It's incredible how animals sometimes know when something big, like a move across the country, is about to happen. Clearly, no one has told them, "Hey, get ready to leave all your familiar smells, say goodbye to your best doggie buddy, and sit in the car for hours and hours on end." But somehow, they get it. I guess they read our body language and stress levels, and reflect them back to us in the form of destroying our carpet, chewing through a hard plastic crate, and decorating the new carpet with a variety of pet stains while we're at work. Keep in mind, Damascus was home in our room by himself while we were at work for 3 months, and never did any of that. But here we are, two weeks away from leaving Portland, and he pulls out every bad trick in the book. Crazy little mutt...
I forgot to tell you! Arlo and I stopped at a cider mill on the way to Bellingham, WA two days ago. On one side of the barn, they made the cider, and on the other side, they sold it! As soon as I walked into the small store (complete with straw on the ground and posted signs about what happens when you fail to abide by the honor system for purchasing cider) I was handed a fresh sample. SO GOOD! We bought a half gallon, and 2.5 lbs of apples at $1/lb. I found out today that the apples are VERY TART!
Right now, we're driving through the golden and green mountains of Montana, on our way to Butte, MA to hang with former Portland roommate Joey! I'm a bit bummed we decided not to go south through California, but these snow capped mountains surrounded by autumn reds, yellows, and pine greens are anything but disappointing.
I must say, the gas mileage is incredible on this Toyota. We got over 40 miles to the gallon yesterday. That's a giant difference from the 17 mi/gal we were getting on the way here in my Mercury!
Sorry for the lack of pictures. The hotel we stayed at last night was charging $3 a day for wireless, and we refused!! Plus, we were way tired, and crashed as soon as we got in. But we've already chosen our hotel for tonight, so pics are coming!
tree tree tree
mountain mountain mountain
cloud cloud cloud
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Day 2: Bellingham, WA - Spokane, WA
Drinks and dancing last night... wish we had enough energy for more of both! After some margaritas, we went and saw a band called Petunia and the Vipers, which plays a bit of a rockabilly/western swing mix (think the music from spongebob squarepants!). It was a blast!
A cool thing happened yesterday when we took Damascus for a walk at a park in town. We met an older guy who told us all about his travels and his experience with Australia/Australians. He gave us a bunch of tips and had a bunch of funny stories. It's amazing, the kind of people you meet on the road! For those of you that don't understand the connection, Arlo and I are planning to get 6 month work visa to use over in Australia starting May of next year. We've already set up plans with a resort in the outback, so all we really need to do is apply for our work visas, buy the plane tickets, and make a little money to take over there! We were stoked to find someone to tell us about their first hand Ausie experiences!
I wish we could stay here in Bellingham longer, but the road is calling! (And I want some damn East Coast pizza!!!) Today, we're heading due East through the Cascades on rt 20. It should be a gorgeous drive! We'll likely spend the night around Spokane, WA before we head over to Yellowstone National Park. =)
More later (and hopefully some pictures, too!)!
A cool thing happened yesterday when we took Damascus for a walk at a park in town. We met an older guy who told us all about his travels and his experience with Australia/Australians. He gave us a bunch of tips and had a bunch of funny stories. It's amazing, the kind of people you meet on the road! For those of you that don't understand the connection, Arlo and I are planning to get 6 month work visa to use over in Australia starting May of next year. We've already set up plans with a resort in the outback, so all we really need to do is apply for our work visas, buy the plane tickets, and make a little money to take over there! We were stoked to find someone to tell us about their first hand Ausie experiences!
I wish we could stay here in Bellingham longer, but the road is calling! (And I want some damn East Coast pizza!!!) Today, we're heading due East through the Cascades on rt 20. It should be a gorgeous drive! We'll likely spend the night around Spokane, WA before we head over to Yellowstone National Park. =)
More later (and hopefully some pictures, too!)!
Day 1: Portland, OR - Bellingham, WA
Ohhhhhhhhhh my dog...
This past week has been intensely busy, and the exact opposite of what I wanted from my last week in Portland. Instead of spending my last few moments chatting at coffee shops with best friends, hitting up the bar, playing some pool, and grabbing final bites from all my favorite restaurants, I spent my time frantically packing, selling, shipping, organizing, cleaning, and running countless other errands in preparation for this trip and moving out. I thought an entire week off was more than enough, but I clearly have more to learn about this. One time does not make me an expert by any means. Though not spending every last minute with my friends was a hard choice, it was the right one. I mean, I regret not being able to hang out with them more, but if I did that instead of everything else I did, I would probably still be in Portland come this Tuesday.
As for the trip!!! We woke up at 5am and loaded the car with all of our stuff, and got on the road at about 5:30am. Loading the car was a surprisingly pleasant experience. After the trunk was loaded, we only had a few bags and one suitcase to put in the cab. In comparison to our last trip, our car is half the size, twice the age (almost), and half as weighed down. Our secret? Selling, shipping, and donating. We made about $1000 selling the bikes and some other household items. We shipped our PCs and a lot of clothes back to NJ for a depressing total of $380. But it's a lot better than having to buy a new car back on the East Coast because we over-loaded our current car and ran it into the ground (a mistake we made last trip)!
After driving only 25 minutes this morning, everything became unrecognizable, and that's when I realized Toto and I were no longer in Kansas. However unfamiliar everything was, it was absolutely beautiful. After the early morning fog burned off, we found ourselves cruising up Rt 5 on a perfect autumn day. We stopped in Seattle, WA and met Arlo's cousin Jenny and friend Jess for some coffee. We shared friendly conversation of future plans and past adventures, and parted shortly after to resume our separate road trips. But before we split, we met Jess' dog Celia! She's a corgi/chihuahua mix puppy, and cute enough to steal without second thoughts (don't worry, I didn't!).
We admired Seattle's genius architecture and had fun walking the streets. Just a couple more hours up the road, and we found ourselves in the company of Arlo's family once again at his cousin Nat's house (where we're staying the night). What a cool place! This is a small town I think I might like to visit, or even live in, for awhile. BUT IT'S COLD UP HERE!!! Too cold for my blood. I'm missing summer...
Time to go out for some dranks!!!
This past week has been intensely busy, and the exact opposite of what I wanted from my last week in Portland. Instead of spending my last few moments chatting at coffee shops with best friends, hitting up the bar, playing some pool, and grabbing final bites from all my favorite restaurants, I spent my time frantically packing, selling, shipping, organizing, cleaning, and running countless other errands in preparation for this trip and moving out. I thought an entire week off was more than enough, but I clearly have more to learn about this. One time does not make me an expert by any means. Though not spending every last minute with my friends was a hard choice, it was the right one. I mean, I regret not being able to hang out with them more, but if I did that instead of everything else I did, I would probably still be in Portland come this Tuesday.
As for the trip!!! We woke up at 5am and loaded the car with all of our stuff, and got on the road at about 5:30am. Loading the car was a surprisingly pleasant experience. After the trunk was loaded, we only had a few bags and one suitcase to put in the cab. In comparison to our last trip, our car is half the size, twice the age (almost), and half as weighed down. Our secret? Selling, shipping, and donating. We made about $1000 selling the bikes and some other household items. We shipped our PCs and a lot of clothes back to NJ for a depressing total of $380. But it's a lot better than having to buy a new car back on the East Coast because we over-loaded our current car and ran it into the ground (a mistake we made last trip)!
After driving only 25 minutes this morning, everything became unrecognizable, and that's when I realized Toto and I were no longer in Kansas. However unfamiliar everything was, it was absolutely beautiful. After the early morning fog burned off, we found ourselves cruising up Rt 5 on a perfect autumn day. We stopped in Seattle, WA and met Arlo's cousin Jenny and friend Jess for some coffee. We shared friendly conversation of future plans and past adventures, and parted shortly after to resume our separate road trips. But before we split, we met Jess' dog Celia! She's a corgi/chihuahua mix puppy, and cute enough to steal without second thoughts (don't worry, I didn't!).
We admired Seattle's genius architecture and had fun walking the streets. Just a couple more hours up the road, and we found ourselves in the company of Arlo's family once again at his cousin Nat's house (where we're staying the night). What a cool place! This is a small town I think I might like to visit, or even live in, for awhile. BUT IT'S COLD UP HERE!!! Too cold for my blood. I'm missing summer...
Time to go out for some dranks!!!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Geronimo!!!
As I stand here at the precipice of something great and new, I peer over the side to catch at glimpse of what's to come. I can make out a few things, but many are much too small to tell what they are. All at once I'm exhilarated and freaked the f*** out. It's a long way down, and possibly even enough to make my feet a bit cold. But rest assured, I have filled my pockets with rocks, and will follow through with this to the very bottom. (And I'm sure the end result will be much more positive than Virginia Woolf's.) I've got one foot over the side, and my weight is starting to shift toward the deep. Just a little less than two weeks and.... Geronimooooo!!!
Monday, September 26, 2011
What All Good Things Must Do
I'm crazy stoked and utterly deflated all at the same time.
As anyone who has ever experienced any happiness in their life knows, at some point, it must come to an end. But I must say that if I were any more excited about what's to come, I would certainly wet my pants with elated fervor.
I don't think your ready for this jelly, this plan I'm about to reveal to you (not my butt), but here it is...
On or around October 15th of this year, Arlo, Damascus, and I will be road tripping once again across the states to return to our roots in PA/NJ.
We're excited to come back, but terribly sad to leave our beloved city of Portland, OR. I won't go into all the reasons right now, but I can say I will live here again someday. The biggest thing pushing us to move along is because it's hard to see the world by sitting in one place. Which brings me to another part of the plan...
BUT FIRST!!!
I think this would be easier to understand if I made bullet points...
Closing time. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
As anyone who has ever experienced any happiness in their life knows, at some point, it must come to an end. But I must say that if I were any more excited about what's to come, I would certainly wet my pants with elated fervor.
I don't think your ready for this jelly, this plan I'm about to reveal to you (not my butt), but here it is...
On or around October 15th of this year, Arlo, Damascus, and I will be road tripping once again across the states to return to our roots in PA/NJ.
We're excited to come back, but terribly sad to leave our beloved city of Portland, OR. I won't go into all the reasons right now, but I can say I will live here again someday. The biggest thing pushing us to move along is because it's hard to see the world by sitting in one place. Which brings me to another part of the plan...
BUT FIRST!!!
I think this would be easier to understand if I made bullet points...
- Road trip back to PA/NJ via the southern route through the states.
- Consume lots of pizza, Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, WaWa/Quick Chek sandwiches, cheese steaks, and other delectable, dearly missed favorites
- Catch up with family & friends
- Get full time jobs that pay more than $9 an hour and have OT opportunities
- Spend more time working than sleeping/eating and make bank $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
- Work until May, and then fly to Australia with a six month work visa
- Find work and live in Australia for 6+ months!!
- Make more $C$A$S$H$ $M$O$N$E$Y$
- Spend cash money on exploring Europe/other parts of the world yet unseen
Anything beyond that is still a bit beyond me. We would both like to go back to college. Honestly, I can see us owning our own business someday. Like, a dinner theater or something. Who knows! There's still too much exploring to do before we start putting down some deep roots again.
I'll go into detail later about why we're doing this, what we'll miss, what we're looking forward to, our trip itinerary, when we expect to be back, blah, blah, blah!
So excited.
So sad.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Foxes, Hoots, and Guests Abound - Good Times to Be Had All Around!
Foxes. A whole fleet of them. Good stuff.
I bought new strings for my guitar. Strung her up today and played for a nice two hours. It always feels good to lose track of time doing something you love. I miss playing a lot. Today I learned Blue Spotted Tail by Fleet Foxes. There aren't any decent tabs of it yet, so I figured it out for myself. It's simple and easy and pretty.
As promised, here's my lasttwo three weeks...
Last weekend, a bunch of us went out to the McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, about 40 mins outside of Portland. I've never seen a city so green, but it feels good to get out and into the countryside for a bit. The reason for our travel was to see the band Hoots & Hellmouth from Philly, PA. They were incredible. The event was free, but I'd pay good money to see them play any day. The venue was gorgeous, set outside right next to a frisbee golf course.
It was a prefect summer night. The sun had just set, and little kids were running around, climbing trees, and rolling in the grass. I reminisced of when I was in their shoes many summers passed. But this summer, I had beer in my glass. Yum. Friends and family sat by the band, tapped their feet, and basked. Some danced, some sang, but every face held a smile en masse. Perfect. If only this night could ever last.
Back a bit further, having Jesse and Erica visit from NJ was a blast. Timbers Game: hot and rowdy... they won!, Waffle Window: delicious and cheap as always, Multnomah Falls: another landmark proving Oregon's endless beauty, Tillamook Cheese Factory: I discovered that I like cheese curds! and the ice cream is out of this world, Oregon Coast: there are always these random, unmarked trails on the side of the road that lead to breathtaking vistas. they never disappoint, Bula Kava House: Hawaiian dirt water that you drink from a coconut shell. offers relaxing qualities for the consumer... that is, if you can get past the taste, PSU Farmers Market: forever a favorite. you can make an entire lunch out of free samples, and then relax and listen to your pick of live music, Mt. St Helens: this girl blew her top 31 years ago, but she's still a beaut! lots of dust (ash). reminds me of the desert in Arizona, Bagby Hot Springs: peaceful and relaxing, and it doesn't smell like sulfur, Blue Moon Tavern: IRISH CAR BOMBS! Delicious like ice cream. Pool and good times.
Last weekend, as previously stated, Arlo's dad was in town to visit. I can't even remember everything we did. It's all mushed together in my head with the prior weekend with Jesse and Erica. But I do know it was tons of fun! And Erin finally came home!!! I missed her so, so much. The house feels like a family again already. Welcome Home, Erin + Riley! :)
I can't help but spend these times, when I'm having the time of my life, thinking about how much I'll miss it all when it's gone one day. The fact that everything ends is endlessly depressing. Ohh, to have the ignorance of childhood when good things lasted forever. One day, I'll learn to shut up and enjoy.
I bought new strings for my guitar. Strung her up today and played for a nice two hours. It always feels good to lose track of time doing something you love. I miss playing a lot. Today I learned Blue Spotted Tail by Fleet Foxes. There aren't any decent tabs of it yet, so I figured it out for myself. It's simple and easy and pretty.
As promised, here's my last
Last weekend, a bunch of us went out to the McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, about 40 mins outside of Portland. I've never seen a city so green, but it feels good to get out and into the countryside for a bit. The reason for our travel was to see the band Hoots & Hellmouth from Philly, PA. They were incredible. The event was free, but I'd pay good money to see them play any day. The venue was gorgeous, set outside right next to a frisbee golf course.
It was a prefect summer night. The sun had just set, and little kids were running around, climbing trees, and rolling in the grass. I reminisced of when I was in their shoes many summers passed. But this summer, I had beer in my glass. Yum. Friends and family sat by the band, tapped their feet, and basked. Some danced, some sang, but every face held a smile en masse. Perfect. If only this night could ever last.
Back a bit further, having Jesse and Erica visit from NJ was a blast. Timbers Game: hot and rowdy... they won!, Waffle Window: delicious and cheap as always, Multnomah Falls: another landmark proving Oregon's endless beauty, Tillamook Cheese Factory: I discovered that I like cheese curds! and the ice cream is out of this world, Oregon Coast: there are always these random, unmarked trails on the side of the road that lead to breathtaking vistas. they never disappoint, Bula Kava House: Hawaiian dirt water that you drink from a coconut shell. offers relaxing qualities for the consumer... that is, if you can get past the taste, PSU Farmers Market: forever a favorite. you can make an entire lunch out of free samples, and then relax and listen to your pick of live music, Mt. St Helens: this girl blew her top 31 years ago, but she's still a beaut! lots of dust (ash). reminds me of the desert in Arizona, Bagby Hot Springs: peaceful and relaxing, and it doesn't smell like sulfur, Blue Moon Tavern: IRISH CAR BOMBS! Delicious like ice cream. Pool and good times.
Last weekend, as previously stated, Arlo's dad was in town to visit. I can't even remember everything we did. It's all mushed together in my head with the prior weekend with Jesse and Erica. But I do know it was tons of fun! And Erin finally came home!!! I missed her so, so much. The house feels like a family again already. Welcome Home, Erin + Riley! :)
I can't help but spend these times, when I'm having the time of my life, thinking about how much I'll miss it all when it's gone one day. The fact that everything ends is endlessly depressing. Ohh, to have the ignorance of childhood when good things lasted forever. One day, I'll learn to shut up and enjoy.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Don't mess with my dog... really...
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARLO!!!! My boo bear is 22 today! Wish him a good one!! =)
Here's something a bit different. There are some things I hate about Portland. I don't meant to start with such negativity, but you'll soon agree and join me in the stomping of feet and clenching of fists. Arlo and I went out for his birthday breakfast this morning with his Dad who flew into town for the weekend. As per usual, we tied up the pup outside and sat near a window in the restaurant so we could keep an eye on him. Breakfast was yummy, and good stories were exchanged. We were nearly finished when Arlo happened to look out the window. His face turned white, and feet turned to action. I turned around to have my fears assured. Damascus was gone. We both shot out the door and immediately ran to where our boy was previously tied up. My god...
Rage and fright burned out my eyes and almost collected into tears. But there he was, halfway down the block... tied up to another tree??? Damascus has never pulled himself free from being tied up, or even tried to back out of his collar. He has always been exactly where we left him, waiting like a good little boy. But this obviously was not his doing... unless of course he has some opposable thumbs that he hasn't told us about. Someone took our dog, walked him down the street, and tied him in a different spot. I'm so relieved that he was perfectly fine and was not, in fact, stolen or lost. But there are some things that you don't mess with, and my dog is one of them. I don't even care if they had a legitimate reason. If they cared that much, they could have walked inside and found us before moving our dog.
Would you ever do that to someone's child? You know, just pick them up and move them down the street while the parents aren't looking and not tell anyone. I know dogs and children are two different ball parks, but your heart crumbles just the same when one of them is missing. It's not unusual for dogs to be stolen in Portland, especially purebreds and cuties. Damascus is adorable, and the possibility that someone may have stolen him was the first thing that came to mind. I'm still a bit shaken about it, but I'm just glad my boy is still here. f*ckers...
The past two weeks have flown by as fast as the cash from my pockets. First, our friends Jesse and Erica visited for a few days from NJ, and then Arlo's Dad came for this weekend. I took a few days off to spend with our friends, but involuntarily got another four off because of some work order screw up at my job. Ughh... never thought I would complain about not working! I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the time off. I go back tomorrow, which will end the nearly two week hiatus. To make up for the time off, my Saturdays are shot for a month or so for mandatory OT. Whatever! It will be good to have money again.
I'll go into more detail later. It's too beautiful out to spend my whole day blogging!
Here's something a bit different. There are some things I hate about Portland. I don't meant to start with such negativity, but you'll soon agree and join me in the stomping of feet and clenching of fists. Arlo and I went out for his birthday breakfast this morning with his Dad who flew into town for the weekend. As per usual, we tied up the pup outside and sat near a window in the restaurant so we could keep an eye on him. Breakfast was yummy, and good stories were exchanged. We were nearly finished when Arlo happened to look out the window. His face turned white, and feet turned to action. I turned around to have my fears assured. Damascus was gone. We both shot out the door and immediately ran to where our boy was previously tied up. My god...
Rage and fright burned out my eyes and almost collected into tears. But there he was, halfway down the block... tied up to another tree??? Damascus has never pulled himself free from being tied up, or even tried to back out of his collar. He has always been exactly where we left him, waiting like a good little boy. But this obviously was not his doing... unless of course he has some opposable thumbs that he hasn't told us about. Someone took our dog, walked him down the street, and tied him in a different spot. I'm so relieved that he was perfectly fine and was not, in fact, stolen or lost. But there are some things that you don't mess with, and my dog is one of them. I don't even care if they had a legitimate reason. If they cared that much, they could have walked inside and found us before moving our dog.
Would you ever do that to someone's child? You know, just pick them up and move them down the street while the parents aren't looking and not tell anyone. I know dogs and children are two different ball parks, but your heart crumbles just the same when one of them is missing. It's not unusual for dogs to be stolen in Portland, especially purebreds and cuties. Damascus is adorable, and the possibility that someone may have stolen him was the first thing that came to mind. I'm still a bit shaken about it, but I'm just glad my boy is still here. f*ckers...
The past two weeks have flown by as fast as the cash from my pockets. First, our friends Jesse and Erica visited for a few days from NJ, and then Arlo's Dad came for this weekend. I took a few days off to spend with our friends, but involuntarily got another four off because of some work order screw up at my job. Ughh... never thought I would complain about not working! I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the time off. I go back tomorrow, which will end the nearly two week hiatus. To make up for the time off, my Saturdays are shot for a month or so for mandatory OT. Whatever! It will be good to have money again.
I'll go into more detail later. It's too beautiful out to spend my whole day blogging!
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