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
Thursday, August 12, 2010
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
Friday, July 2, 2010
Inspiration
New blog picture, new season. I must admit that I have the urge to write.
30 more days. That is all I have left in this beautiful town.
Weekly skiing has been replaced by weekly hikes. Time dedicated to class is now time dedicated to the cafe. Looking forward, I have a house lined up for North Carolina (sharing a three bedroom with two men in my program). I have my finances in order (I think). I have my cross-country route picked out: Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Texas, New Orleans, Florida, and Durham.
Now that summer arrived last week, it really is stunning around here. Wildflowers blanket the hillsides. Craggy peaks hold on to the last bits of snow. A visit from my brother last week allowed me to explore new territory with an old pro. I'm also enjoying adventures on bike and foot with coworkers and friends.
And my classes? Most excellent marks from the community college courses, and I just turned in my last online class assignment after a full month of procrastination. Ready to officially satisfy my prerequisite needs with a final final.
Life is pretty stormy with new reasons to rejoice paired with new causes for concern. I'm going to enjoy the sunshine and encourage it to stick around for a while. The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday, and it seems that people in town like to celebrate it, too.
To those of you dedicated enough to discover this new entry, I'm sorry for the absence. Thank you for understanding my hiatus. I've been lucky enough to see most of you in recent weeks. Wish I had all of you here to dance out my last days as a bum.
30 more days. That is all I have left in this beautiful town.
Weekly skiing has been replaced by weekly hikes. Time dedicated to class is now time dedicated to the cafe. Looking forward, I have a house lined up for North Carolina (sharing a three bedroom with two men in my program). I have my finances in order (I think). I have my cross-country route picked out: Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Texas, New Orleans, Florida, and Durham.
Now that summer arrived last week, it really is stunning around here. Wildflowers blanket the hillsides. Craggy peaks hold on to the last bits of snow. A visit from my brother last week allowed me to explore new territory with an old pro. I'm also enjoying adventures on bike and foot with coworkers and friends.
And my classes? Most excellent marks from the community college courses, and I just turned in my last online class assignment after a full month of procrastination. Ready to officially satisfy my prerequisite needs with a final final.
Life is pretty stormy with new reasons to rejoice paired with new causes for concern. I'm going to enjoy the sunshine and encourage it to stick around for a while. The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday, and it seems that people in town like to celebrate it, too.
To those of you dedicated enough to discover this new entry, I'm sorry for the absence. Thank you for understanding my hiatus. I've been lucky enough to see most of you in recent weeks. Wish I had all of you here to dance out my last days as a bum.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Hiatus
In celebration of Earth Day, I'm taking a "Last chance, ski bum dance" hiatus.
Let's be honest, my life is boring. Why waste the electricity to tell you about it?
I'll let you know when something of interest happens.
Questions? Pick up the phone and give me a call.
Let's be honest, my life is boring. Why waste the electricity to tell you about it?
I'll let you know when something of interest happens.
Questions? Pick up the phone and give me a call.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Mixed Emo's
Here are a few of the current mixed emotions that Kirforce is confronting.
Dread/Excitement: Tomorrow we dissect rats in biology. What? Biology. Rats...that are dead. Scissors. Identifying internal organs. Woah. Did not know I was getting myself into this. Next week? Human cadaver. Um excuse me? I have never even seen a surgery. Queasy factor of one billion. But I'm almost dreading this dissection more than next week's viewing. I had the best pet rats in high school, no joke. Hot and Sexy were their names. Those tender little gals always hold a special place in my heart. Apologies in advance.
Slacker/Overachiever: I keep reminding myself that these are just prerequisite courses, and this is the formula: B- = credit. The same thing happened during my semester abroad. Grades didn't transfer. In both situations, I'm struggling to embrace this freedom.
Foodie/junkie: I dance a thin line between being a decent cook or a disgusting glutton. I finished Julie and Julia on CD (the only positive thing that happens while I make the trek down to Hailey for class), so I'm inspired to get cookin'. Last night I burnt rice. Huge failure. Tonight I think I might have taken a step in the right direction. Will get back to you on that one.
Fight/Flight: I am so blessed. So undeservedly blessed. I'm not a religious person, but "fortunate" and "lucky" don't adequately describe my emotions. I have an amazing family. I have an amazing step-family. I have amazing friends. I get to be selfish. I get to do what I want. I have my health. The incredibly undeservedly unfair situations that others are subjected to tears at my heart. After Julie and Julia finished, I popped in It's Not About the Bike. Say what you want about Lance Armstrong's personal life, but his message (in this book at least) is so good (so far). Embrace life. Don't take it for granted. Make a difference. And don't forget to share your passion with others. For those we've lost, and those we're fighting for, LIVESTRONG, in the most literal, trademark-free sense. Hugs hugs hugs times infinity.
Bitter/sweet: Tomorrow is my last Wednesday on the snow. Saturday is the grand finale of my season. It's been warm, and there's rain in the forecast. Despite my bitterness about not getting to ski more, I've had a sweet time ski bumming. Let's dance, the last dance (replace "love" with "skiing"). Looking forward to Act Two.
Cast your votes. Here are the contenders.
1. Last chance, river dance (Irish or water connotation)
2. Last chance, Sawtooth Forest prance
3. Last chance, marathon training advance
4. Last chance, eco-friendly seance (not really a last chance)
5. Last chance, travel the expanse
6. Last chance, write-in
Dread/Excitement: Tomorrow we dissect rats in biology. What? Biology. Rats...that are dead. Scissors. Identifying internal organs. Woah. Did not know I was getting myself into this. Next week? Human cadaver. Um excuse me? I have never even seen a surgery. Queasy factor of one billion. But I'm almost dreading this dissection more than next week's viewing. I had the best pet rats in high school, no joke. Hot and Sexy were their names. Those tender little gals always hold a special place in my heart. Apologies in advance.
Slacker/Overachiever: I keep reminding myself that these are just prerequisite courses, and this is the formula: B- = credit. The same thing happened during my semester abroad. Grades didn't transfer. In both situations, I'm struggling to embrace this freedom.
Foodie/junkie: I dance a thin line between being a decent cook or a disgusting glutton. I finished Julie and Julia on CD (the only positive thing that happens while I make the trek down to Hailey for class), so I'm inspired to get cookin'. Last night I burnt rice. Huge failure. Tonight I think I might have taken a step in the right direction. Will get back to you on that one.
Fight/Flight: I am so blessed. So undeservedly blessed. I'm not a religious person, but "fortunate" and "lucky" don't adequately describe my emotions. I have an amazing family. I have an amazing step-family. I have amazing friends. I get to be selfish. I get to do what I want. I have my health. The incredibly undeservedly unfair situations that others are subjected to tears at my heart. After Julie and Julia finished, I popped in It's Not About the Bike. Say what you want about Lance Armstrong's personal life, but his message (in this book at least) is so good (so far). Embrace life. Don't take it for granted. Make a difference. And don't forget to share your passion with others. For those we've lost, and those we're fighting for, LIVESTRONG, in the most literal, trademark-free sense. Hugs hugs hugs times infinity.
Bitter/sweet: Tomorrow is my last Wednesday on the snow. Saturday is the grand finale of my season. It's been warm, and there's rain in the forecast. Despite my bitterness about not getting to ski more, I've had a sweet time ski bumming. Let's dance, the last dance (replace "love" with "skiing"). Looking forward to Act Two.
Cast your votes. Here are the contenders.
1. Last chance, river dance (Irish or water connotation)
2. Last chance, Sawtooth Forest prance
3. Last chance, marathon training advance
4. Last chance, eco-friendly seance (not really a last chance)
5. Last chance, travel the expanse
6. Last chance, write-in
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Timing is Everything
I've never made a fashionable entrance, but I am usually late. Not notoriously, like a couple Santa Clara friends (love you guys), but it has definitely turned into a bad (and disrespectful) habit.
Today, I rolled into class ten minutes late. Not that it mattered because the only thing I did during the period was my homework for the week. Yesterday, I missed the championship game tip-off because I was cleaning up Sage Haven. The day before, I was tardy to Easter dinner at the extended family's place. And the day before that I got on the chairlift an hour after I planned to be there.
I've got to pull myself together because I don't think grad school is an appropriate place to continue this trend, as illustrated by an incident at NYU's business school. But it's hard to stress out about timing in this laid-back lifestyle.
As I dart to missed appointments, I can't help feeling like there is just not enough time in the day to get it all done. I worry that if I'm feeling this way now, how am I going to get through school? And how am I going to achieve everything I want to in my career and life? An eerie voice echoes in my head: "Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives." Replace the uplifting music with something more like this.
But really, timing is everything. Being in the right place at the right time was how I landed my job at Sunset. While watching the NCAA championship yesterday, a Butler fan observed that the game would come down to who had the ball in the last seconds. (Luck or skill, Duke still won!)
What if I missed the clean energy boat? Who knows what will happen in three years? Copenhagen stole my idea of distributing renewable energy resources to developing countries. Hopefully it is still going strong in 2013... 2013! I can't predict what tomorrow will be like, much less a thousand tomorrows from now.
All I can do is try to prepare myself for anything. And be on time. Until then, I'll enjoy this late winter weather. Last chance, ski bum dance!
Today, I rolled into class ten minutes late. Not that it mattered because the only thing I did during the period was my homework for the week. Yesterday, I missed the championship game tip-off because I was cleaning up Sage Haven. The day before, I was tardy to Easter dinner at the extended family's place. And the day before that I got on the chairlift an hour after I planned to be there.
I've got to pull myself together because I don't think grad school is an appropriate place to continue this trend, as illustrated by an incident at NYU's business school. But it's hard to stress out about timing in this laid-back lifestyle.
As I dart to missed appointments, I can't help feeling like there is just not enough time in the day to get it all done. I worry that if I'm feeling this way now, how am I going to get through school? And how am I going to achieve everything I want to in my career and life? An eerie voice echoes in my head: "Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives." Replace the uplifting music with something more like this.
But really, timing is everything. Being in the right place at the right time was how I landed my job at Sunset. While watching the NCAA championship yesterday, a Butler fan observed that the game would come down to who had the ball in the last seconds. (Luck or skill, Duke still won!)
What if I missed the clean energy boat? Who knows what will happen in three years? Copenhagen stole my idea of distributing renewable energy resources to developing countries. Hopefully it is still going strong in 2013... 2013! I can't predict what tomorrow will be like, much less a thousand tomorrows from now.
All I can do is try to prepare myself for anything. And be on time. Until then, I'll enjoy this late winter weather. Last chance, ski bum dance!
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