Or at least my blog does. I’m writing my final blog entry from the airport terminal in Baltimore waiting for my flight to Connecticut. Flying with luggage for a month of camping and traveling is not so much fun! I was just thinking that if they lose my luggage it would really suck, because I’ll lose just about every pair of underwear I own (that should have made you laugh)!
This trip has definitely helped with my US geography. We ended up traveling through 25 states, and if you hand me a blank map of the USA I can probably fill in most of the states now (I don’t make any promises for the middle of the country still).
I’m slowly regaining the concept of the days of the week; it’s a slow and steady process. I might have it back fully by September.
Last night at dinner Ilona’s dad asked us about our favorite places and meals on the trip, and I think that’s a good way to end my last blog. I think that my favorite places on the trip were Lake Tahoe, the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur, and New Orleans. As for my favorite meals, I’m not sure I can pick. We had so much amazing food and I really enjoyed all of it! Cooking for myself again in September is going to be very sad, that’s for sure.
We experienced a few glitches and some changes along the way, but overall everything went pretty smoothly. I really enjoyed visiting with friends and family, and meeting some of Ilona’s friends and family. If you are reading this and are one of the people we visited, thank you again for your hospitality!
I can’t express to you how happy I am that I can now cross off cross-country road trip from my giant life to-do list! :) Thanks for reading along and sharing the experience with me!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Chevy Chase, MD
We rescued the tent this morning and it was very wet!! A guy in the campsite next to ours said that just about everyone abandoned their tents and slept in cars last night. Glad to know we weren't alone.
The drive to Maryland was pretty uneventful, minus stopping at South of the Border of course. I was worried that we might miss it, but soon discovered that was an unnecessary worry. The billboards along the highway were so entertaining! Here's an example of one with a picture of a sausage on it, "You never sausage a place! (You're always a weiner at Pedro's!)." I definitely rank the place right up there with Wall Drug.
The Mini has made it through all kinds of weather and terrain, and then it stalled in the middle of Washington, DC less than 5 miles away from it's home! Luckily it restarted and we didn't have any further issues. We just couldn't believe that it would make it this far and then give us problems.
For dinner tonight we had a nice meal with Ilona's parents once we arrived in Maryland. Ilona's mother made wonderful gnocchi, cut up tomatoes and basil, and we also had some fresh summer fruit for dessert. It was very enjoyable.
Tomorrow evening I'm flying back to Connecticut. I'm sure the day will be spent organizing and getting ready to fly. Hopefully there will be a stop to John's Hopkins thrown in there before the airport.
The drive to Maryland was pretty uneventful, minus stopping at South of the Border of course. I was worried that we might miss it, but soon discovered that was an unnecessary worry. The billboards along the highway were so entertaining! Here's an example of one with a picture of a sausage on it, "You never sausage a place! (You're always a weiner at Pedro's!)." I definitely rank the place right up there with Wall Drug.
The Mini has made it through all kinds of weather and terrain, and then it stalled in the middle of Washington, DC less than 5 miles away from it's home! Luckily it restarted and we didn't have any further issues. We just couldn't believe that it would make it this far and then give us problems.
For dinner tonight we had a nice meal with Ilona's parents once we arrived in Maryland. Ilona's mother made wonderful gnocchi, cut up tomatoes and basil, and we also had some fresh summer fruit for dessert. It was very enjoyable.
Tomorrow evening I'm flying back to Connecticut. I'm sure the day will be spent organizing and getting ready to fly. Hopefully there will be a stop to John's Hopkins thrown in there before the airport.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Charleston, SC
I'm not sure where to even begin! I had to take notes again today so that I wouldn't forget anything. Keep reading on because the best parts will definitely be saved for last!
This morning we started out with breakfast at Clary's Cafe. It's the cafe mentioned in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It was pretty entertaining listening to the men sitting at the table behind us discuss the book versus the movie. After that we toured Juliette Gordon Low's house, "The Birth Place of Girl Scouts." It was pretty excited to tour the house in person after hearing about it for so many years in Girl Scouts. The tour guide spent a lot of time talking about the furniture, but it was still interesting to look around the old Victorian house. There was one family on the tour and all four members were a few crayons short of a full box. I kept exchanging glances with another man on the tour and smirking; we were both thinking the same thing about these people. I love sharing moments with strangers.
After the tour we parted ways with Savannah and headed to Charleston, SC. On the highway we saw our first sign for South of The Border, telling us that it was 185 miles away. We'll be stopping tomorrow. It's another one of those places you just have to stop at while on a road trip, kind of like Wall Drug in South Dakota. I also feel like it's important because so many of my family members have stopped there before me while traveling the east coast.
Here's something that I think is funny, a chain of gas stations in the south are apparently called El Cheapo's. How could you not find that entertaining? I also noticed a guy riding a motorcycle who, between his face and stature, oddly resembled one of the monkeys from The Three Wise Monkeys (you know, Hear no evil, etc). I was pretty amused by that as well.
I would like to take this opportunity to say that I've learned a VERY important lesson in the past week: camping in the south eastern United States in July is never a good idea! That being said, we arrived at the campground in Charleston and discovered that when they said primitive camp site, they weren't kidding around. Everything was primitive except for the out-house that was air conditioned. I was joking about bringing my sleeping bag in there because the humidity was going to make for a third night of uncomfortable sleeping. Setting the tent up was a race against nature. Right before we began the process, we started to hear thunder rumbling in the distance. Luckily we finished putting the rain flap on before it started raining and got all of our sleeping stuff set up inside.
Being in South Carolina and all, we thought it would be fun to visit a plantation. We headed over to Mount Pleasant to visit the Boone Plantation. Movies such as North and South, Queen, and The Notebook have been filmed there. We made it at the end of the day and caught the last tours. I really enjoyed the tour guide, she was really funny and made a lot of jokes. My favorite joke was in reference to not being affiliated with Boones Farm Wine and not causing bad memories. I swear it was was a better joke in person when she told it. Anyway, not only did we get to learn a little bit of history about slavery and the plantation, but we also learned a little bit of history about Charleston. On a side note, I found it a little ironic that as we pulled up the driveway to the plantation there were Mexicans doing the yard work.
The end of the tour was about the time when our luck with Mother Nature ran out (she's been pretty nice to us for the most part). The sky had opened up and Mother Nature was giving Charelston all she had, it just poured cats and dogs! Being in the low country we were both very concerned about our belongings back in the tent, and decided our next destination was back to the campground to check on them. When we arrived we discovered a tent surrounded by water. Just to get to the tent we had to walk through ankle deep water. Not only was the tent surrounded by water, the rain flap was blown by the wind and it had been raining in our tent for god knows how long. We grabbed our stuff and decided to abandon camping to find a hotel, leaving the tent until the morning. We found a Holiday Inn and checked into a room, only to arrive at the room door and discover the key didn't work. The maintenance man came and let us in and went to get our keys recoded for us. After we unpacked all the wet stuff and set it out to dry, he returned and informed us that we were being moved to another room so that he could fix the door. Oy vey! At this point I was just laughing so hard because it was the comedy of errors. Finally, we settled into the new room and ate an over priced so-so dinner in the hotel restaurant. The nice part was that it is on the top floor and over looked the harbor.
To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty happy about not spending another night sleeping without air conditioning in the south east. Maybe I'll actually get a good night sleep tonight!
By the way, I've somehow picked up a southern accent when I say the word, "you." It's very catchy and it just started coming out of my mouth. Let me tell you, it caught me off guard the first time it happened! I don't really expect it to last long after returning to "The North."
This morning we started out with breakfast at Clary's Cafe. It's the cafe mentioned in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It was pretty entertaining listening to the men sitting at the table behind us discuss the book versus the movie. After that we toured Juliette Gordon Low's house, "The Birth Place of Girl Scouts." It was pretty excited to tour the house in person after hearing about it for so many years in Girl Scouts. The tour guide spent a lot of time talking about the furniture, but it was still interesting to look around the old Victorian house. There was one family on the tour and all four members were a few crayons short of a full box. I kept exchanging glances with another man on the tour and smirking; we were both thinking the same thing about these people. I love sharing moments with strangers.
After the tour we parted ways with Savannah and headed to Charleston, SC. On the highway we saw our first sign for South of The Border, telling us that it was 185 miles away. We'll be stopping tomorrow. It's another one of those places you just have to stop at while on a road trip, kind of like Wall Drug in South Dakota. I also feel like it's important because so many of my family members have stopped there before me while traveling the east coast.
Here's something that I think is funny, a chain of gas stations in the south are apparently called El Cheapo's. How could you not find that entertaining? I also noticed a guy riding a motorcycle who, between his face and stature, oddly resembled one of the monkeys from The Three Wise Monkeys (you know, Hear no evil, etc). I was pretty amused by that as well.
I would like to take this opportunity to say that I've learned a VERY important lesson in the past week: camping in the south eastern United States in July is never a good idea! That being said, we arrived at the campground in Charleston and discovered that when they said primitive camp site, they weren't kidding around. Everything was primitive except for the out-house that was air conditioned. I was joking about bringing my sleeping bag in there because the humidity was going to make for a third night of uncomfortable sleeping. Setting the tent up was a race against nature. Right before we began the process, we started to hear thunder rumbling in the distance. Luckily we finished putting the rain flap on before it started raining and got all of our sleeping stuff set up inside.
Being in South Carolina and all, we thought it would be fun to visit a plantation. We headed over to Mount Pleasant to visit the Boone Plantation. Movies such as North and South, Queen, and The Notebook have been filmed there. We made it at the end of the day and caught the last tours. I really enjoyed the tour guide, she was really funny and made a lot of jokes. My favorite joke was in reference to not being affiliated with Boones Farm Wine and not causing bad memories. I swear it was was a better joke in person when she told it. Anyway, not only did we get to learn a little bit of history about slavery and the plantation, but we also learned a little bit of history about Charleston. On a side note, I found it a little ironic that as we pulled up the driveway to the plantation there were Mexicans doing the yard work.
The end of the tour was about the time when our luck with Mother Nature ran out (she's been pretty nice to us for the most part). The sky had opened up and Mother Nature was giving Charelston all she had, it just poured cats and dogs! Being in the low country we were both very concerned about our belongings back in the tent, and decided our next destination was back to the campground to check on them. When we arrived we discovered a tent surrounded by water. Just to get to the tent we had to walk through ankle deep water. Not only was the tent surrounded by water, the rain flap was blown by the wind and it had been raining in our tent for god knows how long. We grabbed our stuff and decided to abandon camping to find a hotel, leaving the tent until the morning. We found a Holiday Inn and checked into a room, only to arrive at the room door and discover the key didn't work. The maintenance man came and let us in and went to get our keys recoded for us. After we unpacked all the wet stuff and set it out to dry, he returned and informed us that we were being moved to another room so that he could fix the door. Oy vey! At this point I was just laughing so hard because it was the comedy of errors. Finally, we settled into the new room and ate an over priced so-so dinner in the hotel restaurant. The nice part was that it is on the top floor and over looked the harbor.
To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty happy about not spending another night sleeping without air conditioning in the south east. Maybe I'll actually get a good night sleep tonight!
By the way, I've somehow picked up a southern accent when I say the word, "you." It's very catchy and it just started coming out of my mouth. Let me tell you, it caught me off guard the first time it happened! I don't really expect it to last long after returning to "The North."
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Savannah, GA
The biggest excitement in Atlanta this morning? That would be driving past the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and taking a tour of the CNN studio. Yup, I'm that dorky. We also drove past Emory and it really does look like a gorgeous campus. All of the buildings are really old and there are trees everywhere. It seems to be on the outskirts of the city. The CDC literally is the next building over from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory. How cool is that? As for CNN, you can take a tour of all the studios where they produce the news. We even got to watch part of a live broadcast. It was pretty awesome!
We arrived in Savannah this afternoon. I don't know, I'm not that overly excited about it now that I'm here. It probably has to do with the fact that I wasn't feeling too well. I didn't sleep well at all last night because it was so hot and humid, and then I was dehydrated this afternoon. The combination of the two made me not feel very good. It really hit me after we went down the River Street to walk around, but I'm starting to feel better after taking a brief nap in the air conditioned car and drinking water.
I really like our campsite though in Skidaway Island State Park. There are some really cool trees and it's not very crowded here. It rained a little earlier so some of the humidity broke. I'm very glad for that, because otherwise it would have made for another very uncomfortable night for sleeping.
We arrived in Savannah this afternoon. I don't know, I'm not that overly excited about it now that I'm here. It probably has to do with the fact that I wasn't feeling too well. I didn't sleep well at all last night because it was so hot and humid, and then I was dehydrated this afternoon. The combination of the two made me not feel very good. It really hit me after we went down the River Street to walk around, but I'm starting to feel better after taking a brief nap in the air conditioned car and drinking water.
I really like our campsite though in Skidaway Island State Park. There are some really cool trees and it's not very crowded here. It rained a little earlier so some of the humidity broke. I'm very glad for that, because otherwise it would have made for another very uncomfortable night for sleeping.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Side Note
I think that it would be really funny to plan a trip around the Johnny Cash song, I've Been Everywhere. Maybe next time! :)
Atlanta, GA
We officially crossed our last time zone this afternoon and are once again traveling on Eastern Standard Time. There’s something a little sad about being back on Eastern Standard Time; I can’t put my finger on what it is exactly though.
When we were driving through Florida and Alabama I saw signs all over the place for boiled peanuts, and it made me think of my grandfather. Every Saturday morning he used to go to the flee-market and eat free samples the whole way. Whenever someone would visit he would take them to the flee-market and pretend that boiled peanuts were some great delicacy. Unknowingly we all tried them and immediately realized they were not very good at all! Meanwhile my grandfather would be standing there with a grin on his face laughing.
Today I was reading one of our guidebooks and now have a better description of the Hostel in New Orleans for you. The guidebook describes it as bohemian and says that it used to be a brothel. I’m sure this helps paint a better mental image. Upon arriving at the Atlanta Hostel I learned that it too was once a brothel. Interesting.
When we checked into the hostel the girl at the desk told us to bring everything in from the car and then as we were emptying the car some random guy walking by warned us as well. After being warned twice, I’m going to take that warning very seriously. Having a stolen/broken into car is never a good time.
For dinner we went to Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles Restaurant, and it was the full southern experience. I decided to have sweet tea, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, and peach cobbler. Mmm Mmm good! It was my very first plate of fried green tomatoes and they were served with remoulade sauce. I don’t know exactly what remoulade sauce is, but I’m a fan of it! My stomach isn't thanking me so much for so much fried food, but my mouth sure did as I was eating it.
When we were driving through Florida and Alabama I saw signs all over the place for boiled peanuts, and it made me think of my grandfather. Every Saturday morning he used to go to the flee-market and eat free samples the whole way. Whenever someone would visit he would take them to the flee-market and pretend that boiled peanuts were some great delicacy. Unknowingly we all tried them and immediately realized they were not very good at all! Meanwhile my grandfather would be standing there with a grin on his face laughing.
Today I was reading one of our guidebooks and now have a better description of the Hostel in New Orleans for you. The guidebook describes it as bohemian and says that it used to be a brothel. I’m sure this helps paint a better mental image. Upon arriving at the Atlanta Hostel I learned that it too was once a brothel. Interesting.
When we checked into the hostel the girl at the desk told us to bring everything in from the car and then as we were emptying the car some random guy walking by warned us as well. After being warned twice, I’m going to take that warning very seriously. Having a stolen/broken into car is never a good time.
For dinner we went to Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles Restaurant, and it was the full southern experience. I decided to have sweet tea, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, and peach cobbler. Mmm Mmm good! It was my very first plate of fried green tomatoes and they were served with remoulade sauce. I don’t know exactly what remoulade sauce is, but I’m a fan of it! My stomach isn't thanking me so much for so much fried food, but my mouth sure did as I was eating it.
Crestview, FL
This morning we woke up and ventured back to the French Quarter. We had breakfast in the Cafe Du Monde. I had the most amazing warm beignets! Oh man, it was heavenly. After our yummy breakfast (I really wanted to have more gumbo for breakfast but refrained) we took a buggy tour. I'm really glad we did that because I learned a whole bunch about the history of the city and learned of a place to have lunch. One of the guys on the tour wanted to know where Angelina Joli and Brad Pitt's house was located, so the tour guide drove the buggy past their house. It's nothing overly impressive. I loved looking into the courtyards of the houses; they were incredible! After our tour we had lunch, and I definitely had more seafood gumbo. It wasn't as good as the gumbo last night, but it was still really good!
As we were driving out of the city I couldn't help but imagine what a nightmare it would be to evacuate New Orleans. There are so few roads out of the city and they are all running over water. I can understand how a lot of chaos would ensue. I wasn't ready to leave New Orleans and would love to go back. Even with really humid weather, the city won over my heart!
The drive through the rest of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and into Florida was pretty uneventful. We hit rain and traffic, the usual these days. Oh, and we really did play Sweet Home Alabama when crossing into Alabama.
Tonight we went out to dinner with my Aunt Pauline, Uncle Judd, my cousin Tamara, and her boyfriend. We went to Destin which is right on the Gulf of Mexico. The sun was setting as we were driving there and it was pretty to watch. We ate at a restaurant called Osaka Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar. It's one of those places where they cook the food right in front of you. It was the first time I've ever been to one and the guy heard me, leading me to be the one that got picked on. I really enjoyed the food and even forgot about how much I wanted to be eating gumbo!
As we were driving out of the city I couldn't help but imagine what a nightmare it would be to evacuate New Orleans. There are so few roads out of the city and they are all running over water. I can understand how a lot of chaos would ensue. I wasn't ready to leave New Orleans and would love to go back. Even with really humid weather, the city won over my heart!
The drive through the rest of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and into Florida was pretty uneventful. We hit rain and traffic, the usual these days. Oh, and we really did play Sweet Home Alabama when crossing into Alabama.
Tonight we went out to dinner with my Aunt Pauline, Uncle Judd, my cousin Tamara, and her boyfriend. We went to Destin which is right on the Gulf of Mexico. The sun was setting as we were driving there and it was pretty to watch. We ate at a restaurant called Osaka Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar. It's one of those places where they cook the food right in front of you. It was the first time I've ever been to one and the guy heard me, leading me to be the one that got picked on. I really enjoyed the food and even forgot about how much I wanted to be eating gumbo!
Friday, July 27, 2007
New Orleans, LA
Yesterday we drove into a crazy rain storm. I ended up driving through a ton of water and hydroplaning a little bit; it was the scariest experience ever. My hands were definitely shaking afterwards. We ended up getting off the highway and spending about an hour in this random casino somewhere in Louisiana to let the rain pass.
The hostel in New Orleans is rather "interesting." I'm not sure I can describe it to you completely, but it's like a flashback to the 60's and 70's. They also only take cash, no credit cards. Don't worry though, they have an ATM conveniently located for your use near the kitchen with a $2.75 fee. Overall, the people are generally pretty friendly and it's a cool place.
The hostel is conveniently located right off of Canal Street and it's very easy to catch one of the trolleys. Last night we took the trolley down to Bourbon Street and the surrounding area. I had my very first cup of seafood gumbo for dinner and it was the most amazing thing I've ever tasted! I wasn't sure if I'd like it at first so I only ordered a cup instead of a bowl, and after one spoonful I was wishing I had ordered the bowl! I also had the best mojito I've ever tasted. The guy put a lot of mint leaves in the bottom.
After dinner we headed over to Bourbon Street. I can only imagine what this place must have been like before the hurricane; I wish that I could have experienced it. I would love to come back to New Orleans, possibly for Mardi Gras at some point in my life. However, I think that I might fail out of grad school if I were to move here and go to Tulane.
Today we're going to spend some time in the city and then hit the road for Florida to visit my Aunt and Uncle. I'm kind of excited to drive through Alabama so that I can play the song Sweet Home Alabama.
The hostel in New Orleans is rather "interesting." I'm not sure I can describe it to you completely, but it's like a flashback to the 60's and 70's. They also only take cash, no credit cards. Don't worry though, they have an ATM conveniently located for your use near the kitchen with a $2.75 fee. Overall, the people are generally pretty friendly and it's a cool place.
The hostel is conveniently located right off of Canal Street and it's very easy to catch one of the trolleys. Last night we took the trolley down to Bourbon Street and the surrounding area. I had my very first cup of seafood gumbo for dinner and it was the most amazing thing I've ever tasted! I wasn't sure if I'd like it at first so I only ordered a cup instead of a bowl, and after one spoonful I was wishing I had ordered the bowl! I also had the best mojito I've ever tasted. The guy put a lot of mint leaves in the bottom.
After dinner we headed over to Bourbon Street. I can only imagine what this place must have been like before the hurricane; I wish that I could have experienced it. I would love to come back to New Orleans, possibly for Mardi Gras at some point in my life. However, I think that I might fail out of grad school if I were to move here and go to Tulane.
Today we're going to spend some time in the city and then hit the road for Florida to visit my Aunt and Uncle. I'm kind of excited to drive through Alabama so that I can play the song Sweet Home Alabama.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Texas
This morning I'm definitely feeling the time zone change. We are currently in Austin on Central Time, but my body feels like I just woke up on Pacific Time. Every time locals say Austin or South Austin with an accent, my ears keep hearing Boston and South Boston.
The hostel is pretty nice, minus the fact that the hot water heater is broken. :( Normally that wouldn't be a big deal but the other night I decided not to wash my hair and now it's going to feel really gross all day. I just couldn't get myself to stick my entire head under the cold water. I met a very nice older lady last night while in the bathroom. She was just talking my ear off. She was friendly and I enjoyed talking to her. It seems like there are a lot of people living in this particular hostel.
Last night we had dinner and hung out with Brandi and Colin. It was so refreshing to see them! Brandi has been in Austin visiting Colin for a few days, and it was definitely great to be able to see both of them.
Yesterday we did a lot of driving like normal. The open road without many cars and not much scenery leads to my mind wandering a lot. I've been thinking about where I want to live after I graduate in May. In my head I've been thinking of the pros and cons of each place, and places are definitely getting eliminated based on the weather! I've decided if I get to pick where I'm going, I'm going to be more picky this time around. I don't want to walk outside in the winter and instantly feel my snot freeze, and if possible I'd like to escape the humidity.
While we were driving out of El Paso we had to go through the Border Patrol. It was the silliest thing I've had to do. The guy had me roll the window down and asked if I was a US citizen and I responded yes. Then he pointed to Ilona in the passenger seat and asked her if she was a US citizen. She just nodded her head yes without saying a word and he let us drive on. I think you could say we experienced some racial profiling.
There are A LOT of churches in Texas. You can see them all as you drive along the highway and it's hard to tell at first glance which buildings and signs are for churches and which ones are for stores. All the churches are large buildings with giant flashing neon signs out front, and they are all located really close to one another. My other observation about Texas is that the gas here is the cheapest I have seen it in the entire US. Coincidence maybe?
This morning I think we're going to drive around Austin a little bit, have breakfast, and hit the road to New Orleans.
The hostel is pretty nice, minus the fact that the hot water heater is broken. :( Normally that wouldn't be a big deal but the other night I decided not to wash my hair and now it's going to feel really gross all day. I just couldn't get myself to stick my entire head under the cold water. I met a very nice older lady last night while in the bathroom. She was just talking my ear off. She was friendly and I enjoyed talking to her. It seems like there are a lot of people living in this particular hostel.
Last night we had dinner and hung out with Brandi and Colin. It was so refreshing to see them! Brandi has been in Austin visiting Colin for a few days, and it was definitely great to be able to see both of them.
Yesterday we did a lot of driving like normal. The open road without many cars and not much scenery leads to my mind wandering a lot. I've been thinking about where I want to live after I graduate in May. In my head I've been thinking of the pros and cons of each place, and places are definitely getting eliminated based on the weather! I've decided if I get to pick where I'm going, I'm going to be more picky this time around. I don't want to walk outside in the winter and instantly feel my snot freeze, and if possible I'd like to escape the humidity.
While we were driving out of El Paso we had to go through the Border Patrol. It was the silliest thing I've had to do. The guy had me roll the window down and asked if I was a US citizen and I responded yes. Then he pointed to Ilona in the passenger seat and asked her if she was a US citizen. She just nodded her head yes without saying a word and he let us drive on. I think you could say we experienced some racial profiling.
There are A LOT of churches in Texas. You can see them all as you drive along the highway and it's hard to tell at first glance which buildings and signs are for churches and which ones are for stores. All the churches are large buildings with giant flashing neon signs out front, and they are all located really close to one another. My other observation about Texas is that the gas here is the cheapest I have seen it in the entire US. Coincidence maybe?
This morning I think we're going to drive around Austin a little bit, have breakfast, and hit the road to New Orleans.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Arizona and New Mexico
Today we left CA and drove through Arizona, New Mexico, and stopped for the night in El Paso, TX. We lost an hour when we crossed New Mexico. I don’t like the idea of gaining time back, or losing it, depending on how you look at it.
I keep picking up wireless internet signals from the highway, but we’re traveling so quickly that there isn’t enough time before I lose the signal. I think it would be really funny to use the internet from the car; almost as funny as using it in my tent in the middle of the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Nothing overly exciting to report today. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch because Ilona had never been and wanted to see what it’s all about. Cracker Barrel is one of my grandfather’s favorite places to eat, so I’ve definitely been to my fair share of Cracker Barrels before.
I don't understand the weather in the southwest.
Today I saw a highway exit sign that had, "Correction Facility," written above it and, "Camping," written below it. Why in the world would you ever camp near a correctional facility?! I think it's rather funny since all along the highway in Nevada there were signs that read, "Correctional Facility in area, don't pick up hitchhikers." Nevada doesn't want you to pick anyone up while Arizona and New Mexico encourage you to camp near their facilities.
I keep picking up wireless internet signals from the highway, but we’re traveling so quickly that there isn’t enough time before I lose the signal. I think it would be really funny to use the internet from the car; almost as funny as using it in my tent in the middle of the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Nothing overly exciting to report today. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch because Ilona had never been and wanted to see what it’s all about. Cracker Barrel is one of my grandfather’s favorite places to eat, so I’ve definitely been to my fair share of Cracker Barrels before.
I don't understand the weather in the southwest.
Today I saw a highway exit sign that had, "Correction Facility," written above it and, "Camping," written below it. Why in the world would you ever camp near a correctional facility?! I think it's rather funny since all along the highway in Nevada there were signs that read, "Correctional Facility in area, don't pick up hitchhikers." Nevada doesn't want you to pick anyone up while Arizona and New Mexico encourage you to camp near their facilities.
LA & The Desert
Our stay in California is about to come to an end in the morning. I'm feeling a little bit sad about it for numerous reasons. It's going to be really weird following highway signs that say East since we were going West for so long! I'm not looking forward to heading back east and facing the humidity again, yuck!
While in LA we spent some time in Hollywood and Santa Monica. In Hollywood we visited the church of Scientology and took a tour. It was rather interesting. I think that they have some valid points, but overall think it's strange that L Ron Hubbard wrote science fiction before creating a religion. We had lunch at In N Out Burger; I feel like it's something you're obligated to do when visiting CA. We also visited the Hollywood sign to take pictures and walked along the walk of fame looking at stars. The next day we just hung around Santa Monica and picked up copies of Harry Potter. For dinner that night we tried fish tacos, and they weren't half bad. I love the weather in LA a lot.
After leaving LA we traveled 2 hours south east to the Palm Springs area and visited my other cousin, Andi, and her girlfriend, Julie. We went to eat at the restaurant where Julie is the chef, and that was fun. I was impressed because the bartender remembered who I was from when I visited in December. I got so excited because I got to eat white chocolate ravioli for dessert! After dinner we spent a little time playing the slot machines. I managed to leave with $16 more than I walked in with. I was very excited about that! This evening we went out to the Palm Springs Airtram. You take a rotating tram car 8,000 or so feet up the side of the mountain. I loved the view going up and down the mountain in the car.
I'm getting sick of packing and unpacking the car on a daily basis. Tomorrow we're going to start our trip towards Austin. We'll be stopping about half way, but I'm not exactly sure where yet. I'm really looking forward to Austin to visit with a few old friends!
While in LA we spent some time in Hollywood and Santa Monica. In Hollywood we visited the church of Scientology and took a tour. It was rather interesting. I think that they have some valid points, but overall think it's strange that L Ron Hubbard wrote science fiction before creating a religion. We had lunch at In N Out Burger; I feel like it's something you're obligated to do when visiting CA. We also visited the Hollywood sign to take pictures and walked along the walk of fame looking at stars. The next day we just hung around Santa Monica and picked up copies of Harry Potter. For dinner that night we tried fish tacos, and they weren't half bad. I love the weather in LA a lot.
After leaving LA we traveled 2 hours south east to the Palm Springs area and visited my other cousin, Andi, and her girlfriend, Julie. We went to eat at the restaurant where Julie is the chef, and that was fun. I was impressed because the bartender remembered who I was from when I visited in December. I got so excited because I got to eat white chocolate ravioli for dessert! After dinner we spent a little time playing the slot machines. I managed to leave with $16 more than I walked in with. I was very excited about that! This evening we went out to the Palm Springs Airtram. You take a rotating tram car 8,000 or so feet up the side of the mountain. I loved the view going up and down the mountain in the car.
I'm getting sick of packing and unpacking the car on a daily basis. Tomorrow we're going to start our trip towards Austin. We'll be stopping about half way, but I'm not exactly sure where yet. I'm really looking forward to Austin to visit with a few old friends!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)
Yesterday we drove down to LA from San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway. The views were amazing! I can't even describe them to you; I guess you'll just have to wait for pictures. The water was so blue and there were mountains on the other side of the road. At one point we stopped and saw dozens of elephant seals on the beach. There were tons of people lined up on the side of the road. I think it's great that something so simple can still captivate the attention of so many people. We stopped at a local store in Big Sur for lunch and had homemade burritos. One last interesting thing about our drive down the PCH, we really really needed gas at one point and caved to buy it along the way. For $10 we got approximately 2 gallons. Luckily it was more than enough to get us to cheaper gas.
We arrived at my cousin's house in LA around 8pm. My cousin's wife, Kieu, greeted us cooked us a lot of Vietnamese food. After sitting in LA traffic, it was nice to finally be out of the car!
We arrived at my cousin's house in LA around 8pm. My cousin's wife, Kieu, greeted us cooked us a lot of Vietnamese food. After sitting in LA traffic, it was nice to finally be out of the car!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
San Francisco
Before this trip I always spelled San Francisco wrong, and now I'm pretty sure that I'll never spell it wrong again. Speaking of San Francisco...today was a whirlwind day! We got up early again hoping to get tickets for Alcatraz and even arrived at the pier half an hour before the first tour. Unfortunately upon our arrival we discovered that tickets were sold out until Thursday!! That was disappointing, but it did mean that we had even more time to do other things in the city.
After walking around Fisherman's Wharf for a while and finding Ghirardelli Square (I did it for you Momo), we made our way to Alamo Square. We saw the famous row of Painted Lady Victorian Houses with the San Francisco skyline in the background. You can see the row of houses in the opening credits of Full House and a number movies.
Next, I navigated my way to Golden Gate Park to visit the Japanese Tea Garden. The maps are not drawn to scale for this part of the city and it looked a lot closer than it really was! The Garden has koi ponds, Japanese maples, and bonsai. There's even a bronze Buddha, a Shinto wooden pagoda, a Zen Garden, and an outdoor teahouse. The pictures I saw of it before hand looked really pretty and I'm glad that I found it!
Then I made my way to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood to meet up with Ilona again. While I was standing on the street corner waiting for Ilona I ran into someone that I went to high school with. That was certainly unexpected! For those of you unfamiliar with "the Haight," it the center of hippie culture in the 60s. Our guidebook says, "During the 1967 'Summer of Love,' thousands of young people flooded Haight-Ashbury in search of free love, drugs, and music." You can still find a lot of interesting people and shops in the neighborhood today. Ilona and I found the former residence of the Grateful Dead. I really enjoyed this neighborhood!
Then we made our way back down to Fisherman's Wharf to take a tour of the Boudin Sourdough Bakery (my mom's request). It was a very well spent $3 for the self-guided tour and free samples. I liked watching them mix the dough and section it off for loafs. I got some really cool pictures of the animal shapes they make out of the bread, for example alligators, teddy bears, crabs, and turtles.
The last thing we did today was taking the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to visit with Ilona's aunt and uncle. We went out to dinner and it was a lovely visit.
Tomorrow it's time to hit the road again. I wish that I could spend more time in San Francisco. There are definitely more things that I'd like to see and do. Oh well, tomorrow we're off down the Pacific Coast Highway to LA.
After walking around Fisherman's Wharf for a while and finding Ghirardelli Square (I did it for you Momo), we made our way to Alamo Square. We saw the famous row of Painted Lady Victorian Houses with the San Francisco skyline in the background. You can see the row of houses in the opening credits of Full House and a number movies.
Next, I navigated my way to Golden Gate Park to visit the Japanese Tea Garden. The maps are not drawn to scale for this part of the city and it looked a lot closer than it really was! The Garden has koi ponds, Japanese maples, and bonsai. There's even a bronze Buddha, a Shinto wooden pagoda, a Zen Garden, and an outdoor teahouse. The pictures I saw of it before hand looked really pretty and I'm glad that I found it!
Then I made my way to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood to meet up with Ilona again. While I was standing on the street corner waiting for Ilona I ran into someone that I went to high school with. That was certainly unexpected! For those of you unfamiliar with "the Haight," it the center of hippie culture in the 60s. Our guidebook says, "During the 1967 'Summer of Love,' thousands of young people flooded Haight-Ashbury in search of free love, drugs, and music." You can still find a lot of interesting people and shops in the neighborhood today. Ilona and I found the former residence of the Grateful Dead. I really enjoyed this neighborhood!
Then we made our way back down to Fisherman's Wharf to take a tour of the Boudin Sourdough Bakery (my mom's request). It was a very well spent $3 for the self-guided tour and free samples. I liked watching them mix the dough and section it off for loafs. I got some really cool pictures of the animal shapes they make out of the bread, for example alligators, teddy bears, crabs, and turtles.
The last thing we did today was taking the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to visit with Ilona's aunt and uncle. We went out to dinner and it was a lovely visit.
Tomorrow it's time to hit the road again. I wish that I could spend more time in San Francisco. There are definitely more things that I'd like to see and do. Oh well, tomorrow we're off down the Pacific Coast Highway to LA.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, & San Francisco part 1
I feel very accomplished tonight, we officially drove across the country! Today we saw some of the most incredible scenery ever, and the Mini got the workout of it's very short life. At more than one point today it climbed to over 10,000 feet with all of our stuff loaded in the back.
This morning we were on our way out of Reno at 7:30am. The "free" continental breakfast at the hotel consisted of danishes, orange juice, and coffee without creamer or sugar. I guess you can't expect too much for $60. Anyway, we headed up the mountains towards the North side of Lake Tahoe. I instantly fell in love with the mountains and crystal clear blue water.
From Lake Tahoe we traveled to Yosemite National Park. On the way I kept taking pictures of the mountains we were driving past, and after consulting the map realized I was taking pictures of the mountains we would soon be driving through. The Mini made it up some more rather large mountains. In Yosemite we drove through the Tioga Pass and had spectacular views of cliffs, water falls, streams, trees, and more. We thought that the road leading to the Tioga Pass was twisty, but it was nothing compared to the road leaving! This was the craziest road I have ever seen! I felt like we were driving in a giant maze. It actually reminded me of driving on The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia. These are the types of roads were you can't sneeze or else you'll drive off the side into an abyss. We were getting bored with the scenery of the Midwest and Plains States, and we definitely got what we wished for!
On our way from Yosemite to San Francisco we hit a whole bunch of traffic on the highway; between all the traffic and the asshole drivers, I felt right at home. After driving over the Bay Bridge into San Francisco we landed in what looked like the Financial District, and it looked very similar to Boston's Financial District. We found our hostel easily, but finding parking was a challenge. Anyway, after getting ourselves and the Mini settled we headed out to see the sunset at the Golden Gate Bridge. After the sunset we walked around Union Square a little bit, but since it's a Sunday night not much was open. I hate tourists in Boston and avoid the touristy areas like the plague because they're just annoying. It's weird being a tourist in another city!
We're spending two nights in San Francisco. It's a strange feeling knowing that I don't have to pack up my stuff and hit the road again tomorrow. I'm sure it'll feel even stranger tomorrow when we're not in the car. Tomorrow morning the hostel has a free breakfast, including waffles! We have a busy day planned out for tomorrow, but you'll just have to check back to see exactly what we've done.
I'm starting to view this trip as a taste test of the US. We are only in places for a very short while, and I can tell the places I'd like to visit again and the ones I never want to go back again.
This morning we were on our way out of Reno at 7:30am. The "free" continental breakfast at the hotel consisted of danishes, orange juice, and coffee without creamer or sugar. I guess you can't expect too much for $60. Anyway, we headed up the mountains towards the North side of Lake Tahoe. I instantly fell in love with the mountains and crystal clear blue water.
From Lake Tahoe we traveled to Yosemite National Park. On the way I kept taking pictures of the mountains we were driving past, and after consulting the map realized I was taking pictures of the mountains we would soon be driving through. The Mini made it up some more rather large mountains. In Yosemite we drove through the Tioga Pass and had spectacular views of cliffs, water falls, streams, trees, and more. We thought that the road leading to the Tioga Pass was twisty, but it was nothing compared to the road leaving! This was the craziest road I have ever seen! I felt like we were driving in a giant maze. It actually reminded me of driving on The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia. These are the types of roads were you can't sneeze or else you'll drive off the side into an abyss. We were getting bored with the scenery of the Midwest and Plains States, and we definitely got what we wished for!
On our way from Yosemite to San Francisco we hit a whole bunch of traffic on the highway; between all the traffic and the asshole drivers, I felt right at home. After driving over the Bay Bridge into San Francisco we landed in what looked like the Financial District, and it looked very similar to Boston's Financial District. We found our hostel easily, but finding parking was a challenge. Anyway, after getting ourselves and the Mini settled we headed out to see the sunset at the Golden Gate Bridge. After the sunset we walked around Union Square a little bit, but since it's a Sunday night not much was open. I hate tourists in Boston and avoid the touristy areas like the plague because they're just annoying. It's weird being a tourist in another city!
We're spending two nights in San Francisco. It's a strange feeling knowing that I don't have to pack up my stuff and hit the road again tomorrow. I'm sure it'll feel even stranger tomorrow when we're not in the car. Tomorrow morning the hostel has a free breakfast, including waffles! We have a busy day planned out for tomorrow, but you'll just have to check back to see exactly what we've done.
I'm starting to view this trip as a taste test of the US. We are only in places for a very short while, and I can tell the places I'd like to visit again and the ones I never want to go back again.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Reno, NV
This morning I woke up to the sun rising outside of our tent and it was wonderful. After another meal with Nanna we took the free shuttle to Temple Square. A trip to Salt Lake City wouldn't be complete without learning about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Apparently they agree because they go out of their way to attract and shuttle people to their buildings and tours. As a community service, church members drive people from the airport and other areas around Salt Lake to Temple Square for free. Then they offer free tours where they share their beliefs about Jesus and tell about the church. It's all amazingly crafted propaganda. All of the missionary Sisters were very smiley and friendly, but almost to the point where they seemed like Stepford Sisters. My favorite part was the document they handed out at the end of the tour called, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." You should google it and read it. I'm conflicted about my feelings towards the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They do a lot of amazing humanitarian work, but it bothers me how unaccepting they can be. Overall, it was a very interesting experience to say the least and I'm glad we went.
Leaving Salt Lake City we drove past the Great Salt Lake and stopped to take pictures. The drive to Reno was enjoyable; I like driving around, between, over, and into mountains!
Reno is just plain trashy... the hotels, the casinos, the women, and the men are creepy. I've decided that I generally don't enjoy casinos. I feel like for the most part they attract people who really can't afford to be there, and I hate watching them waste their money. My tastes lie somewhere between the Mormons and Reno. On a positive note, I took another gorgeous picture of the sunset outside of our hotel room here in Reno.
Tomorrow we're getting up early to visit Tahoe, Yosemite, and San Francisco. I can't wait to put my feet in the Pacific Ocean and say we officially crossed the US!
Leaving Salt Lake City we drove past the Great Salt Lake and stopped to take pictures. The drive to Reno was enjoyable; I like driving around, between, over, and into mountains!
Reno is just plain trashy... the hotels, the casinos, the women, and the men are creepy. I've decided that I generally don't enjoy casinos. I feel like for the most part they attract people who really can't afford to be there, and I hate watching them waste their money. My tastes lie somewhere between the Mormons and Reno. On a positive note, I took another gorgeous picture of the sunset outside of our hotel room here in Reno.
Tomorrow we're getting up early to visit Tahoe, Yosemite, and San Francisco. I can't wait to put my feet in the Pacific Ocean and say we officially crossed the US!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Salt Lake City, UT
First of all, the Black Hills of South Dakota are spectacular. Last night when we drove in, it was so dark that I couldn't see the surrounding area. I was getting frustrated because I was so tired and the roads were so twisty and full of turns. However, this morning I loved driving through in the daylight. Second, Wyoming was miserable and I definitely never want to live there. There were a few things that I enjoyed seeing, but otherwise I couldn't get out fast enough...too bad it took over 8 hours! I say the only reason I'd really go back is for Yellowstone.
As for Utah, I'm in love! Crossing the Utah line brought on a very drastic change in scenery. Driving on the highway was so amazing; the trees were so green and the mountains were so high. I was in awe of it all.
We got to our next campsite before dark this time. Putting up the tent was much easier in the light! After we put our tent up we went to visit Nana, the campsite cook. She had a wonderful all you can eat dinner for $9.50, and was the friendliest lady ever. We'll probably head back for the all you can eat breakfast in the morning. After dinner we hopped into the hot tub and pool. It was nice to sit in the hot tub after so much driving in the past week.
We found an electrical outlet in our campsite, and it was a great find for using and charging computers! Our campsite neighbors are from New Hampshire. We started talking and told them that we're from Boston. He didn't believe us at first and asked why we'd be here when we could be there. I'd much rather be here, that's for sure!
There's a free shuttle bus that runs from the campsite to downtown Salt Lake. The lady at the registration desk said that it's free, but the only form of payment is a tour. We're both really curious what such a tour will entail. We're thinking it might be a Mormon proselytizing type tour. I think that we're going to go in the morning just to find out exactly what kind of tour it is. Then we'll be off to Reno!
As for Utah, I'm in love! Crossing the Utah line brought on a very drastic change in scenery. Driving on the highway was so amazing; the trees were so green and the mountains were so high. I was in awe of it all.
We got to our next campsite before dark this time. Putting up the tent was much easier in the light! After we put our tent up we went to visit Nana, the campsite cook. She had a wonderful all you can eat dinner for $9.50, and was the friendliest lady ever. We'll probably head back for the all you can eat breakfast in the morning. After dinner we hopped into the hot tub and pool. It was nice to sit in the hot tub after so much driving in the past week.
We found an electrical outlet in our campsite, and it was a great find for using and charging computers! Our campsite neighbors are from New Hampshire. We started talking and told them that we're from Boston. He didn't believe us at first and asked why we'd be here when we could be there. I'd much rather be here, that's for sure!
There's a free shuttle bus that runs from the campsite to downtown Salt Lake. The lady at the registration desk said that it's free, but the only form of payment is a tour. We're both really curious what such a tour will entail. We're thinking it might be a Mormon proselytizing type tour. I think that we're going to go in the morning just to find out exactly what kind of tour it is. Then we'll be off to Reno!
Hill City, SD
I'm currently posting from inside a tent 5 miles away from Mt. Rushmore; it's a little strange to be on the internet while camping in the Black Hills of South Dakota! I've started to keep notes while we're driving so that I don't forget anything. The days are long and we see so much that I'm bound to forget by the time I get to post.
Yesterday morning I woke up and had no idea what day of the week it was; it was a nice feeling. We did indeed visit the Mall of America and IKEA for breakfast. I couldn't believe it, but there was a line at the door of IKEA with people waiting for breakfast. The store didn't even open until half an hour after breakfast started. I was going to take a picture of that, but I refrained. Eric also showed us the Minnehaha Falls and they were really pretty. I think what I really like might be the name. I saw a car parked on the Minnehaha Parkway with the license plate, "Hahah20." I got a good chuckle out of it! Minnesota reminds me of the NPR show, Prairie Home Companion; just because it takes place in Minnesota, no other reason.
As we were driving yesterday, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of gas mileage a huge camper pulling a car behind it must get. I wouldn't want that gas bill!! I accidentally ran over some type of bird yesterday that was running across the road. I heard a thump and looked back to see feathers everywhere! There are remnants on one of the side mirrors. We saw our first sign for Wall Drug 355 miles away, and of course we eventually stopped 355 miles later. We also stopped at a place called The Corn Palace. I was disappointed because it really wasn't a corn palace, but it's okay because it was free.
The Badlands were incredible! Pictures really don't do them justice at all (don't worry mom, I still took pictures anyway). I loved driving in them! After visiting the Badlands and Wall Drug we ended up driving off into the sunset. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I hope to be one of many more to come. We arrived in Hill City around 9:45, and as we were driving to the campground we drove past Mt.Rushmore all lit up. It's definitely smaller than I was expecting, but we're going to head back this morning to investigate in day light.
After we finally arrived at the campsite we had to put the tent up in the dark. It was very comical to say the least since it's a brand new tent and I had never put it up before! You can use your imagination.
I'm off for the $2.50, all you can eat pancake breakfast that they have here at the campground. By the way, it's the nicest campground I've ever seen! I'll leave you with my next question. Why are there an abundance of SEA food restaurants in the midwest? Seems strange to me!
Yesterday morning I woke up and had no idea what day of the week it was; it was a nice feeling. We did indeed visit the Mall of America and IKEA for breakfast. I couldn't believe it, but there was a line at the door of IKEA with people waiting for breakfast. The store didn't even open until half an hour after breakfast started. I was going to take a picture of that, but I refrained. Eric also showed us the Minnehaha Falls and they were really pretty. I think what I really like might be the name. I saw a car parked on the Minnehaha Parkway with the license plate, "Hahah20." I got a good chuckle out of it! Minnesota reminds me of the NPR show, Prairie Home Companion; just because it takes place in Minnesota, no other reason.
As we were driving yesterday, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of gas mileage a huge camper pulling a car behind it must get. I wouldn't want that gas bill!! I accidentally ran over some type of bird yesterday that was running across the road. I heard a thump and looked back to see feathers everywhere! There are remnants on one of the side mirrors. We saw our first sign for Wall Drug 355 miles away, and of course we eventually stopped 355 miles later. We also stopped at a place called The Corn Palace. I was disappointed because it really wasn't a corn palace, but it's okay because it was free.
The Badlands were incredible! Pictures really don't do them justice at all (don't worry mom, I still took pictures anyway). I loved driving in them! After visiting the Badlands and Wall Drug we ended up driving off into the sunset. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I hope to be one of many more to come. We arrived in Hill City around 9:45, and as we were driving to the campground we drove past Mt.Rushmore all lit up. It's definitely smaller than I was expecting, but we're going to head back this morning to investigate in day light.
After we finally arrived at the campsite we had to put the tent up in the dark. It was very comical to say the least since it's a brand new tent and I had never put it up before! You can use your imagination.
I'm off for the $2.50, all you can eat pancake breakfast that they have here at the campground. By the way, it's the nicest campground I've ever seen! I'll leave you with my next question. Why are there an abundance of SEA food restaurants in the midwest? Seems strange to me!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Minneapolis, MN
Well well well...day 4. We woke up bright and early again this morning. I've been enjoying the time change. I always like heading West, because I feel like I'm gaining time. Uncle Joe made us scrambled eggs for breakfast (he loves making omeletts!). We spent a little more time with Pepere while he was eating his breakfast and then said good bye. Uncle Joe then gave us a personalized tour of Kenosha. We went to see Lake Michigan, went to the Kenosha Public Museum (to see a Woolly Mammoth), and then we toured my Aunt's horse farm. I saw a coffee shop called Mo's in downtown Kenosha (I took a picture of it for you Momo!). Before we left town and headed towards MN, we stopped at Target and I picked up a $10 headlamp (I know mom, the head lamp....you have no idea how sad I was!) to use the next few days and a neck pillow to make the car a little more comfortable.
After Target we got onto 94 and were on our way around noon. The drive through Wisconsin was pretty boring. There was a lot of corn and flat land. However, I've really been enjoying watching the white fluffy clouds as we drive. Once we started getting closer to Minnesota the scenery became a lot nicer. The only interesting thing to report from the road today is a license plate that read, "STRBUCKS." I'm hoping that they own a Starbucks or something and don't just love the coffee. We arrived in St. Paul and Minneapolis around 6:30ish. I really enjoyed driving in Minneapolis traffic this evening. I've missed driving on Storrow Drive in Boston every day and it was fun to drive in city traffic again. I already know that's weird.
Ilona's friend, Eric, showed us around Minneapolis. I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, but it quickly grew on me. I think that it's another place I would consider living if it didn't get so darn cold. We got to see a lot of the downtown and then went to visit The Spoon Bridge. I guess it's a famous piece of sculpture. It was cool because it's a giant silver spoon with a cherry at the end, and the Minneapolis skyline is in the backround. After taking funny pictures with the spoon we headed to dinner. We ate at a Blues and BBQ place. Who would have thought BBQ in Minnesota? I certainly would have never put the two together. It was good and the I enjoyed listening to the live music.
I've been pretty bad at posting pictures, but Ilona has been keeping up. You can find her pictures in a link from her blog (there's a link on the side of this page to her blog).
Tomorrow morning we're heading to IKEA for the $.99 breakfast and then stopping by the Mall of America. What US Road trip would be complete without a trip there? I feel like by the end of this trip I'm going to need a caffeine IV!
After Target we got onto 94 and were on our way around noon. The drive through Wisconsin was pretty boring. There was a lot of corn and flat land. However, I've really been enjoying watching the white fluffy clouds as we drive. Once we started getting closer to Minnesota the scenery became a lot nicer. The only interesting thing to report from the road today is a license plate that read, "STRBUCKS." I'm hoping that they own a Starbucks or something and don't just love the coffee. We arrived in St. Paul and Minneapolis around 6:30ish. I really enjoyed driving in Minneapolis traffic this evening. I've missed driving on Storrow Drive in Boston every day and it was fun to drive in city traffic again. I already know that's weird.
Ilona's friend, Eric, showed us around Minneapolis. I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, but it quickly grew on me. I think that it's another place I would consider living if it didn't get so darn cold. We got to see a lot of the downtown and then went to visit The Spoon Bridge. I guess it's a famous piece of sculpture. It was cool because it's a giant silver spoon with a cherry at the end, and the Minneapolis skyline is in the backround. After taking funny pictures with the spoon we headed to dinner. We ate at a Blues and BBQ place. Who would have thought BBQ in Minnesota? I certainly would have never put the two together. It was good and the I enjoyed listening to the live music.
I've been pretty bad at posting pictures, but Ilona has been keeping up. You can find her pictures in a link from her blog (there's a link on the side of this page to her blog).
Tomorrow morning we're heading to IKEA for the $.99 breakfast and then stopping by the Mall of America. What US Road trip would be complete without a trip there? I feel like by the end of this trip I'm going to need a caffeine IV!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Pleasant Prairie, WI
This morning we were up and were pulling away from Pete's house at 7:10 Eastern Time. It was a very long day of driving; 14 hours spent in the car. We drove through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. It wasn't until the last 45 minutes or so that I really couldn't wait to get out of the car. We arrived at my Aunt Michelle and Uncle Joe's house around 8pm Central Time where Uncle Joe had pizza and salad waiting for us. Boy did that taste good!
My Pepere (my grandfather) was doing well tonight. He reached into his pocket and handed me a little money and said, "Here, either for putting gas in the car or in your belly." I thought it was really funny. We got to do a little laundry tonight; that was nice! Uncle Joe and Ilona were comparing mini cars, because he has a Mazda Miata. I guess he's really been wanting to get a Mini Cooper, so I took both my aunt and uncle for a short ride around the block.
Anyway, we saw a lot of funny things in the car and the time went by fairly quickly. Here are some highlights from today's journey:
- We started listening to the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The story takes place in Savannah, and it's one of our last stops of the trip.
- We've been waiving to other Mini Cooper drivers to see how many wave back. So far we're up to 2 or 3.
- In Ohio we passed a car full of Amish people. Are they really allowed to drive?
- The Grateful Dead song Truckin' came on, and I thought it was very appropriate since we were making the longest leg of our journey.
- In Indiana we passed the RV and Motor Home Hall of Fame.
- We also passed a license plate with the following plate, "GoBoSox." We stalked that car like we did the one yesterday to take a picture. I think he noticed us because he changed lanes a few times, slowed down all of a sudden, and then drove off quickly. It was worth it for the picture.
_ Trying to take pictures of the Chicago skyline with Eastie (our mascot) as we drove past.
Driving with the GPS system reminds me of using cardio equipment at the gym. You look over and can see exactly how many miles you have left to travel and how long it's going to take you. It's really kind of strange. I'm also getting used to driving the Mini, and it was much more comfortable for me today.
Ilona's brother emailed us and Ilona forgot her sneakers in Ithaca and I forgot my head lamp. We were both so excited about these things and spent awhile talking about them....and then we both forgot our respective items. Soon we're going to have an empty car if we keep forgetting things! We already have a Target list started, and now it looks like we have a few more items to add to the list. Hopefully we won't forget anything else along the way!
I'm starting to lose track of time completely. I only know what day it is based on where I'm heading. I can only imagine what it's going to be like by the end of my trip.
My Pepere (my grandfather) was doing well tonight. He reached into his pocket and handed me a little money and said, "Here, either for putting gas in the car or in your belly." I thought it was really funny. We got to do a little laundry tonight; that was nice! Uncle Joe and Ilona were comparing mini cars, because he has a Mazda Miata. I guess he's really been wanting to get a Mini Cooper, so I took both my aunt and uncle for a short ride around the block.
Anyway, we saw a lot of funny things in the car and the time went by fairly quickly. Here are some highlights from today's journey:
- We started listening to the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The story takes place in Savannah, and it's one of our last stops of the trip.
- We've been waiving to other Mini Cooper drivers to see how many wave back. So far we're up to 2 or 3.
- In Ohio we passed a car full of Amish people. Are they really allowed to drive?
- The Grateful Dead song Truckin' came on, and I thought it was very appropriate since we were making the longest leg of our journey.
- In Indiana we passed the RV and Motor Home Hall of Fame.
- We also passed a license plate with the following plate, "GoBoSox." We stalked that car like we did the one yesterday to take a picture. I think he noticed us because he changed lanes a few times, slowed down all of a sudden, and then drove off quickly. It was worth it for the picture.
_ Trying to take pictures of the Chicago skyline with Eastie (our mascot) as we drove past.
Driving with the GPS system reminds me of using cardio equipment at the gym. You look over and can see exactly how many miles you have left to travel and how long it's going to take you. It's really kind of strange. I'm also getting used to driving the Mini, and it was much more comfortable for me today.
Ilona's brother emailed us and Ilona forgot her sneakers in Ithaca and I forgot my head lamp. We were both so excited about these things and spent awhile talking about them....and then we both forgot our respective items. Soon we're going to have an empty car if we keep forgetting things! We already have a Target list started, and now it looks like we have a few more items to add to the list. Hopefully we won't forget anything else along the way!
I'm starting to lose track of time completely. I only know what day it is based on where I'm heading. I can only imagine what it's going to be like by the end of my trip.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Ithaca, NY
This morning we woke up, re-packed the Mini (we're getting better at it), and headed to a local hole in the wall for breakfast. The minute we walked in the door all eyes were on us, because we were clearly the outsiders. After breakfast we hit the road to Ithaca to visit with Ilona's brother and his family.
On the NY Freeway we saw a car with a NY License plate and a Boston Red Sox license plate holder...such irony! We had to have a picture of it so we stalked the car for awhile trying to get a clear picture. After speeding up, slowing down, and changing lanes we finally got a clear picture. People at stop lights like to look over at us, and you know that they're talking about the Mini.
After 4 hrs of driving we arrived in Ithaca. Ilona's brother, Pete, and his son, Daniel, showed us around town all afternoon. I love Ithaca!! It has a very hippiesh feel to it, and we even came across a UU church when we first drove into town. I would definitely consider moving here if it didn't get so cold in the winter. We had a lovely afternoon meeting friends. One lady gave us origami cranes left over from a wedding party the other day for good luck. They can join Eastie, our mascot, in the front window of the Mini.
Once Nancy, Pete's wife, got home from work we went to take a walk to see Taughannock Falls. They are part of the gorges that Ithaca is known for. We then went out to a little bar/restaurant called Glenn Falls where they were voted to have Ithaca's best burger. It certainly was tasty. It was a storybook summer evening with waterfalls, burgers, ice cream, even a summer thunderstorms, and lots of fireflies.
Tomorrow we're getting up early to make the 12 hr treck to Wisconsin. I can't say I'm looking forward to that drive very much!!
On the NY Freeway we saw a car with a NY License plate and a Boston Red Sox license plate holder...such irony! We had to have a picture of it so we stalked the car for awhile trying to get a clear picture. After speeding up, slowing down, and changing lanes we finally got a clear picture. People at stop lights like to look over at us, and you know that they're talking about the Mini.
After 4 hrs of driving we arrived in Ithaca. Ilona's brother, Pete, and his son, Daniel, showed us around town all afternoon. I love Ithaca!! It has a very hippiesh feel to it, and we even came across a UU church when we first drove into town. I would definitely consider moving here if it didn't get so cold in the winter. We had a lovely afternoon meeting friends. One lady gave us origami cranes left over from a wedding party the other day for good luck. They can join Eastie, our mascot, in the front window of the Mini.
Once Nancy, Pete's wife, got home from work we went to take a walk to see Taughannock Falls. They are part of the gorges that Ithaca is known for. We then went out to a little bar/restaurant called Glenn Falls where they were voted to have Ithaca's best burger. It certainly was tasty. It was a storybook summer evening with waterfalls, burgers, ice cream, even a summer thunderstorms, and lots of fireflies.
Tomorrow we're getting up early to make the 12 hr treck to Wisconsin. I can't say I'm looking forward to that drive very much!!
Lake Luzerne, NY
Ilona arrived in CT on Saturday afternoon and we went to the cottage for pizza Saturday with some of my family. Charlie (one of my cousins) took me on motorcycle ride, and I had a blast! Now I definitely want to get my motorcyle license. We had a campfire and made smores. I actually had the patience to roast my marshmellow brown instead of just sticking it directly in the fire and burning it. Very yummy!
Yesterday morning we hit the road around 10:30ish after packing the Mini and having breakfast with my dad. We typed the address for Rachel's cabin in Lake Luzerne into the GPS and we were off. (Rachel is one of Ilona's college roommates.) We drove up RT 44 and RT 7 through the Berkshires; it's all beautiful this time of year. After about 3 1/2 hrs of driving we reached the Adirondacks and I met Rachel's giant family! Everyone was very friendly and I enjoyed spending time with all of them. We spent the afternoon sitting by the lake for awhile and did a little kayaking. After dinner we drove about 15 minutes into the Village of Lake George. It was all very nice.
Did you know that Rachel Ray grew up in Luzerne?
Yesterday morning we hit the road around 10:30ish after packing the Mini and having breakfast with my dad. We typed the address for Rachel's cabin in Lake Luzerne into the GPS and we were off. (Rachel is one of Ilona's college roommates.) We drove up RT 44 and RT 7 through the Berkshires; it's all beautiful this time of year. After about 3 1/2 hrs of driving we reached the Adirondacks and I met Rachel's giant family! Everyone was very friendly and I enjoyed spending time with all of them. We spent the afternoon sitting by the lake for awhile and did a little kayaking. After dinner we drove about 15 minutes into the Village of Lake George. It was all very nice.
Did you know that Rachel Ray grew up in Luzerne?
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Leaving soon
We're hitting the road tomorrow morning. It's hard to believe that it's actually time to go!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Let the fun begin!
My last day of work was on Friday. It was a little sad leaving for the last time; I'll definitely miss everything. As a going away gift one of my co-workers, Gina, gave me this cute little animal called a Webkinz. She had been telling me about them for awhile and how they are the lastest thing like Beanie Babies. I named him Eastie for East Boston (I worked at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center). I also decided that he's going to be the mascot for this summer. He'll ride around in the car and see America with Ilona and I!
As for the GRE, I'm officially done! I was so nervous! I did well enough to get into grad school. I might take them one more time in the fall though, we'll see. A huge weight has been lifted off my chest and now I can get excited for the road trip. Everything is in place and I can't wait! Time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the summer! :)
As for the GRE, I'm officially done! I was so nervous! I did well enough to get into grad school. I might take them one more time in the fall though, we'll see. A huge weight has been lifted off my chest and now I can get excited for the road trip. Everything is in place and I can't wait! Time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the summer! :)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
List of Main Destinations
We will be spending our nights in the following locations:
Canton, CT
Luzerne, NY
Ithaca, NY
Pleasant Prairie, WI
Minneapolis, MN
Rapid City, SD
Salt Lake City, UT
Reno, NV
San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas, NV
The Grand Canyon
Mesa Verde, CO
Santa Fe, NM (on Ilona's birthday)
Carlsbad, NM
Austin, TX
New Orleans, LA
Crestview, FL
Atlanta, GA
Savannah, GA
Charleston, SC
Chevy Chase, MD
Of course we'll also be making stops along the way. If you are reading this and have any suggestions for places to stop and see along the way, feel free to leave a comment!
I'm very excited to site see, make new friends, and visit with old friends and family. On the trip I will also be visiting a lot of grad schools. I think it'll be a great way to get a feel for each different city and school. This is a multi-purpose road trip! Hopefully I'll get over feeling guilty about not working this summer and using a lot of gas.
One and a half more weeks left of full-time employment and taking the GREs until I officially take a break from being responsible!!
Canton, CT
Luzerne, NY
Ithaca, NY
Pleasant Prairie, WI
Minneapolis, MN
Rapid City, SD
Salt Lake City, UT
Reno, NV
San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas, NV
The Grand Canyon
Mesa Verde, CO
Santa Fe, NM (on Ilona's birthday)
Carlsbad, NM
Austin, TX
New Orleans, LA
Crestview, FL
Atlanta, GA
Savannah, GA
Charleston, SC
Chevy Chase, MD
Of course we'll also be making stops along the way. If you are reading this and have any suggestions for places to stop and see along the way, feel free to leave a comment!
I'm very excited to site see, make new friends, and visit with old friends and family. On the trip I will also be visiting a lot of grad schools. I think it'll be a great way to get a feel for each different city and school. This is a multi-purpose road trip! Hopefully I'll get over feeling guilty about not working this summer and using a lot of gas.
One and a half more weeks left of full-time employment and taking the GREs until I officially take a break from being responsible!!
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