monde and get an order of beignets with coffee. This task was completed messily and happily. We also caught a girl shredding it on the washboard at a local establishment. Very cool, even in the muggy climate.
Originally I thought that we would take the freeway all the way East and then head up the coast when we hit the Atlantic. Scratch that! LaundroMat has a pal in Nashville willing to put us up for a night, so the Escape is missing some states that we anticipated, but gaining some others. Without a favorable destination between here and Durham, we'll continue to pursue our luck with fabulous housing accommodations instead of finding a campsite.
Since we put on our tourist hats yesterday, we didn't leave NOLA until late afternoon. Clocking in three and a half hours on the road, we crossed three boarders. That's right, we averaged more than one state per hour. Lousianna, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Mississippi was where we confronted miserable torrential rain. Kirforce giggled maniacally through the sections where she struggled to see the road. And then it was gone and then it was back and so on. We arrived in Pensacola around dusk.
The rain subsided as we settled at Fort Pickens State Park. The gate attendant told us to be back before the gates closed at 10 PM if we chose to go out. She also recommended a few coveted sites but warned of loud cleanup crews. That's right, we were on a peninsula impacted by the oil spill. BP had a whole parking lot reserved for their equipment and facilities. We did a bit of exploring before attempting to get some shuteye and ignore the croaking frogs (they frequented the camp bathrooms along with gigantic dragonflies), humming generator, and pooling sweat.
The Fort was even more impressive by the light of day. I felt like a little kid, climbing all over the military base. Beaches and the ocean (via the Gulf of Mexico) are officially checked off our list, which is good since they'll be out of our scope for the remainder of our trip.
It's nice to be back on solid ground. During our drive along the coast yesterday, we spent many miles on elevated freeways and highways in the bayous and bridges across lakes, rivers, and marshes. Reminding myself that there are no earthquakes here was only a slight relief.
We just stopped in Birmingham and after missing the address twice, we walked around the Southern Progress Corporation campus. When I started at Sunset, we reported to corporate offices in this facility. Time(s) have changed and they now report to New York. But I worked with a lot of folks via phone, email, and the dreaded web conference, so it was nice to get a visual of their great offices tucked away in a wooded hill.
We should get to Nashville before 7 PM, plenty of time to enjoy another festive town. Then we may try to depart the premises early and annihilate the last 525 miles of our drive to Durham, North Carolina! If not, a stop along the way is sure to be beautiful (already feeling bias towards my new home).
Mileage yesterday: 220
Anticipated mileage today: 460
Total mileage count: 5045
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Taking on the Town Times Two
Austin versus New Orleans. I don't even want to compare the fun times that we've had.
We had a fabulous last minute host in Austin, and we have a fabulous hostess here in New Orleans.
The heat is on as we wander the streets of both towns. Last night I was shocked to see the livelihood of a true Texan town. Tonight I am still up at 4 AM. I don't know what I'm running on, a set of breakfast tacos from a street cart and a vegetarian "po' boy" sure are helping.
Now I'm feeling like I'm on vacation more than "commuting" to my new home. With new friends and old alike, I'm loving the South despite the constraints of humidity and hundred degree days.
We hit a little rain today, the first semi-substantial showers of the journey. Overall, Texas was not a burden to conquer. I kept comparing it to Minnesota: lots of trees and plains. As we entered Louisiana, it became apparent that we were in a new world filled with bayous, BBQ, and sugar cane? Or at least that's what we identified the prolific crop to be.
I'm losing track of the days, but we survived Friday the 13th without disaster. Tomorrow, we'll try to explore the area a bit and either head out or hang tight.
Mileage today: 540
Total mileage count: 4365
We had a fabulous last minute host in Austin, and we have a fabulous hostess here in New Orleans.
The heat is on as we wander the streets of both towns. Last night I was shocked to see the livelihood of a true Texan town. Tonight I am still up at 4 AM. I don't know what I'm running on, a set of breakfast tacos from a street cart and a vegetarian "po' boy" sure are helping.
Now I'm feeling like I'm on vacation more than "commuting" to my new home. With new friends and old alike, I'm loving the South despite the constraints of humidity and hundred degree days.
We hit a little rain today, the first semi-substantial showers of the journey. Overall, Texas was not a burden to conquer. I kept comparing it to Minnesota: lots of trees and plains. As we entered Louisiana, it became apparent that we were in a new world filled with bayous, BBQ, and sugar cane? Or at least that's what we identified the prolific crop to be.
I'm losing track of the days, but we survived Friday the 13th without disaster. Tomorrow, we'll try to explore the area a bit and either head out or hang tight.
Mileage today: 540
Total mileage count: 4365
Pump and Grind
Those of you that know Odie, know his sweet dance moves. When I was in Seattle (how many days ago was that? Ten?), I commanded Odie to "bump and grind," but the old golden retriever wasn't too excited about getting down with me.
As we drive through Texas, I'm feeling the pump and grind instead. The scent of oil is strong here, a few miles East of Lubbeck. We've been driving since 10 AM this morning.
Last night we reached Albuquerque at 7 PM, which was exactly the time that we were scheduled to arrive. We had an extremely bountiful dinner and intimate conversation at LaundroMat's uncle's home. How luxurious a warm shower and bed were.
Before grinding our way to Albuquerque, we took a scenic excursion to Sedona, at Mat's recommendation. I've driven a lot of twisty roads in my time, but nothing like the canyon scaling that we did to get to Sedona from Flagstaff. It was incredible. A day of plenty, we feasted at a raw organic vegan restaurant for lunch.
Today is entitled: Conquering Texas. It took us about four hours to get Texico, New Mexico (the border) from Albuquerque. If we get to Austin tonight, we'll have an eight and a half hour drive to get to New Orleans tomorrow. Pump and grind!
And Dad, I definitely enjoyed the meteor shower before dawn the other day. Beautiful!
Mileage yesterday: 430
Mileage today: 720
Total mileage count: 3825
As we drive through Texas, I'm feeling the pump and grind instead. The scent of oil is strong here, a few miles East of Lubbeck. We've been driving since 10 AM this morning.
Last night we reached Albuquerque at 7 PM, which was exactly the time that we were scheduled to arrive. We had an extremely bountiful dinner and intimate conversation at LaundroMat's uncle's home. How luxurious a warm shower and bed were.
Before grinding our way to Albuquerque, we took a scenic excursion to Sedona, at Mat's recommendation. I've driven a lot of twisty roads in my time, but nothing like the canyon scaling that we did to get to Sedona from Flagstaff. It was incredible. A day of plenty, we feasted at a raw organic vegan restaurant for lunch.
Today is entitled: Conquering Texas. It took us about four hours to get Texico, New Mexico (the border) from Albuquerque. If we get to Austin tonight, we'll have an eight and a half hour drive to get to New Orleans tomorrow. Pump and grind!
And Dad, I definitely enjoyed the meteor shower before dawn the other day. Beautiful!
Mileage yesterday: 430
Mileage today: 720
Total mileage count: 3825
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Park Hoppers
I haven't had the chance to post yesterday's entry, but I'm hoping to double up tomorrow.
Currently we are in Nowheresville, population two. But before I get to that, let me update you (or probably just make personal record of since my readership here is pretty low) on our arrival at said location.
Yesterday, we hit traffic just as we got to Vegas, which made it easy to decide not to deal with parking and giving away my money to a casino. We headed onward to St. George, but missed the chance to hit up the visitor center to inquire about Zion (we crossed a time zone, so it was closed). Instead, we ate our second meal in a row outside of a grocery store and then continued on our trek to Zion. We had little hope that a campsite would be available in the park, but we were unpleasantly surprised that we couldn't even enter the park due to road construction. We turned towards a reservoir nearby, anticipating a turnoff that we could sneak away on and setup camp. Too residential. Which meant that there was a great little neighborhood park. We spent six hours here, restlessly dozing as we both had nightmares of dog attacks and confrontations with the authorities. No tent. We did our best to be invisible.
On the road again at 6:00 AM, we got to Zion before 8 AM and tooled around the visitor center for a while. Ultimately, we ended up choosing a little hike that left from there and went up to a nice outlook of the valley. After that we hit the scenic highway (sweet tunnels) and arrived at the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge at about 11:30 AM. Impressive, eh? We did a bunch of short strolls from the main drag to see amazing vistas of this natural wonder. On the road again before sunset. We hit the interchange towards Albuquerque, which is conveniently a national forest, so we are free to camp wherever. Current location, Nowheresville, off the drag. Snack, beer, and to bed we go. Glad to have a tent over our heads and a roof in our future as we plan to stay with Mat's relatives tomorrow night.
Not a huge mileage day in regards to driving, but we saw so much in just a short amount of time. i think amongst all the strolls and hikes, we must have gotten in about six miles on foot today. I wish that we could have spent more time in both Zion and the North Rim, but I'm so glad to at least have an idea of their awe-inspiring presence.
Mileage today: 175
Total mileage count: 2675 (I think... calculator check anyone?)
Currently we are in Nowheresville, population two. But before I get to that, let me update you (or probably just make personal record of since my readership here is pretty low) on our arrival at said location.
Yesterday, we hit traffic just as we got to Vegas, which made it easy to decide not to deal with parking and giving away my money to a casino. We headed onward to St. George, but missed the chance to hit up the visitor center to inquire about Zion (we crossed a time zone, so it was closed). Instead, we ate our second meal in a row outside of a grocery store and then continued on our trek to Zion. We had little hope that a campsite would be available in the park, but we were unpleasantly surprised that we couldn't even enter the park due to road construction. We turned towards a reservoir nearby, anticipating a turnoff that we could sneak away on and setup camp. Too residential. Which meant that there was a great little neighborhood park. We spent six hours here, restlessly dozing as we both had nightmares of dog attacks and confrontations with the authorities. No tent. We did our best to be invisible.
On the road again at 6:00 AM, we got to Zion before 8 AM and tooled around the visitor center for a while. Ultimately, we ended up choosing a little hike that left from there and went up to a nice outlook of the valley. After that we hit the scenic highway (sweet tunnels) and arrived at the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge at about 11:30 AM. Impressive, eh? We did a bunch of short strolls from the main drag to see amazing vistas of this natural wonder. On the road again before sunset. We hit the interchange towards Albuquerque, which is conveniently a national forest, so we are free to camp wherever. Current location, Nowheresville, off the drag. Snack, beer, and to bed we go. Glad to have a tent over our heads and a roof in our future as we plan to stay with Mat's relatives tomorrow night.
Not a huge mileage day in regards to driving, but we saw so much in just a short amount of time. i think amongst all the strolls and hikes, we must have gotten in about six miles on foot today. I wish that we could have spent more time in both Zion and the North Rim, but I'm so glad to at least have an idea of their awe-inspiring presence.
Mileage today: 175
Total mileage count: 2675 (I think... calculator check anyone?)
Mirages in the Desert
As my trusted copilot takes on captain duties, I have a chance to hang out with computer and it's exceptional battery life. Before hitting the road, my brother spruced up this machine with a Streets and Trips program. So far it's been a great asset as LaundroMat and Kirforce decide where they want to stop. Today's best example was when we decided to add Zion National Park to our lists of places to stay.
Right now we're traveling up the longest, straightest grade I've ever seen. Unlike the twisted switchbacks of a good Pacific Northwest pass, this one just goes on and on, up and up. We hit the road from San Jose around 7 AM this morning. I've finally left the Bay Area for the final time... by car... in the foreseeable future. I'll be back in Palo Alto in a month for wedding number four of 2010, and the second one that I'm representing at the altar.
Mat says we've reached the apex of the pass. We're considering stopping for slots in Vegas, but we don't want to miss a spectacular sunset in Zion. Oh the other great thing about adding Zion to our destinations is that we gain two more states. The total state count is sixteen on this trip, the majority of which are new to me.
Ok my navigator duties are being requested, so I must sign off. There's an unidentifiable city in the distance. Maybe it's a mirage but it looks eerily similar to Vegas, and we've noted a large increase in the proportion of mafia cars on the road.
Mileage today: 700
Total mileage count: 2500
Right now we're traveling up the longest, straightest grade I've ever seen. Unlike the twisted switchbacks of a good Pacific Northwest pass, this one just goes on and on, up and up. We hit the road from San Jose around 7 AM this morning. I've finally left the Bay Area for the final time... by car... in the foreseeable future. I'll be back in Palo Alto in a month for wedding number four of 2010, and the second one that I'm representing at the altar.
Mat says we've reached the apex of the pass. We're considering stopping for slots in Vegas, but we don't want to miss a spectacular sunset in Zion. Oh the other great thing about adding Zion to our destinations is that we gain two more states. The total state count is sixteen on this trip, the majority of which are new to me.
Ok my navigator duties are being requested, so I must sign off. There's an unidentifiable city in the distance. Maybe it's a mirage but it looks eerily similar to Vegas, and we've noted a large increase in the proportion of mafia cars on the road.
Mileage today: 700
Total mileage count: 2500
Monday, August 9, 2010
Revival
I'm feeling pretty at home. Vino in hand. E! on the big screen. Bay area bliss. But it's been a long journey. Wait, it's barely begun.
667 miles from Portland to Sunnyvale isn't too much of an undertaking. Unless you require a huge intermission two hours into the drive.
The intermission (shower, nap, food times two) was definitely a necessity. I had slept approximately three hours the night before courtesy of the magically fantastic Johnston wedding. I showed up at my copilot's apartment at a reasonable hour on Sunday morning, with fake eyelashes still intact and an aroma of festivities following in my wake. Luckily I managed to change out of the bridesmaid dress that I wore to bed, scratch that, sleeping bag (we camped at the wedding site. Did I mention that it was magical?).
Once we arrived at our hospitable and last minute housing at 5:00 AM, we slept until 8 AM and then took on a day of visiting. So the map of my past 48 hours looks like this. First stop: Sunset reunion! Second stop: Mountain View admiration and tacqueria sustenance. Third stop: Refined former roommate gathering in Livermore. Finally, a quick beer at my old watering hole in San Francisco. Too much fun!
Now it's off to Nevada.
Mileage count: 1550
Scheduled distance for tomorrow: 653
667 miles from Portland to Sunnyvale isn't too much of an undertaking. Unless you require a huge intermission two hours into the drive.
The intermission (shower, nap, food times two) was definitely a necessity. I had slept approximately three hours the night before courtesy of the magically fantastic Johnston wedding. I showed up at my copilot's apartment at a reasonable hour on Sunday morning, with fake eyelashes still intact and an aroma of festivities following in my wake. Luckily I managed to change out of the bridesmaid dress that I wore to bed, scratch that, sleeping bag (we camped at the wedding site. Did I mention that it was magical?).
Once we arrived at our hospitable and last minute housing at 5:00 AM, we slept until 8 AM and then took on a day of visiting. So the map of my past 48 hours looks like this. First stop: Sunset reunion! Second stop: Mountain View admiration and tacqueria sustenance. Third stop: Refined former roommate gathering in Livermore. Finally, a quick beer at my old watering hole in San Francisco. Too much fun!
Now it's off to Nevada.
Mileage count: 1550
Scheduled distance for tomorrow: 653
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Rocky Start to a Five Thousand Mile Trek
And she's off.
Kirforce is officially on her journey to North Carolina!
Anything that didn't fit in the hybrid Escape has a new life through the Gold Mine Thrift store, and decreasing my possessions has never felt so good.
Although I'm a bit of a hypocrite: I'm writing to you from my new Toshiba laptop. I haven't owned a new computer since 2003. This was an unexpected purchase but much needed retail therapy session after a bit of a scary scene in which Kirforce entered the freeway in Centralia, WA and proceeded to destroy her rear driver's side tire. Yikes.
Many thanks to WSDOT for saving this damsel in distress.
In my final "ski bumming" days I hiked, visited Redfish Lake, closed up the cafe and trained new workers, basked in the sun, and packed up my life.
First stop: Portland. I spent a night in this festive and familiar town, saying ta-ta as I will return in just two days for the third 2010 wedding and one of two that I get to represent at the altar. A stop in Hood River for dinner. Dusk in the Gorge. Memories of many drives along the Columbia River to lacrosse tournaments. 580 miles and a world away from the Sawtooth Mountains.
After that substantial start to my adventure, today should have been a breeze. 170 miles to A Lake Odyssey (Annemom's house). Unfortunately the flat tire hiccup made the trip much less enjoyable.
So first thing tomorrow, the hybrid is going in for a check-up. Crossing my fingers for good reports. Also on the itinerary: Pacific Northwest hike, family dinner.
Mileage count: 750
Day count: 2
Miles to go: approximately 4,230
Kirforce is officially on her journey to North Carolina!
Anything that didn't fit in the hybrid Escape has a new life through the Gold Mine Thrift store, and decreasing my possessions has never felt so good.
Although I'm a bit of a hypocrite: I'm writing to you from my new Toshiba laptop. I haven't owned a new computer since 2003. This was an unexpected purchase but much needed retail therapy session after a bit of a scary scene in which Kirforce entered the freeway in Centralia, WA and proceeded to destroy her rear driver's side tire. Yikes.
Many thanks to WSDOT for saving this damsel in distress.
In my final "ski bumming" days I hiked, visited Redfish Lake, closed up the cafe and trained new workers, basked in the sun, and packed up my life.
First stop: Portland. I spent a night in this festive and familiar town, saying ta-ta as I will return in just two days for the third 2010 wedding and one of two that I get to represent at the altar. A stop in Hood River for dinner. Dusk in the Gorge. Memories of many drives along the Columbia River to lacrosse tournaments. 580 miles and a world away from the Sawtooth Mountains.
After that substantial start to my adventure, today should have been a breeze. 170 miles to A Lake Odyssey (Annemom's house). Unfortunately the flat tire hiccup made the trip much less enjoyable.
So first thing tomorrow, the hybrid is going in for a check-up. Crossing my fingers for good reports. Also on the itinerary: Pacific Northwest hike, family dinner.
Mileage count: 750
Day count: 2
Miles to go: approximately 4,230
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