FROM THE ROAD

I move to D.C. in about 72 hours

So I arrived back at my house at approximately the same time that I left it 20 days ago on June 3rd. It was the journey that I had hoped for as long as I can remember. As little time we had, we saw things we needed to see and things we didn't but I'd argue we're better for it all. I don't really want to be back, as tiring as it is being on the road for three weeks. I'll be back in a car for a long trip in only a few days, but i'll be in one place for the next six months. The bonds of friendship have grown stronger in my eyes. I can only hope the rest agree. I regret nothing of this trip be it time, money place or anything else. What needed to happen happened and we did what we needed to do.

Now the four of us split and go our seperate ways.

Location: Milford, CT 

4:37 AM EST

And so it ends.....not with a bang but with Mario Party.   

This is for real...

I wake up every morning with nausea in the pit of my stomach. Unaware of what I did the previous day to have caused it. Completely unsure about how to fix it in the 15 minutes I have before I jump into the car and set off for another so called adventure of driving till our eyes are so heavy they can't even lift a spec of dirt from them. I feel as if I've aged ten years in this three week period. I've seen things that one would not expect to see, not at this age. Not in this time. Time has sped past me and I know now of what there is to come if I don't make up my mind about what I want to do with my life. I have seen the very epitome of what one's destiny can behold for them, as well as the bottom feeders paradise. Panhandling for a slice of bread to eat, or even the slightest bit of human kindness or interaction. I wouldn't say I'm like a child and this horror film of a country is being unveiled before my eyes. I'd would just say it's a culture shock to see some of the most different kind of lifestyles everywhere you go. I wouldn't expect salt lake city to have as many people begging as it did. Even though I was begging to leave, but thats a whole different story. Do yourself a favor and do not go to salt Lake city.

This trip has opened my eyes for good and for bad. I underestimated alot about this country and it's expanded my mind to the point of no return. I can't unseen the things I've seen and I can't really redo this voyage over again. Witnessing the country from the eyes of a fly as we zip past every city as every mile clicks up. A new state begins and only agony follows me until I get to the end of this one and to the beginning of another one. Only pleading to get back to the east coast where I am accustomed to. I am no longer headstrong to take on this country. I've absorbed everything I can from it and will hopefully pump it back through my own being or my work in some fashion. This palatte of beauty and destruction we call a country is both a wonder and an embarrassment at times. I've been lucky but I've seen those who have not been. Perhaps they made a few bad descions along the way...who am I to judge them. Am I one to say that I've never once put down someone else to get what I wanted out of them? Dare I say I've never taken advantage of someone in a given situation only for it to come back in my face. This country is about opportunity and it's only the opportunity you set up for yourself there is no handout, there is only time, precious time.

The End of the Road......Almost

Location: Bridgeville, PA 

"Still I'm convinced that giving in is the worst thing there is..." 

So this is it....almost.  Being back in Pennsylvania is weird.  As Matt said a couple days ago it's so close to home but still so far away.  At least when you're outside Pittsburgh.  This is probably our last night in a hotel and thus this is probably my last post while we are actually on the road.  I actually can't believe that I posted as much as I did but it's cool to be able to look back and see what I was thinking when this all started.  

Tonight we are at a Knights Inn only about 10 minutes outside of Pittsburgh.  This place has quite the clientele tonight but it is shockingly quiet right now.  It couldn't end any other way.  

So since our departure from the Super 8 in Mizzou we went to downtown St. Louis and saw the arch.  Going up into it is just about the coolest thing ever as they put you in these 2001: A Space Odyssey like pods and send you up to the top.  If you ever go there spend the $10 just for the ride.  It's worth it.  Once you get to the top of the Arch it's obviously pretty awesome as well as you can see pretty much the whole city from the little windows.   After taking the ride down we walked around the city and saw the cool pink fountains behind the capitol building and checked out Busch Stadium.  Then we left.  

Next up was Evansville, IN where we met up with Craig who was nice enough to take us out to lunch at a pretty awesome Mexican restaurant in town.  After that, we drove up to my cousins house in Louisville where my Aunt and Uncle were nice enough to take us out to dinner at an equally good BBQ place in town.   We stayed at their house for the night which was almost surreal as I was just there three weeks ago under totally different circumstances.  It was a great stop.

This morning we got up and drove through Lexington, Huntington and Charleston before stopping in right outside Pittsburgh.  We hit a mall in Charleston for a while which was about as classic a mall as you could get.  Every stock store was in it.  The town itself actually reminded me a lot of Providence which was kind of weird.  From there it was straight driving to this Knights Inn.  

After we checked in we went to Bob Evans for dinner which was sweet.  We have been talking about it all trip so it was good to finally get there.  They were out of salad though....what is the deal there.  

Tomorrow marks our last day or so on the road.  We are going to the Pirates game in the afternoon and then either trying to make the long trip through the night back home or stopping somewhere in between if we decide we can't make it.   One way or another I think it would be great if we can go to the same Waffle House that we went to on the first day.  It would be a funny bookend.  Plus I want to see if that guy is STILL in the bathroom. 

And so it the end of the road is upon us.  I want to thank anybody who took the time to read my ramblings over the past few weeks.  This whole thing has been an amazing experience.  When it is really all over for good I'll definitely post a final write up about the whole crazy three weeks.

Steel City here we come....       

Almost Done

Unfortunately it's almost over, we're back in PA for the first time since day one. The trip back has gone by quickly. Yellowstone was awesome, worth the trip. Although there wasn't much in terms of people until we reached Kansas City, the drive was beautiful the whole way. We were able to stay with Paul's family in Louisville which helped out a lot as we are all getting short on funds. We should be able to make it home without a problem though. Tomorrow we go to the Pirates game before the final stretch home. In less than a week i'll be living in D.C.

Kansas City loves Poison (the band not the thing that kills you)

Location: St. Charles, MO 

"You can never escape, you can only move south down the coast." 

More dashes tonight 

Wednesday 

- Left the Days Inn and made the quick trip out to Mt. Rushmore.  

- Saw the most famous rock in the country.  It was pretty cool too see because it's such a legendary land mark.  I got a bottle of soda with LBJ on it to.  Yup.  

- We drove through South Dakota which was actually a lot more interesting then Wyoming.  

- At one point we stopped at Wall Drug in Wall, SD.  There were signs for this place like 80 miles before it showed up so we had to stop.   This was seriously the coolest place ever.  It's just a giant cafe/store/gift shop/quirky entertainment complex but it had 5 cent coffee.  

- We drove some more until we found another place off the highway called The Corn Palace.  A guy named Judd told me how to get there.  It was basically a high school gym with corn art everywhere.  It was weird.  

- After this we drove straight through to Missouri Valley, IA where we stayed at the Rath Inn.  Decent place but the interweb didn't work.  Plus there was a bug infestation in the room.  Not really but there were enough to annoy me.  

Thursday

-Got up and drove to Kansas City.  

- "Is that a Poison shirt?  Where did you get that? Man that is sick, that is ill." 

-We went to 18th and Vine where we went into the Negro League Museum and this awesome Jazz Heritage Museum.  

- I could have listened to Louie & Ella all day man...."I fell in love with you the first time I looked into, them there eyes." 

- We left there and went to the Royals Stadium which was a huge bust.  The whole thing is under construction and it's a good thing their attendance is terrible because it would be a nightmare trying to get around the complex during games.  

- Stopped at a Stake N Shake.  This was seventeen days in the making.  Stake at Stake N Shake...never again.  

-Started making our way to St. Louis where we hit the second brutal storm of the trip.   Surprisingly, I was not driving this time.  

-Stopped at  this crazy travel lodge where we stayed for quite a while while the rain sort of passed.  Bought a six foot beef jerky thing.  Big mistake.  

-Drove here to this Motel 8 or whatever it is right outside of St. Louis.  They have an indoor pool here which of course we immediately went into.  The water was salty.  

-They also have internet as you might be able to gather but for some reason facebook does not work.  I can't believe that website did not exist four years ago.  

And so marks the end of the last Thursday of the trip.  I can't believe we only have three more days on the road.  It's going to be very difficult to get used to staying in one place again.  If everything goes smoothly we will be back in CT on Monday.  Wow.  

Tomorrow though is another busy day.  St. Louis and the arch in the morning, Indiana and Craig? in the afternoon, and Louisville and my Aunt & Uncle at night.   After that only one more city to see on the trip (Pittsburgh) before it's all over.  

Well, bedtime.   

Next Time I am Bringing a BLANKET

Location: Gillette, WY

Okay, I am way to tired for complete sentences so here is a rundown of the last two days which was really just one long one.  

Monday

-We left the Days Inn in Cameron Park early 

-We found this hotel in the last town on the NV border that we should have stayed at instead of the place we did.  It was like $30 for a night and it was at some awful hotel/casino type place.  Oh well we wouldn't have the cougar story to tell if we did that (another time). ]

-Drove by the Great Salt Lake

-Went into Salt Lake City for lunch where we ate at a cafe inside some sort of huge office building.  Probably the leading candidate for weirdest place we have been.  

-Briefly walked around SLC where they have these ridiculous orange flags on either side of the street that you need to hold as you cross.  

-Saw The Tabernacle, the Delta Center, and not one minority.  

-Made a mental note never to return to Salt Lake City.

-Drove all the way from SLC to West Yellowstone, MT, a small touristy town that is located directly outside of the West entrance of Yellowstone national Park.  

-Tried to camp inside the park....all campsites full.  

-Tried to find a reasonably priced hotel that was not fully booked in town.  We did this by briskly walking up and down the town blocks, pointing and yelling "vacancy" at places that looked promising.  No luck.  

-Decided it would be a good idea to drive about a mile outside the town to a camping sight.  We reserved our spot for only $14

-Quickly got some pizza back in the town.  Canadian Bacon.....where? 

-Went back to the campsite where we managed to set up the tents and get a fire going without any casualties.  We should have known everything was going far to well at this point.  

-Put out the fire and tried to go to sleep around twelve.  It still didn't feel all that cold.  

-By 3:30 we are all out of the tents and in the car.  Montana nights are rather frigid apparently. 

- Slept in the car for about four hours.  

Tuesday

-We broke down the tents, jumped some creepy guys truck and left the camp sight forever.  

-Stopped at a breakfast place back in town.  Best cup of coffee of my life.  

-After breakfast we went into Yellowstone Park which was yet another amazing place.  Between the buffalo, the geysers and the snow covered mountains it was definitely as poetically great as I hoped for.  Obviously, you could spend weeks discovering everything the Park has to offer but I was really happy with everything we got to see while we were there. 

-Leaving Yellowstone, we began the painfully long trip through Wyoming and South Dakota.  We stopped at this town called Shell along the way which only had a population of fifty people. 

- We drove through the Black Hills mountains which were breathtaking.  

-Stopped for dinner in a town called Sheridan at a Perkins which featured arguably the worst service of the trip and also a clown inexplicably named Willy Wonka Jr. hanging out in the waiting area.  Before I left, I went into the bathroom only to find the giant clown standing in one of the stalls.  Seeing the hat above the door and the giant shoes underneath it was one of the funniest things I have seen this whole trip.  Yeah, I know, it's really not very funny.  

-Ran out of the Perkins and started driving towards Mt. Rushmore.  

-We tried to book this hotel room in a town close to the landmark and the guy basically told us to stay somewhere else closer to where we were.  

- Ended up at a Days Inn in Gillette about an hour and a half from Mt. Rushmore.  

So that was the last two days.  It's funny because I'm pretty sure this is going to be the longest blog I have written even though the whole point of those little dash things was to keep it short.  Oh well, I hope it makes some semblance of sense.  Tomorrow we see Mt. Rushmore and then spend the rest of the day going through South Dakota and hopefully into Nebraska and Missouri.  Once we hit Sioux Falls we should be okay but the 300+ miles between Mt. Rushmore and there might be the most difficult of the trip.   One way or another, I'm sure it will be funny.  

Bed. 

reNO

Location: Elko, NV

After an awesome day in San Francisco we started the long road back East today.  

Since my last post we got the hell out of the Vagabond Inn Saturday morning and went to see the Golden Gate Bridge.  Even in the California haze it was a pretty amazing sight.  Just another one of those things that I have seen so many times on TV or whatever and finally got to see for real.  

After that we went to ATT Park and managed to get three tickets to the Giants/A's game for $34. More on that in a minute.  From there we met up with Matt's friend Pascal and got food and walked/trollyed around the city.  San Francisco is a city built on top of another city and as a result the hills in the town are absolutely brutal to walk up.  I don't know how people do that everyday.  Other than that though, there is nothing bad I can say about SF.  It was just an awesome city that I need to get back to immediately.  Along with San Antonio and New Orleans it was definitely my favorite city on the trip and it is probably my favorite out of the three as well.

That night me, TJ & Dan hit the ball game.  Our seats we're literally as far away from the field as possible but it was still a lot of fun.  Not caring about the game at all, it was actually really great being able to see the field and the surrounding city from that high up.  The breeze from the bay though made it quite cold up there.  

We drove for a few hours after the game and stayed at another Motel 6 in Cameron Park, CA.  It had no Internet but the toilet worked so that was nice.  

This morning we drove to Tahoe and took and saw the gigantic lake before going to my leading candidate for worst city in America...Reno, NV.   There is no way to even put it words how grimy the city is.  I did leave the city up $4 which was an improvement from that other NV gambling city.  If I didn't totally space out on and hit with a twenty when I was playing blackjack I probably would have had a little more then that to but what can you do.  

From Reno we wanted to get towards Salt Lake City and ended up here in Elko, NV.  The hotel we're in tonight is actually pretty nice especially for us.  Internet, toilet and EIGHT pillows.   Yeah, I know.  

Tomorrow we got to Salt Lake City early and then get as close as possible to Yellowstone.  It's hard to believe we are more then halfway done with this trip already.   

Reno vs. Birmingham for worst city of the trip.

That's right, today we left California for the trip back home. We stopped by Lake Tahoe, the last stop in CA before we crossed back into Nevada. Unfortunately the first and really the only stop in Nevada on the way back was Reno. It's sleezy old Vegas mixed with a lack of people and just nothing worth doing at all. At least Birmingham looked like it might have stuff to do if there were people around.

Anyway, California was beautiful and San Francisco was easily my favorite city so far. It lived up to being the city where I wanted to end the westbound trip. In less than two weeks I'll be living in Washington D.C. and that's weird to think about. I'm going to try and put those thoughts off a little more though because we still have about a week left of this trip. Tomorrow it's off to Salt Lake City and than moving on toward Yellowstone.

Here I Dreamt....

Location: San Jose, CA 

"We are vagabonds, we travel without seat belts on to live this close to death."  

We are in some kind of place right now in San Jose.  Hotel is called the Vagabond Inn.  I'll just leave it at that.  

I am exhausted and sick so this is going to be mad quick tonight.  

We got up early this morning and went down to Manhattan Beach for a few hours.  It wasn't a very nice day in the LA area but we decided to swim in the Pacific Ocean anyway.   No question it was worth it.  

We left L.A. for San Francisco at about 1:00 and spent the rest of the day driving.  We were hoping to spend some time on the Pacific Coast Highway but what everybody fails to tell you is that it is the most roundabout way possible to get from Los Angeles to 'Frisco.  The traffic was killer in the Santa Barbara area so we ended up bypassing the PCH almost entirely and still only made it to San Jose (about 60 miles outside of SF) at midnight.  We did end up randomly stopping at this restaurant called "Nugget" in Summerland, CA.  It was actually pretty good but this place was located in the middle of the classic upper class California beach town.  Really odd.  

Tomorrow we are spending most of the day in SF before trying to get as close to Reno as we can after the Giants game.   Yup .   

The Ocean

Well, last night at about 1:30 a.m. pacific time we arrived at our hotel in Hermosa Beach.  We couldn't actually see the ocean then, but when the sun rose this morning it was clear.  We had just driven across the country in nine days.  We have seen so much in that time it was hard to believe that it had happened already.  In two days we went from the mountains near the Grand Canyon to Vegas to the beach outside of L.A.  This being the end of the first half of the trip, we still have alot to do, but it's been an experience already for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing San Francisco and getting up to Yellowstone in a few days.  I just hope that we won't have to rush home because we spent so much time on the way here.  Either way I regret nothing and am just happy to have this opportunity before beginning another long stretch of school in a few short weeks.

The Wild, Wild West

Location: Hermosa Beach, CA 

No Internet for the last couple nights but I just posted some stuff that I wrote if you want to check it out.  

Today was our day in Hollywood, CA.  We woke up early and got breakfast with Matt's uncle right on Hermosa Beach before taking the train into Hollywood.  It's weird because Hollywood is the place that I really wanted to see on this trip and we still have quite a ways to go.  It's like it's over even though it's not.   Speaking of which, I have no idea how I going to handle being in one place when this trip is over.  Luckily, I still have another 10 or so days before I have to worry about it.  

So we got off the subway in LA on Hollywood Blvd.  and walked around.  I know the Hollywood walk of fame is more or less a joke at this point but it was still kind of surreal to see them in person.   We drove to the West Coast....how crazy is that.  

We strolled down the boulevard for a while and then hopped back on the subway to Universal City where we went into the Universal Studios outside lobby type thing with all the trendy shops and what not.  We talked to some slam ball player (think NBA Jam....only real) and then found out it cost $65 to get into the park and promptly left.  

Then awesomness happened.  We went back to the Blvd. and the Kodak Theater where the American Film Institute was holding their lifetime tribute to Warren Beatty.  So we spent the next two hours standing by the red carpet and got to see some pretty awesome stars including Jane Fonda, Chevy Chase, Faye Dunaway, Eva Marie Saint, Eve Mendes, Hugh Hefner, Robert Downy friggen Jr., MC Hammer (for real), Tony Shaloub, Angela Lansbery and of course Beatty and his wife Annette Benning.   It was pretty sweet.  

After that fun, I had some of the worst pizza I have ever had in my life for dinner and then walked down to Sunset Blvd. just to be able to say I was there.  At this point, it was time to escape from LA so we got back on the train and took the hour ride back to the beach.  Needless to say,  there were a lot of unhappy Lakers fans on that train tonight.  

Tomorrow we are getting up early and hitting the beach for a while before driving the Pacific Coast Highway up to San Fransisco.   Seeing LA today was so awesome and it's the latest place on the list of places I have to get back to.   I have said this a thousand times in here already but man this trip has been amazing. 

Back log

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Looking out at a hotel window at the MGM grand is not something I thought I was going to get to do on this trip.   Yet here I am at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino on the Vegas strip and we payed less then we did last night.  

We have no internet agian (I’m not paying for it) so this is going to be quick tonight and hopefully posted tomorrow but who knows.  We saw the Grand Canyon today which was the latest in a line of incredible things that I can’t put into words.  The wind at the North Rim of the canyon was something like 45mph which made it a very interesting standing on the top of the rocks with no visible end to a potential fall but all in all it was an incredible experience.  I also got a pretty sweet bracelet from this Navjo women on the way up to the canyon which was pretty cool.     

After the long drive to the canyon we turned our attention towards Las Vegas.  We ended up getting stuck driving through another national park on the way towards Vegas but we got out of having to pay for it which would have been a total buzzkill.  At about 9:45 we got our first glimpse of the Las Vegas skyline which was absolutely incredible from the highway.  

We got to the Excalibur  Hotel shortly after and checked in before gambling a little at MGM and getting some food back here.  The waiter was from Cumberland, RI which was pretty cool.    

Tomorrow we get to do probably the least driving of the trip as we are going to hang out in Vegas for most of the day and then try and getple hours closer to LA tomorrow night.  

Just a random thought before I finish here, it is mind boggling to me that it is almost six o’clock on the East Coast.  This journey man it has just been amazing.  

Day 9:

Locaton: Hermosa Beach, CA

I can see the Pacific Ocean. 

Day 10

Location: Hermosa Beach, CA

“There is no where to go but everywhere”

Seeing the Pacific Ocean from the window here at the Hermosa Hotel outside L.A. is the culmination of this trip in a lot of ways.  We are only at the halfway mark but this was the dream we set to accomplish.  To see the vastness of the other side.    

THE PLAYERS

Let me introduce you to the wets that define this trip. How this trip doesn't hold itself together with glue or tape...maybe some tape...but with trust.

Tony Joe
aka Fearless Leader, aka Kill joy Rodriquez aka speedy speederson McClean

The man is clearly well put together. But a funny bone in his body...there are few. He's a man of seriousness and thats exactly what we need to keep this trip on track. It's good to see someone with morals who's not just arbitrarily spending money along the way. With a map for every stretch of highway and a sense of determination unlike any other. Our Fearless leader is one for the books. In bed at whatever time we hit the resting stops at night and up promptly at 8 AM the following morning. Got bless him and his communist ways. We'd still be stuck in scranton if it wasn't for him moving us right along the country.

Drivus Minimus
aka Boothy, aka Flemmy Jones

We limit his driving on purpose I think, but thats because Drivus has the undying love for the theater. So there fore when he gets behind the wheel showtunes a'plenty are pumping out through our speakers. But I doubt thats the reason why nobody lets him drive. He's also rarely spoken up to do so. Honestly he's a true moral booster. With out his impressive memory bank the laughter would surely have died in the car a long time ago ( fairfield county maybe?). Alas he is full of stories and impressions and personality that it hards almost impossible not to love him. He plays just as an important role in the vehicle. He's out Jester and our inspiration along this journey, also his voice of reason usually matches mine so of course I can't say anything bad about the guy.

Global Paulsitioning System
aka The database, aka The Watcher

With an amazing knowledge of sports and film and everything in between hails the database's nick name. He's known it for a long time...the others won't know till the read this post. Anyways GPS is named GPS because it's he's gotten us out of a few tight jams. Now back in the day this kind of nickname would only sound like a dream, a hallucination even. "what do you mean it can point out all the food establishments within 10 miles" "I swear edgar it's the darndest thing" But seriously GPS has held together this boat of chaos very well. Often the navigator and the Iron horse of driving he's taken us through some fabulous parts of this trip. Including letting us stay at his home resort in TX there...that was a beauty. The man has also let us post on his lovely computador and has more gadgets then you can believe. He's a walking technology toolbelt and without bruce wayney here I don't know what we'd to to get by.

Weeby McWab
aka The Spinmaster, aka The loudest asshole in the car

Now just when you thought that everything was going smoothly you invite along this guy. The guy that has no limit, the guy that can't really be contained within the 10 in thick metal frame of a volvo. Pulling several stunts and GAGs that might not be seen as funny does not stop him. With only dollar signs in his eyes when he hits vegas and carrying ever piece of baggage along the way from the previous day we find McWab being alittle on edge but still cracking thousands of smiles along the way. Having never seen most of this beautiful his eyes are filled with big dreams. Jotting down notes in his mind along the way of places to return to, and absolutley dreading the midwest Weeby loves this country no matter how loud the anarchist inside him is screaming.

Sunset in Sedona

Location: Page, AZ

Duration: 3,300 mi, 1:11 AM MST  

Week one of the journey is officially in the books as I sit here in a dark room in a motel 6 just about two miles south of the Utah border.  The last couple of days I have seen some of the most beautiful and breathtaking places in the world and it is still absolutely unbelievable to me that we drove to every single one of them.  

No Internet in the motel 6 we stayed at last night but if the millions and millions of fans are interested, you can read the blog right below this one, which I wrote last night.  

We started off today in the town of Willcox, AZ, about 100 miles outside of Tucson and spent the morning driving to and then through Seguro National Park - 9 miles of real Arizona cactus standing amongst the backdrop of the Rincon mountains.  Matt posted some excellent pics of the place on the photo blog so I suggest you check those out as they say a lot more then I ever could about how cool a place it was.  

One funny thing that happened their - as we were leaving we asked the guy who worked there what the best way to get back to the highway was and without missing a beat he responded "by helicopter" before giving us directions.  It amused me.  

Next up on the map was Phoenix which featured construction on every single road we were driving on and a nice afternoon temperature of 108 degrees.  It was obvious the locals are smart enough to stay inside during the day as there were very few people walking the streets.  Still, I had a lot of fun in the city as we hit Chase Field and the team stores of the Diamondbacks and the Suns.  For lunch we went to Phoenix's hard rock cafe where we talked to a waiter from Brooklyn and a girl from Michigan about our trip.  They both seemed to dig it.  

As we left Phoenix (now 111 degrees according to the billboards) we made our way to Flagstaff via Sedona and the 28 mile stretch of road that makes up the Red Rock state park.  We made it to park at the perfect time, just as the sun began setting - projecting an angelic glow on the mountains (again see pics).  There is really no way for me to describe it - it's just an overwhelming thing to see.   

It was late when we finally reached Flagstaff but in a stroke of genius on our parts we decided to try and get as close to the Grand Canyon as we could before finding a place to crash.  Of course there is nothing but mountains for a majority of the 100 mile stretch between Flagstaff and Page so we ended up driving all the way out here before finally turning in for the night.  We did stop at one point in a tiny town called Cameron but ended up not staying after a guy bought the last room while we were thinking about it.  Honestly, though I think it worked out as we cut out over an hour of driving tomorrow and got a much better deal.  Plus we have Internet....yay.  

Tomorrow we get to see the true dichotomy of America as we (hopefully) spend the early afternoon at the Grand Canyon and then role in to the city of sin at night.  Having never been to the Grand Canyon and being all about these crazy natural phenomenon so far I can't wait to see it.  I'm also excited about getting back to Las Vegas after the awesome time I had there last summer.  Plus I am on a role at casinos (+ $3.29) in my last two trips. It's just crazy to think that we are going to be in two such different places in one day.  

That's it for me for tonight.  I have no idea what the sleeping situation is going to be like over the next few days so there is definitely a possibility I won't have a blog tomorrow. I'll try though.  Until the next time...      

___________________________________________

Location: Willcox, AZ  10:27 PM PST 

Duration: 2900 mi 

This motel 6 in Willcox, AZ is the first of the cheap hotels to not have wireless so who knows when this is actually going to be posted.  

One of the weirdest things in life is genuinely not knowing what time it is.  As we travel through the different time zones we have been totally off and I’ve learned quickly that I have no idea how the time zones are divided out here.  I know Phoenix is Mountain time, yet somehow in this small town three hours south east of it we’re in Pacific time.  Who knew?  

Note: I found out today that parts of AZ don't do daylight savings so in places like Willcox and Phoenix Mountain Time=Pacific Time 

So day six of our epic journey was another day filled with a lot of driving but probably my favorite stop so far.  We left Ozona early and drove straight through West Texas until we got to a town called Van Horn, about 100 miles outside of El Paso.  We ate at a little Mexican place that John Madden apparently frequents and then continued to the city.  We drove around El Paso briefly, snapping a couple of pics of Mexico before jumping back on the highway and finally getting the hell out of Texas.  Even from the car, El Paso was a culture shock as it is more or less a Mexican city in the United States.  It is also a city built in a desert and after driving through 100’s of miles of nothingness seems extremely out of place. 

About twenty miles later we finally hit New Mexico and our thirteenth state on the trip.  We jumped off  I-10 and took a detour to the White Sands National Monument  which is one of the single coolest places I have ever been to.  Once you get out into the actual site  you are surrounded by white hills and with just a little walking in any direction it is easy to find a spot where you feel like you are the only person on earth.  

I decided a couple things while I was there.  First of all I absolutely have to go back as it is now one of my life’s goals to lie in that sand, completely separated from the outside world and watch the sun set over the hills.  Going along with that - sort of - I decided that if  we all have to die somewhere, that would be a pretty awesome place to go.  I know that is a little morbid but I don’t mean it to be.  It’s just an absolutely beautiful place that made me acutely aware of everything that really matters in our lives.  

After leaving the dunes we drove pretty much straight through to this awful Motel 6 in Willcox, AZ.   The beds are really small, there is no breakfast and no wireless in this piece.  I know it sounds almost pathetic that I miss the internet so much but I like to let people know that I’m thinking about them and what not.  Oh well, I think I can probably survive for one night.  

Tomorrow we see the Arizona cities of Tucson, Phoenix & Flagstaff.  This is all totally new for me at this point so I’m excited to check out these places.  By the time anybody reads this we will probably be en route to the Grand Canyon but I’ll definitely post about my AZ experience as well.  After six days this trip has already been fantastic.  Now, it’s sleepy time.    

Turn the Page

Page, AZ

We decided to drive north of Flagstaff in order to be closer to the Grand Canyon in the morning, but we didn't consider the fact that there are very few towns near the Grand Canyon and that alot of hotels would be full or closed when we got there. Luckily the Page Motel 6 had a room for us for not too much.

Last night was our first motel stay without internet access but we somehow survived this tragic loss of connection to the outside world. The last two days we saw a bunch of state and national parks including the White Sands National Monument, Saguaro National Park and Red Rock State Park in Arizona. All beautiful places that deserve a visit if you're in the area.

Tomorrow it's the canyon and off towards Las Vegas...

1,000 masks

Location: Ozona, TX

12:14 AM CST 2,340 mi 

After a tough day on Friday the wets got back on track today with the first half of our journey into West Texas.  

We left my house around 9:30 and headed straight for the capital city of Austin where we found a free parking lot near UT and spent some time walking around the Texas capitol building.  The place had a lot of cool stuff including wooden postcards which I found to be pretty friggen' sweet. The Texas democrats convention was in town and Obamamania was running all over the place with everybody from twelve year old Hispanic kids to fifty year old bikers sporting their Barack garb.  It was really very interesting to see.  Dan also had somebody ask if it was in fact Coolio on his shirt to which he confirmed their suspicion of course.  

From Austin we hopped back in the car for about an hour to get to San Antonio which was definitely a close second on favorite cities we have stopped in so far.  We went through the Alamo (I *heart* free stuff) and then walked around the area for a while, taking in the unique Mexican style of the city.  

Noticing Luchadore masks in one of the windows we went into a small gift shop on one of the streets and looked at their selection.  The lady in the store was super nice and asked if we wrestled a lot to which Matt aptly responded "not professionally."  At one point she asked us if we were familiar with legendary luchadore Mil Mascaras.  When I told her I was she spent several minutes talking about some of his movies before telling us about this club in town that had a wrestling ring in it.  We ended up not being able to get to it but she was nice enough to give me the address and phone number of the place if I ever go back.   I bought a Mil Mascaras mask to add to my lucha mask collection (3....stop laughing) and we left the place.  

That experience in that little store in San Antonio was probably the surrealist of the trip so far.  For one it was probably the first time in my life that being familiar with some professional wrestler actually made me seem more cultured.  It was also the first time that the distance from where we started really hit me.  It's just incredible how much we have seen in such a short time and how different the world looks depending on where you're standing.  It was very cool.  

After that we ate at a cool Mexican restaurant on the San Antonio river.  The weather was beautiful and the atmosphere was fantastic.  One way or another S.A. is a city I need to go back to.  

When we finished dinner we left the city and started on the 540+ journey to El Paso.  We got some really cool pictures at dusk (see above) and cut off about 150 miles before crashing at this Traveldoge in Ozona.  This hotel is definitely the nicest we have stayed in so far but for the price it better be.  I guess that's the deal when this is one of like three hotels within 70 miles of here.  

Tomorrow looks to be another long day of driving as we try to get into Arizona before we stop. If everything goes as planned we should hit El Paso (and the MT time zone) sometime in the afternoon and hopefully check out the white sands national monument in New Mexico if they are not doing missile testing when we get there.  We'll hope for the best.  I'd really like to see it.  

Early wake up call tomorrow so I'm done here for tonight.  Really good day today and I'm looking forward to seeing some of the awesome landscape in the daytime.      

We Know the Western Desert is the Best

We're at Paul's house now and about to head down to Austin and San Antonio for the day before we begin our drive through the desert on the way to California. New Orleans was awesome. Luckily Tom was around and was able to not only give us a place to stay but tell us where to go and where not to go. The French Quarter was beautiful once you stepped off Bourbon St. We also got to see some good jazz at the Spotted Cat. The next day we mostly drove stopping briefly in Houston on the way to Keller, TX. It's been great so far and we still have so much left to see, if we can make it through the desert in one piece than we should be in great shape.

So what is this anyways

I couldn't tell you how helpless I really feel. Being this far from home. Being this out of place. Feeling as though you stand out no matter how hard you fit in. There's something different about the way you look or the way you even smell. Especially when you smell like fear.

I have trust issues to begin with so you can imagine how I feel when I step outside the safety blanket known as the car. A mini-anxiety attack runs through my veins and up my spine. What will happen on this corner as we wander away from the car and as we limb back to it. What will happen as we try and make it look like we don't have all these possessions on us. I have to say what I really think...thats the way I've come to be. It's really tough for those who can't grasp it.

This adventure is intense I'm not going to act like it's not shaping me as a human being. This trip alone is beating me up emotionally and physically every day. But I'm on this trip with 3 of the finest, genuine people you could ever meet. My next post will be about the PLAYERS in this game and where everybody comes from and how they fit this puzzle. I will explain how we haven't killed each other. We've taken stabs but thats because we know and trust each other more than anyone else.

But back to the beat down. This trip is a physical and mental exhaustion, with good reason. You think it's easy putting together an endeavor like this? UT UN! Teej has put us on the path to greatness...no matter how much I beg to differ. I'd be dead in the bayou of New Orleans by now if it wasn't for these guys holding me together and keeping me sensical. There are times where I want to just jump out of that car and lay among the grass along the interstate until the sun washes over me and return like nothing had happened. Instead I have to envision such a dream as I speed past fields and fields of different kinds of vegetation. This would be a good photo, this would be a good photo. Alas, I have blinked and that frame through a lens captured for eternity on film has evaporated from my mind.

I look forward to the bright lights of vegas, where the day and night become one plethora of debauchery and sin wrapped up in a box with wrapping paper so good you just can't throw away...

NOLA

Location: Keller, TX; 12:24 AM CST

Distance: 2000 mi 

It's pretty hard to believe that I was here only four days ago.   Everything just looks so much different from the car I guess. 

So no update yesterday as the faithful readers I'm sure noticed so despite the fact I need to sleep badly I'll try to make up for it here.  The Internet in the econolodge was more reliable then my wireless is right now but we'll hope for the best.  

Thursday morning we left the five star Masters Inn and made our way to New Orleans.   With only one quick stop somewhere in Missouri we got to the city right around one where we met with up  and old buddy of TJ and Dan's and promptly indulged in New Orleans Po Boys.  The shrimp was most definitely as good as I hoped it would be.  

From there we rode the streetcar down into the French Quarter where we spent the rest of the day/night checking out the city.  Somebody made a remark yesterday that New Orleans "is a different kind of south" and even after only half a day there, I can't think of a better way to describe the place.  It's really a one of a kind city that combines the music and atmosphere of a place like Chicago with a distinct southern twist and an offbeat uniqueness that I have never experienced anywhere else.  

There is just such a dichotomy in the city even in the relatively small radius that we spent our time in.  On one hand you have Bourbon St. an overwhelming touristy but at the same time almost sleazy area that manages to be filled with everything associated with the city while at the same time seeming so phony.  Just a few blocks down the road though you have the riverwalk - an equally touristy - but much more legitimate feeling location.  It might just be the hopeless romantic in me that would rather sit at the mouth of the Mississippi River at dusk then hang out on Bourbon St. but I felt much more like I was in a place distinctly New Orleans at the former.  

During the day we also hit up the famous Cafe du Monde where we had some tremendous donuts and coffee and made the first casino stop of the trip at Harrah's right across from the river (running casino total: +3).  We took another trip down Bourbon St. to see what it was like at night and found it to be about the same as it was during the day only with more people and more annoying bouncer type guys yelling at you in hopes that their threats will entice you to go into their strip clubs.  Luckily, we knew a local and he gave us some great spots to go to check out real N.O. music.  

We ended up in a little club called "The Spotted Cat" out of the real touristy area of the West end and saw some genuinely awesome jazz.  It was the highlight of the trip for me so far and represented everything that I ever heard was great about the city.  People of all ages (21 +) and races were packed into the tiny place just taking in the music and having a good time.  It was really a beautiful thing to see.  We finished off the night at a small diner outside the downtown area where we got a nice bite to eat before we crashed for the night.  

Overall, N.O. was everything I was hoping for and a lot of that was because we had the inside track on where to go and where to avoid in the city.  If we tried to explore the place with only the books we had we never would have ended up in the places we ended up in.  The other thing that was obvious was that effects of Katrina continue to be felt across the city.  From the shredded rooftops to the "save NOLA" t-shirts to the locals on the streets talking in "before and after" terms nearly three years after the tragedy, the Hurricane continues to be an unshakable reality for the city - even in the parts that appear to still be somewhat thriving.  It's just amazing how quickly the general conscience forgets how devastating something like that truly is.  For the people of the city the pain of what happened never goes away, the best they can do is try and move on.  I think that's why I loved watching that jazz band so much.  They were truly keeping it real.  

Today or Yesterday I guess now consisted almost entirely of driving.  We stopped briefly in Houston and checked out Minute Maid Park before heading to my house in D/FW for the night.  The traffic out of Houston was terrible and slowed us down big time so didn't end up getting here until almost 10:30 after leaving N.O. at 9 in the morning.  

Tomorrow we head out early again and hopefully check out Austin and San Antonio before venturing off into the 500 miles of West Texas desert between San Antonio and El Paso.   The next couple of days are kind of up in the air as we try and figure out the best way to get across TX so the blogs might be scarce.  Hopefully, we will be able to get some Internet access somewhere but especially in that area it's impossible to know.  If we even have cell phone service I'll be happy.  Nonetheless, I am kind of excited about going through No Country For Old Men territory.  Sure the drive is probably going to be rough at times but we're road trippin' so we might as well see it all.     

All in all the first four days of this trip have been tremendous and I can't wait to see what happens next.  Until we meet again.....I am out.  

"I'm going down to New Orleans where the stars on the sidewalk shine"

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama 

Distance: 1105 mi 

If you ever feel the need to go to Birmingham, Alabama after 6 PM.  Do yourself a favor and change your mind.  As TJ said, the city is closed at night.  

Our journey continued right around 10 AM EST this morning when we left the Econolodge in Salem, VA and headed back on I-81 South towards Knoxville.  Before we left, I managed to grab a small muffin and some apple juice from the continental breakfast (big mistake) and take a shower where the tub had some serious drainage issues. Regardless, we survived the first night, grabbed some ice for the cooler, a copy of Tuesday's Roanoke times (OBAMA WINS!) and some drinks before hitting the road.  One nice thing about the drinks we picked up was that none of them expired six months ago like the bottle of twister Dan bought at a gas station in PA on Tuesday.    

Our first stop of the day was in the small town of Abingdon, VA, not to far from the Tennesee boarder.  We checked out the old theater they had (magnet time) and had lunch at an excellent local place that used to be a hardware store.  From there I went into the Bank of America where I was unable to find a machine and had to make a withdrawal from an actual human being.  After explaining what in the bloody hell I was doing in this town...you know being a Texan and everything...I finally got my money.  I stole a lemon lolly pop though so it wasn't a total loss.  

Knoxville was next on the list of stops which actually ended up working out great despite the fact that half the roads in the area were closed for one reason or another.  One thing led to another and we ended up  atop the sunsphere from the 1982 worlds fair with a pretty sweet view of the city (see photo blog).  As were going down on the elevator this happened: 

Guy with Tennessee hat on: "That wasn't like the Simpsons led me to believe." 

*awkward silence*

Dan: "Yeah, that's what we said." 

I laughed.  

From there we made our way to Chattanooga where we found ourselves playing mini golf at a place called Sir Gooney's family fun center.  Despite the fact that the bonus hole was literally impossible to win on it was a pretty great experience.  If you ever go there though I would recommend just pocketing the ball rather than trying to win that free game.  You just end up getting yelled at by the machine when you lose anyway.  

As we crossed into the central time zone we set our sights on the aforementioned Birmingham where we arrived only to be disappointed.  I have been in quite a few cities in my day and this was by far the quietest I had ever seen or heard one.  It was eight o'clock and there was not one open restaurant in the downtown area.  Starving, we left the city and quickly found a McDonald's a few towns later where we barely made it before they also decided to close.  Luckily, we were able to eat and then took to the road for another half an hour until we reached our current local here in Tuscaloosa. 

Other then the fact that it is six billion degrees Celsius in this room here at the Masters Inn (and by that I mean it's a little warmer then I would like), this place seems to be in slightly better shape then last nights stop and was almost twenty bucks cheaper.  Great access off the highway, another great wireless Internet service and yet another free breakfast in the morning.  Molly, I am taking you're advice, I am so heating up whatever I eat from this place.  

Tomorrow, we get up early and travel the three hundred or so miles it takes to get to New Orleans.  If all goes as planned we should make it there around one and spend the rest of the day in the city.  Besides L.A., New Orleans is the city I am most excited about going to so I'm really looking forward to getting there tomorrow.  

With that being said, I should probably put this here laptop down and try to get some sleep.  Tonight my goal is to stay asleep for more then three consecutive hours.  We'll see if that works out for me.   

Be sure to check back tomorrow... 

Birmingham...Closed

Tuscaloosa, AL

Another long day of driving, including stops in Abington, VA, Knoxville, TN, somewhere outside of Chatanooga, TN and Birmingham, AL. We had lunch in Abington at a great restaurant in an old hardware store. After that we headed out toward Knoxville where there were several roads closed including the major highway that we were on, but luckily that ended up with us visiting the Sun Sphere which was part of the 1982 World's Fair. We stopped to play mini golf at Sir Goony's just outside of Chatanooga which was pretty fun. Next, we thought we'd get dinner in Birmingham, but there was literally nothing there. It was empty of people, only had a few cars, and nothing was open for dinner. It was oddly empty for a major city of the south, and we ended up getting back in the car and grabbing McDonalds because it was the first thing outside the city. Tomorrow we head out early so that we can enjoy the day in New Orleans.

Location: Salem, VA

Time: 12:21 AM 

Distance: 650 mi 

Even though I'm pretty sure Anton Chigurh is about to blow through the door of this hotel room any moment, I actually kind of like this ecnolodge.  Free internet man.  

Like all great stories ours starts with half a dozen old-fashioned donuts in Milford, CT.  Eighteen hours later, here we are at the end of the first day of this journey across America.  

We hit six states today - Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia & Virginia.  In PA we stopped at one of my favorite old school locations -Hershey's Chocolate World -  took the free tour, got some free candy and acted no older then I did when I used to frequent the place as a kid.  It's nice to know that some things never change.  

From there we stopped at a local gas station where I picked up a magnet that reads "I Love Intercourse....PA" get it, it's a play on words.  Magnet collecting, by the way is something that I plan to do quite a lot of on this trip especially if I can continue to find ones as sophisticated and mature as that one.

After the quick pit stop we headed for Harrisburg where we went to the Civil War museum.  Besides getting my hands on a pretty sweet Abraham Lincoln magnet, I really was fascinated by the whole experience.  The exhibit is really extensive and you can't help but kind of get chills walking through there.  It manages to be so real and so far away at the same time.  If you ever get the chance, I would totally recommend it.  

After Harrisburg it was time to make a 200 mile beline towards Roanoke, VA and a Buffalo Wild Wings for Tuesday night wings.  We got caught in the middle of a seriously crazy thunderstorm where the sky was turning pink and the highway visibility was next to nothing and your four young heroes had no choice but to pull off the freeway and wait the storm out behind some sort of Tobacco Outlet.   We finally ended up making it to the restaurant around 9:30 for our weekly feast - which was of course so worth it - before finding this fine place to crash at.  In all seriousness though, I have stayed in a lot more sketchy places then this one and we get a free breakfast. For the price, really not to bad.  

Tomorrow we try and hit Knoxville, Chattanooga & Birmingham before seeing how close we can get to the New Orleans, LA.  It's about 850 miles to the Big Easy so we might not make it all the way there until Thursday but we'll see how it goes.  I can't wait to see what ridiculousness tomorrow brings.  

I should really try and get some sleep right now but with each passing night I am turning more and more into a full-fledged insomniac.  Let's just say that sleeping is no longer one of the primary objectives in my daily life.  None the less, it's time to see if I can grab a few hours before starting the trek tomorrow.  

Thanks for reading everybody and don't forget to check out the photo blog (link is on the side) for some more fun photos of our first day on the road.      

    

Day 1: CT-VA

Salem, VA

We're at the Econo Lodge in Salem/Roanoke VA and boy is it great. The front door sticks, the bathroom door doesn't shut, but there's free internet so it evens out. We hit a few good spots today: Hershey for the free tour at Chocolate World, Scranton, The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg and a Waffle House. We tried to see the Natural Bridge in Virginia on our way to Roanoke but it was pouring rain and we actually had to stop and sit outside a Tobacco shop for a while until things calmed down. We got off the exit in the town where my grandfather was born, and in the end we made it to Roanoke and a Buffalo Wild Wings for Tuesday wing night. All in all it was a good day for leaving at 6 a.m. from Milford. Just about 650 miles from home.

Location: Scranton, PA; 10:01 AM, 

Distance: 200 Mi. 

I love hotel parking lots.  At the Radisson in Scranton.  So far everything has gone swell.  Check out the photo blog for fun pics so far.   Until later..  

Milford, CT

Distance: 0 mi.  

And here we go...

Harrisburg, Roanoke, Buffalo Wild Wings....it's Tuesday duh.   

A Few Hours Away

Stratford, CT
Just a few hours away from leaving, going over Matt's for some planning and Raw. Matt's post is sure depressing, thanks alot jerk. I think of it as everyone else is missing out on us. Anyway, we head out early in the a.m. tomorrow heading toward Harrisburg, PA. Hopefully all goes well and we'll be updating us often as possible. Check out the link in our facebooks to get to the photoblog for the trip.

Location: Stratford, CT 

So I tried to post at the airport but I couldn't.  Anyway, here I am in the CT now less then 24 hours away from us finally getting on the road.  I missed Mike Huckabee at Laguardia which is quite unfortunate.  He would have been a great addition to the trip.   Next time.  

Tomorrow we head for Harrisburg, PA...  

The Things I'm going to miss...

I thought I would just mention all the things that I'm going to miss being the month of June. It's a lovely month. One of the most gorgeous months out of the year to be on the East Coast. I'm also not writing this for pity, I'm actually writing it to show that the people that think I'm skipping out on their event I'm skipping out ON ALOT OF OTHERS...boy this is not a good idea.

Ben's Bachelor Party
Lorenna's Graduation Party
Krista's Graduation Party
Meaghan's Graduation Party
My Parents Anniversary
Fathers Day
George's Birthday
Hick's Birthday
Jess's Graduation Party
(possibly) Annie's Going away party
Mao's camping trip
Dyball's Birthday Bonanza

I'm sorry, my apologies to all of you.

It's kinda like taking a really great job offer getting paid 100K a year + benefits...but in actuality it's like losing 1,500 dollars at various places across the country all in fractions of a second.

Keep Following along and enjoy the ride.

Location: Keller, TX

It's now less then 24 hours before I am scheduled to fly to NY to begin this epic journey.  The suitcase is still only about half packed but I can't wait to get this thing started.  I decided that the wets should have alias' just in case we get in a bind so any suggestions would fabulous.  

Due to the ingenuity of this lovely, lovely website all of us road warriors should have the capability of posting our innermost thoughts throughout the trip.  Of course, as I said before that depends entirely on how many internet cafe's we can hit along the way.   Anyway, time to continue forcing things into the smallest suitcase I have.  Until tomorrow...