Wasting away again in Margaritaville...

This will be another long one, I think. So brace yourself. I'm currently in Key West, Florida and that makes me really happy. I'm sitting at the bar at my former place of employment, Jack Flat's, and I feel like I never left. That could be a good thing....or a bad thing. I haven't decided yet.

So, where I last left off I was hanging out with Elvis in Graceland. I ended up spending one more night there so I could explore a couple museums the next day. And let me tell you, the Elvis music was getting a little irritating by now. They played it constantly at the hotel from about 7:30 in the morning to 8 at night. I love Elvis...but not that much. I ended up going to the Memphis Rock 'n Soul Museum which was conveniently located near Beale Street where I fine-dined on a BBQ bologna sandwich. Don't knock it until you try it! The Rock 'n Soul Museum was cool. I spent a good hour or so there walking around educating myself on some music history.

After I did that museum, I wanted to check out the Civil Rights Museum. I almost didn't go because someone told me it wasn't in a safe area of the city but I'm glad that I went because it was really educational. It was actually located in the Lorraine Motel - which is where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. There is a lady who has been protesting the museum ever since its opening and is there every day across the street. While I can agree with the reason she is protesting (she thinks is a desecration to MLK Jr. and a museum dedicated to the shooter), I think the museum has a legit reason to be there. You aren't allowed to take a camera in so here are a couple shots of the outside of the hotel.

The next day, after I checked out of Graceland, I stopped off at the Stax Muesum of Soul in Memphis. Stax is a famous record company that jumpstarted a lot of artists such as Isaac Hayes, Booker T & the MGs and Carla Thomas. But it was another museum that I wasn't allowed to bring my camera in. I really enjoyed it but after going to the Rock 'N Soul Museum the previous day, some of the things were repetitive. But still, can't beat music history!

My original plan was to go straight to Florida from Memphis but my friend Cat (who worked at the BYC with me this summer) invited me to Orlando for the weekend. So what could have been a day trip driving became stretched out over the course of three days. I'm glad I did that though because I drove through some great sections of Mississippi and Alabama. All I really stopped at in Mississippi was Elvis Presley's birthplace in Tupelo. Cool sidetrip, but not worth the entry money if you've already did Graceland. It was neat to see where Elvis was born and to see what he came from.

I had never been to Mississippi or Alabama so it was nice to cross off two more states on my "list". But holy crap, some places I passed by....total hicktowns, big farms with rundown houses but shiny barns, trailers and trailers. And don't get me started on the Wal-Mart I went into! I really wonder where people get their overalls because I don't think I've ever seen them in a store....is there a secret overall store that I don't know of? Haha. 

Alabama was a cool ride. I was originally going to do route 278 and then take a southern route into Birmingham but after some advice from Barbara at Natural Bridge, I stayed on 278 all the way into Georgia. Good suggestion! It was great. Natural Bridge was a tourist stop that I saw signs for and kinda just yanked my car into that direction. It was another nice day out so the idea of taking some nature photos seemed like a good idea. The Natural Bridge is the longest natural bridge this side of the Rockies and it was a welcome stop to stretch my legs and hike a bit.

Also in Alabama I saw a cool covered bridge. I felt like Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood were going to walk through at any moment! But then I remembered that the movie took place in Madison County not Alabama. I also stopped into this place called Ave Maria Grotto. It was part of a Catholic Church and it was all these statues and things that a monk made back in the 50s. Even if you're not religious (like myself), it can be a neat experience. And I didn't burst into flames when I walked through the doors! 

After Alabama, I ventured into Georgia to do a tour of the Braves stadium - Turner Field. It was awesome because I was the only person on the tour. And since it was the last tour of the day, the security guard came with us to lock up afterwards so I felt like I had my own personal bodyguard. And if you know me, you know I love baseball. So not only was it great to visit another ballpark, but it was even better that I got to have my own private tour where I could ask all the questions I wanted to!

I attempted to find the World of Coca-Cola in downtown Atlanta but Samantha, my trusty GPS, did not know that it moved two years ago! Me and Samantha have not completely eye-to-eye on this trip but she really bit the bullet on this one! After paying for parking, walking around aimlessly, getting directions from a cop and still not finding it, I gave up and continued on my journey. I didn't really want to be caught in rush hour traffic anyways. I spent the night in Macon, Georgia which only reminded me of the macon and bacon salad at Caroline's in Key West.

The next part of my trip brought me to Orlando, Florida where I spent the weekend with Cat and Alex at her mom's house. This was the best part of my trip so far. And I'm not just saying that to be nice. It really was. Getting to go to Universal, Magic Kingdom, MGM and my personal favorite - Epcot for free was great and getting to go to the front of the lines was a sweet deal too. It pays to work for a theme park! It definitely comes with a lot of perks. We didn't have good luck at Universal though. The E.T. ride broke down on us when we were already buckled in, the Poseidon ride was misleading, the Spiderman ride traumatized me because it started acting funny and I thought we were going to die, and someone wouldn't let us do the Jaws ride. But still fun! At Magic Kingdom I convinced myself that I could do Thunder Mountain. Having done Splash Mountain back in high school and NOT liking it one bit, I don't know what drove me to think I could do Thunder Mountain. After working myself up into a ball of nerves and being completely numb after the ride, I think I will file Thunder Mountain in my "never again" folder! Epcot was great because I got to drink beer in the countries of the world. And MGM was great because I rode a rollercoaster for the first time EVER! The Aerosmith Rock 'N Rollercoaster was actually a lot of fun. I don't know what I was so afraid of for all these years. But I definitely screamed like a banshee. Actually, I didn't even know I could scream that loud....but I did. And then we rode it again! At the age of 26, I am officially no longer a rollercoaster virgin. Orlando was also really nice because I got to spend time with Cat and Alex and....CONNIE! I love Connie the cat. It had been almost 3 weeks since I was with people that I actually knew and the extra company for a couple days was very welcoming. Maybe I'll stop back through before my trip is over with...

And now that brings us to Key West....my home away from home. I'm staying with my friend Jack for a few nights and reliving all my old memories of this place. Last night we did the ole Duval Crawl and right now the only crawling I want to be doing is back into bed....oh man, welcome back! I've been sitting at Jack Flats for a good four hours now. Not really sure what the plans are for this week. I think we're doing a sunset cruise tomorrow night and I hope parasailing is somewhere in the mix. What I do know I'll be doing is a lot of drinking. That is one thing you can always count on in Key West! 

Once again, if you made it this far...I tip my hat to you! I'll try to write again and sooner, if possible. This trip is going by fast. I can't believe it's already been three weeks. I feel like I could do this forever. But I know my mom wouldn't be too happy if I became a professional vagabond!

They've got catfish on the table. They've got gospel in the air...

Wow. This is the first chance I've had to write in over a week - either because of really bad internet connection or just being plain busy! So brace yourself because it's going to be a long one. But hopefully you'll make it to the end. At least stay for the pictures!

When I last wrote, I was leaving Louisville, Kentucky and heading towards the Smoky Mountains. I took a detour and did a little 2 hour walking tour of the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. Really cool! We were walking over 300 feet below the earth and it was quite a climb. It wasn't your typical tour. There was definitely a lot of shimmying, bending and climbing. But it was very educational and I got some good exercise! And it was really cool to be inside a cave that had been in use for over 4,000 years back when it was just Native Americans.

 

I didn't do any backroad traveling to Tennessee as I felt like I was in a time crunch to get to my next destination before sundown. I ended up spending three nights in Pigeon Forge - which is about 30 minutes south of Knoxville, 15 minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains and home of Dollywood! And I never even planned on going here AT ALL during my trip. That's what I love about what I'm doing. I'm completely down for randomness and love that I'm going to places I've never even thought about! By the time I found a relatively cheap hotel (Country Hearth Inn & Suites! It was great!) in Pigeon Forge, all I really had time for was dinner. I'm glad I went to at Longhorn because it was the bartender who told me that I should hike the Chimney Tops trail.....which is what I did the next day.

Now first off, let me just say that the Smoky Mountains were absolutely gorgeous at this time of year. All the foliage was still in full effect and regardless of what trail I decided to do, I would have had an amazing experience. However, I chose the hardest most strenuous day trip hiking trail. And anyone who knows me, knows that I am not in the best shape and have a bad ankle. Oh well! It was going to be a once in a lifetime hike and I wanted to do it. Plus, it was only 4 miles roundtrip so how hard could it be? I'm glad it was nice out because the trail was pretty active and I was able to hike with a family from Alabama also doing the trail. If it wasn't for them, my hike wouldn't have been half as enjoyable. So thank you Strickland family! This trail was intense. At least it was for me. It was very steep. And once you got to the top, you literally had to scale rocks. At one point I was just using upper body strength and if my hand had slipped, I would have been a goner because it was straight down! I LOVED IT! And I was pretty proud of myself too. The ultimate reward was getting to the top of the Chimney Tops and the view. WOW!

After the hike, I was exhausted as I should have been. But I decided to stay another night in Pigeon Forge in hopes that I could do another trail the next day. I rewarded myself with a HUGE meal at Corky's BBQ. I must have looked like I had never eaten before! Unfortunately the next day it rained and while I didn't get to any hiking, I did still manage to go to the top of Klingman's Dome and attempt to see the view. But they don't call it the Smoky Mountains for nothing! Not a great view because of the rain but still a fun little drive. And that second picture is of the Chimney Tops - the trail that I did the day before.

I spent the rest of the day walking around the mountain tourist town of Gatlinburg and eventually huddled up into the Smoky Mountains Brewery where I stayed for a few hours doing what I do best...drinking beer! The next day I shoved off to Nashville and naturally, it was a beautiful day out. I guess I could have stayed and hiked another trail, but honestly I was still in pain! My whole body ached! On the way to Nashville I took the scenic Route 70. And boy am I glad I decided to bypass the highway or I wouldn't have discovered two amazing waterfalls! In the town of Ozone, Tennessee I actually climbed all the way to the bottom of the Ozone Waterfall. It wasn't a simple trail either and with wet rocks, it made for one interesting decending! But look at it!

  After a suggestion by a Evangelistic pastor I met at Ozone (I surprised when he shook my hand, I didn't burst into flames!), I took a side trip to Spencer, Tennessee to the Fall Creek Falls State Park. I really wish I had more time to explore this great area because there were more then one waterfall and it was just a great place. I probably spent a good hour and a half walking around, doing a little trail to the top of the falls (which really made my legs feel better!) I bet it's a cool place to hang out at in the summer. There was even a little swimming hole and plenty of sites for camping. I guess it just gives me reason to come back!

Now, Nashville was everything I hoped for and more. I wound up getting a pretty "sweet" suite about 15 minutes from the city. That night I went to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings, ended up getting myself involved in a fun trivia game and then wound up at a bar called Dougie Rays until almost 3 in the morning playing more trivia and hanging out with the locals. So random. I loved it. While in Nashville, I did all the tourist things. I took a tour of the Grand Ole Opry and stood center-stage. It was so neat to be able to stand on the same stage that is basically the country music mecca. Of course, I also loved learning all the history. I had never been a huge fan of country music. I've been a casual listener but I knew a lot of the old, old stuff thanks to my family. This year I guess I kinda got a little more "involved" in country music, mainly because of the yacht club. And I'm proud to say I can sing along with all the songs on the radio now! Haha. Yes, I totally just admitted that I'm a country fan now.

I also went to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. After spending almost four hours there, I am definitely much more knowledgable in the country music genre then I had been before. The history with this genre is so rich and all the displays, videos, instruments that I saw were really amazing. I especially enjoyed the display on the Hank Williams legacy because it wasn't just about Hank Sr., it was about every member of his family right down to his grandchildren who are up and coming country artists. Randomly, while I was perusing downtown Nashville I saw that there was a NHL hockey game going on so I bought a $10 ticket for the Nashville Predators game. I was literally in the last row but the view was cool and you can't beat watching hockey live. Plus, they won.

The best part of Nashville was hands down, the honky tonk bars that populated the street of Broadway. Every bar had a band or solo artist playing at all hours of the day. And most of the ones that I saw were pretty good! Of course, the music of choice was country - especially the classics - but every now and then a band would bust out a rock song, flavored with country of course. It was a lot of fun to just jump from bar to bar sampling not only beer, but a different array of musicians. Some of these bars have launched a lot of country stars of today so who knows? Maybe I saw someone that could be on the radio in a couple years down the line!

And now, as I'm writing, I'm in Memphis, Tennessee. While I loved Nashville and didn't want to leave, I'm beginning to recognize that I'm on some what of a schedule now that it's November and I want to be in Nebraska for Thanksgiving. So I had to press on. I took the backroads the whole way here which to proved to be a nice drive. I loved passing through all the little hick towns and watching people double take my car with it's Red Sox Massachusetts plates. I made a little stop at the Belle Meade Plantation, which is famous around these neck or the woods and if you have any interest in horses. I did the tour and walked around the grounds for a bit before coming into Memphis. Hotel hunting wasn't fun so I eventually decided to buck up and pay a little more for quality at the Days Inn Graceland. Plus, it meant that when I went to Graceland today I could walk and didn't have to pay for parking. Memphis just strikes me as not a safe city so especially with all the crap in my car, I think I made a wise decision.

I spent Halloween on Beale Street which was pretty crazy. I was only there from 7-11:30 and I know that when I left, the party was just getting started but a con of being by myself - I have to be responsible and not drink and drive. There were some pretty funny costumes and interesting characters on the streets. And the cool thing about Beale is that it is completely shut down from car traffic, open until 3 AM, and you drink in public like Key West and New Orleans. I had some really good ribs at a place called Blues Cafe and spent a good time walking around people watching and listening to some blues band. What a contrast from Nashville!

Of  course today I engulfed myself in the religious experience that is Graceland! Elvis Presley's home! I ended up spending a good couple hours doing the self-guided tour of the mansion and looking at all the Elvis memorabilia and exhibits. Even though it was a little pricey, it was definitely worth it and I'm glad I did it. I mean, I'm in Memphis so I HAD to. Yes, we all love Elvis. The Graceland mansion was everything I thought it was going to be. When Elvis died in the 70s, the place was left just as he had it which was pretty kitschy in some rooms - wall-to-wall hideous carpeting, gaudy colored furniture - but that's what gives it character. Plus, it was interesting to learn about the Presley lives especially Elvis's time in the military.

Today I also took in the Peabody Hotel, which is a historic hotel in downtown Memphis. It has a lot of rich history including the Peabody ducks that march to and from the hotel fountain every day at 11 AM and 5 PM. It was so cute! I love ducks. The view at the top of the hotel was really nice, as the sun was setting.

So that FINALLY leaves me off where I am today. Tomorrow I plan on doing some more tourist things - the Soul Museum, hopefully the Civil Rights Museum and go down to the Mississippi riverfront. And then I have to leave this great state of Tennessee. I'll be heading for Florida through Mississippi and Alabama.

I know this was really long, and I really do appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read my blog whether they read the whole thing or just skim it. So, thanks to my "loyal readers"! I will try to write another entry much quicker this time, I promise. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

I was born with a shotglass in my hand...

Where? Ashland, Kentucky - Lawrenceburg, Kentucky - Loretto, Kentucky - Clermont, Kentucky - Louisville, Kentucky
Tunes: Lady GaGa, random country radio stations

I'm kind of loving Kentucky. I had never been here before and I don't really want to leave just yet. The past two days have been pretty good. Yesterday was my day o' bourbon and today was my tourist day.


I left Ashland, KY yesterday morning around 9:30. I decided to bypass going on non-highways roads this day because I wanted to make sure that I got to all the bourbon distilleries that I had planned. Plus, it was raining on and off all morning. The first place I went to was the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg which was about two and half hours away. Did the tour thing, had a good time. They brought us right into the actual distillery and even let us try the "moonshine" bourbon.

It was really interesting to see how bourbon is made, even though I'm not that much of fan. But they didn't give us any free samples afterwards! Next up was Maker's Mark in Loretto which was a good hour away from Wild Turkey but I made it there in record time. The tour was at 3:30 and I got there at 3:25. My GPS brought me through all these gorgeous backroads of Kentucky. I drove by all these farms with rolling hills and even crossed a couple one way bridges. Maker's Mark tour was much shorter but they gave us samples afterwards. Also, the tour took us inside the bottling room where all the bottles are hand-dipped in red wax. Really cool!

I raced to Jim Beam to get there before it closed but honestly, I was disappointed. There wasn't a tour, just a tasting where the guy was basically just trying to get you to buy a bottle. Oh well. I can still say I went there. Last night I booked two nights at a Days Inn in Louisville - about 8 miles from the city - and spent the rest of the night trying to catch up on all my tv shows. Man, I really hate wireless.

Today I spent the day exploring Louisville. I slept in a little late and headed on down to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. The tour was cool, as they were actually producing bats today. The bats they were making were World Series bats for the Yankees. Too bad the stupid Yankees haven't even MADE it to the Series yet...

 

I had lunch at the Bluegrass Brewing Company where I had a couple beers made with bourbon, Knob Creek to be exact. So good! I could have had a couple more but I had more exploring to do. I walked all over the city - up Main Street, down by the Ohio River - and really enjoyed it. It kind of reminded me of Providence. It wasn't congested, was easy to get around, right near the water, and not too many tall buildings. And the area down by the river was great!

After walking around the city, I decided to, on a whim, punch into my GPS Churchill Downs - the home of the Kentucky Derby. Turns out it was only four miles away so guess where I went? And I HATE HATE HATE horses! I took the free tour and when the tour guide wasn't looking, I stepped onto the track. I may not like the creatures, but I could appreciate the sport and the history.

All in all, a GREAT time in Kentucky. Tomorrow, like I said above, I will be stopping by Mammoth Caves and the Daniel Boone National Park on my way to Tennessee. I think I'm going to spend a couple days in the Knoxville/Pigeon Forge area. I really want to explore the Great Smokies and who knows, maybe I'll go to Dollywood! Haha. I can't believe it's almost been a week since I left! I could do this forever...


If you're reading, let me know! Leave me a comment!

You gotta swim...

Where? Lancaster, PA - Gettysburg, PA - Washington, PA - Wheeler, WV - Ashland, Kentucky

Tunes: Jack's Mannequin, Spice Girls, Melee, James Taylor, Oldies mix, Vampire Weekend 

Here I am on day four of my trip. I'm currently in Ashland, Kentucky at a Days Inn. And the internet connection is horrible! I've tried to upload my pictures about five times and I'm hoping that this entry will actually get sent. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't having a good time. Especially seeing as what is going on back home, it feels good to be away. I am really excited for tomorrow. I'll be spending a couple days in Louisville, Kentucky along the Bourbon Trail. I'm hoping to get as many tours in as I can and I really want to go to the Louisville Slugger Muesum as well.

So, yesterday I left Lancaster around 9 AM. I really enjoyed Amish Country and would highly recommend the trip to anyone. Maybe I'll go back some day? I was en route to Washington, PA to a friend from work, Cency's, college for the night. I had the best drive ever! I did route 30 (the historic Lincoln Highway) to route 31, all back roads through the hills and mountains of Pennsylvania. It actually took me through Gettysburg so I stopped and did the tourist thing for about an hour. What a gorgeous day! I wish I could put pictures up, but I'm having extreme difficulty with this internet connection....Going up and down the mountains was probably the highlight of the day. The views. Oh, the views. And it was so nice out too - almost 80 at one point. I got to Washington around 4:15, just in time for Cency's soccer game. Believe it or not, I have never watched a complete soccer game up until yesterday. It was fun even though they lost. I spent the night at Cency's dorm where I partook in some Wednesday college drinking. It was nice to hang out with a friend, especially since I'll be alone on the trip for so long - a familiar face is very welcoming.

I left Washington and Jefferson around 12 today after sleeping in a little late and going out for lunch. I really didn't know what I wanted to do today so I decided to go on a suggestion of Oglebay Park in Wheeling, West Virginia. It took about an hour to get there on route 40, which was also a nice ride. And I had never been to West Virginia before so hopefully this was the first of many "new" states for me. Oh yeah, Kentucky is a new state to me too. The Park was kind of cool....took some nice pictures, saw some deer hanging out on a golf course. Then I took route 2 along the Ohio River for a few hours before I got fed up and just plowed onto the highway. The Ohio River was a nice view, but I really didn't care for WV that much - from what I saw. I decided that I was going to push myself to Kentucky so I am closer to Louisville for tomorrow. I ended up spending much more money then I wanted to on this hotel, but that's what I get for not doing my research.

Tomorrow will be better. I think I'm about a good 2 and a half hours from my destination, maybe less if I go to one of the distilleries first. I'm trying to find a place to stay but THIS INTERNET CONNECTION SUCKS! I don't think I can stress that enough. Haha. Hopefully I will be able to post pictures within the next few days.

The jeep is running good. Everything is still packed very nicely. Only one shampoo bottle has exploded in my backpack. Looking forward to tomorrow!

Or should I just keep chasin' pavements...

The trip has started.

Day 1: 456 miles

Day 2: 125 miles

Where? Pottsville, PA - Lancaster, PA - Amish Country - Hershey, PA

Tunes: Road Trip mix, Ace Enders and a Million Different People, Adele, ABBA, Oldies mix

Yesterday, at 5:30 AM, I finally set off for my trip heading towards Pennsylvania. The first place I wanted to go was the 1:30 tour of the Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville. I made it there in pretty good time despite hitting traffic all throughout the Connecticut stretch of I-95.

The tour at Yuengling was everything I hoped for and more! It was over 2 hours long completed with a tasting. I have toured three different breweries before - Sam Adams, Harpoon and Berkshire - and this was hands down, no competition, the best brewery tour ever. We went into every single room in the brewery including the bottling room where we got to see Yuengling Light Lager being canned, pasteurized and boxed for distribution. One of the coolest parts of the tour was getting to go in the "cave" - an area that is no longer in use and that was completely shut off up until a few years ago.

After the tour, I was able to taste two different kinds of Yuengling that I have never had before which was awesome. My favorite beer....yum! I would love for it to be available in Massachusetts but because it's so hard to find, that makes it even better. After the tour I took the backroads to Lancaster. I decided not to camp because it was kind of chilly out and I was feeling lazy. On the way there I passed an area of the Appalachian Trail so I had to stop. Thank god I did. Breathtaking view.

I ended up getting two nights in the Super 8 right on Route 30 of Lancaster. I didn't do too much last night. I drove around a bit and then had dinner at the Cracker Barrel. Meatloaf. Good stuff. This morning, after a great night's sleep, I spent the whole day in Amish Country. I really love doing the tourist thing. I should have worn my fanny pack. I also really enjoy learning about different cultures, history, just learning new things in general. And I love trying new food! There was this jam canning shop and they had so many good samples! I ended up buying some raspberry salsa and some pickled cabbage. After doing a little wine tasting at a local wine shop, I took an Amish buggy tour. It was pretty awesome because there were only 10 of us and we got to go to the tour guide's farm and he showed us everything. I'm just amazed at how ignorant some people are. You don't take pictures of the Amish! However, it was very insightful and who doesn't love to see baby cows?

I took a side trip to Hershey, PA which is a good hour away from Intercourse but unfortunately I got there 10 minutes before everything closed. Oh well. I wasn't too impressed anyways. I bought my Christmas tree decoration and left. I could seriously spend a week here. The air is so crisp and fresh. It's hard to describe. The smell itself is great - and I'm not talking about the farms! I also really enjoyed just driving around this area. You would be going up this hill and then at the top.....amazing view of cornfields, valleys, farms, mountains. I took lots of pictures, but I really wish I had taken more.

Tomorrow I leaving Lancaster and taking a scenic drive to Washington, PA where I will be spending the night at Washington & Jefferson College with a friend from the yacht club, Cency. I'm going to her soccer game and I'm really excited!!! After that, I'm not quite sure. I'll be making my way to Kentucky, I suppose.

If you want to see all my pictures, check out my facebook page: USA Road Trip pictures

I'm gonna make a lot of money then I'm gonna quit this crazy scene...

In less then 8 hours I will be embarking on the trip of a lifetime. My car is packed. I am ready.

It's hard to imagine that this is finally happening. I've wanted to travel the USA for years now. I spent many hours quietly planning my "dream" trip, staying up late into the night on the internet plotting out routes and checking out points of interest. And this was all before I even allowed the idea to take actual semblance. Before then, it's what it was - a dream. So for me to be leaving tomorrow, I find it all kind of weird. I mean, I just quit my job. Which in itself is a crazy thing to do. And now I'm going to be traveling around the country by myself. And that's just plain insane! Am I right? Absolutely. This hasn't been all fun and games either. It took A LOT for me to muster up the courage to quit the yacht club. It took A LOT of careful planning with bill paying and being in debt to figure out how I was going to do this. I'd be a liar if I didn't say that the nerves in my stomach have been present all day. I'd also be a liar if I didn't admit to having a few headaches, stomachaches and even a pretty decent meltdown. But there's no backing down. It's happening. And I want to document it on this blog as much as I can.

It actually didn't take me as long to pack as I thought it would. Since I so freakin' organized, most of the stuff I've been accumulating over the past few months was in the spare bedroom. And I don't want to brag (but I'm going to anyways) but I'm kind of a big deal when it comes to packing. Doing my clothes took me 20 minutes, if that. And I had it all mapped out in my head how I wanted my car to look so I have plenty of space to play with - and sleep. What can I say? This is when my obsessive-compulsiveness pays off!

I doubt I'll get much sleep tonight. I'm waking up at 4:30 AM and want to be on the road by 5 AM, 5:30 the latest. The first place I'm going to is the Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. They have a tour at 1:30 so I'm giving myself a couple hours to play with in order to get stuck in traffic around Connecticut and stop for lunch and gas. I am so psyched to be visiting Yuengling. Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I love my beer and that this is my favorite EVER. Once the tour is over I'm heading down to the Hershey/Elizabethtown area and with a little bit of luck, I'll be spending my first two nights at a campground. I'm slightly nervous about camping but I want to do it on the first night just so I can see if it's going to be a feasible option for me.

I am so excited to see what this great country has to offer. I am chomping at the bit to do all the touristy stuff - the national parks, the muesums, all that history stuff that I just LOVE. I am excited about seeing people that I know along the way whether it be friends or family. But most of all I'm just excited for change. I really have no idea what the future holds for me. I don't have a back-up plan. Hell, I don't even have any plans. Who knows? I might hate it and want to turn around. But I doubt that will happen. But as my mother would say, "Ya nevah know!"

Wish me luck! I'll update as much as I can once I'm traveling even if it's just to upload some pictures. Leave me comments so that I know people are actually reading this. See ya on the road!

I got a story, it's almost finished...

I'm sitting here in the dark in a hotel room in Sturbridge, Massachusetts right now. I'm not tired so I figured that this would be a good time to do some writing...

Since today is technically Thursday, I'll be leaving for my trip in 4 days. I am beyond anxious at this point, especially since now I am UNEMPLOYED! Monday was my last day at the Beverly Yacht Club, and while I have yet to hand in my collection of keys, I am so done there. It was kind of bittersweet leaving. I mean, I made the choice to leave. With so many people jobless in this country, it may seem completely out of line for someone to just give up a well-paying (but it could have always been better....) job just because he/she is going through a quarterlife crisis. And yes that is what I've given this adventure the name of. I guess it's hard to explain unless you are in my shoes, in my situation and more importantly, in my head. 

I've been at the BYC for seven years, on and off because of college and moving to Key West, but never coming off of payroll. I started there the summer of 2003 in an era which I find hard to believe actually existed - times before Joe. And looking back and really thinking about it, I hated it there. I was going through a rough time in my life - right before my junior year of college. I took the position of waitstaff at the club, mainly because I needed work hours in the Hospitality field before I could graduate college and my dad hooked me up because he had connections through working at Bardens. Also to add fuel to my fire, I had a friend living with me for the summer who basically ate away at any ounce of self-esteem I might have had at the time which clearly I didn't realize until much later that year. I would come home from work and just be absolutely miserable. I wanted to quit but since it was just a summer job, there was no point. Suck it up. Not to badmouth people or anything, but the previous club manager had no fucking idea what was going on there. Maybe he did before I got there, but during his last year, things never made sense. We had a horrible staff - minus a few, of course. The chef was mean. He actually threw cole slaw at a girl one day. And this was my first time ever working in a restaurant environment. Definitely made me question my college major....I played it cool, came in, did my job, punched in, punched out. I took what experience I thought I was gaining and went with it. Also, up until some point in July I was working a second job at Marian Heath Greeting Cards, a place I loved so much and had been with for 5 years. I was laid off. It was earth shattering, at the time. I caused a scene. Good times.

I somehow made it through the summer of 2003 and went back to college where I had a horrible first semester because of this aforementioned friend. And then I learned that the previous club manager got the axe. Second semester of junior year, I started to turn things around and while I made a few different life changes I somehow thought that another summer at the BYC would be a wise choice, especially with a new club manager and chef. The commodore at the time was Linda Goodwin and she actually took time to talk to me at her house where we outlined my goals, her goals and just talked about my situation in general. It was good. I felt like things could really turn around and I could be happy there. And of course once I met Joe, I knew that I definitely could be happy there. Talk about complete opposites. Here was a man with a plan. A man who actually liked things being on a schedule or a time-line, could have fun but also get down to business, listened to employee concerns and made a promise to work hand-in-hand with me so that I could truely benefit from working in the private club field. This was also the year that I became president of the Club Managers Associations of America UMASS Chapter. I thought that I finally found my niche in the world. This was what I wanted to do with my life.

I know this all sounds soooooo dramatic and cheesy but it's true. I loved my job. And especially once I got behind the bar, there was no stopping me. Loving my job turned into a good thing, and a bad thing, as well. I graduated college, spent another summer at the BYC and then decided to spend a winter in Key West. I w as living the dream down there and making the phone call to tell Joe that I was moving down there permanently came very easy to me. But when I quickly uprooted myself from that scene basically overnight and had no place to go but home, I knew that I could count on the yacht club being there and taking me back in. Of course now this was when things got tricky. Summers were great, especially being on salary and getting a steady paycheck. But the off-season was not so good. Picking up crappy waitressing job here and there made me beyond unhappy. And I managed to do this for three years. I don't know how. Last winter was the straw that broke the camel's back. I can't do this anymore. I can't put myself through 7 months of hell, just to have 5 months of happiness. Especially when I could barely pay my bills and I still lived at home. And it was affecting me mentally too. I had to make the change this year or I would never survive.

So, this summer, after much consideration, I gave my notice to the yacht club. And it was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. We had our ups and downs, but when you're thinking about leaving a place, it's hard to focus on the downs. I thought about what I was going to miss and it made things just that much harder. But I did it. With no back-up plan. I've always wanted to do a cross country road trip and now I finally have my chance.

The Beverly Yacht Club was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. The friendships I have formed - whether it be with the staff or the members - have just been irreplaceable.The experience I have gained by working my way up from waitstaff with no experience to the Dining Services Manager has been so helpful. I've definitely learned a lot about myself from working here, as well - some good, some not so good. The mental pictures I have in my head of that place just make me smile. Whether it's scrambling to do a buffet for 300+ sailors in a torrential downpour, to running out of hot dogs on the last day of lunch, to finding dead mice in the basement, to struggling with that piece of crap cooler behind the bar, to laughing at drunk members or to just sitting at the staff table shooting the shit laughing our asses off. It's those things I'll never forget. I really and truely, with all my heart, will miss the BYC. It's extremely hard to leave, but I know that I'm making the right choice.

I know it hasn't really hit me yet that I don't work there anymore, especially since my last night was kind of anti-climatic. I'm sure it will when I go in for Pub Night on Friday to get my check and hand in my keys. That will also be the day I say my final farewells to Joe. It'll be hard not to sit there and nitpick the waitstaff and bartender, but to put it simply, it's not my job anymore. My only fear is that all the hard work I put into that place over the past few years will be left in the dust. I know that the staff I'm leaving are fully capable of doing things the right way, but it's hard not to worry. And I really hope the members don't give the staff shit. Because they are hardworking, and great kids and deserve recognization just as much as anybody.

And wow, I just realized how long this entry is. I hope a few people made it down to the end, maybe got a better feel about why I'm doing this. Another chapter of my life is finished. Let's see where my next adventure takes me! FOUR DAYS!!!!

Live high. Live mighty. Live righteously.

I can't believe it's October! Less then two weeks until I leave for my trip! 

I really feel like if I had to leave tomorrow, I would be ready. I only have to get a few small things and do some last minute tasks but overall my mission is almost complete. Over the past couple of weeks I've gotten everything squared away with the jeep. I had to get a new O2 cylinder installed which has done wonders. My car drives so much better now and the check engine light hasn't come on in almost two weeks. (I had a problem with that for at least a year...) It also had a tune-up when I brought in for an oil change. Last week, I refinanced my car loan at a local credit union. I was approved for 5.75% but the loan officer gave it to me at 5.25% thanks to some coupon promotion that someone else didn't use. It will only be about $13 less a month but overall, I'm going to be saving over $500. It's also right in Wareham and they do online paying, which was the selling point for me. I refinanced it based on my remaining 41 payments. And the added bonus of a $50 Red Robin gift certificate was pretty nice too!

I also switched my car insurance over to AAA. I was pretty unsatified with my now former insurance coverage. I still have the accident from March of 2008 on there and I'm a step four, which is not good, so naturally my insurance is going to be high. Somehow I managed to get it over $300 cheaper through AAA and I added rental coverage on it as well. Should have made the switch last year....I had to pay 20% as a down payment which I obviously wasn't figuring into my budget, but it will be worth it in the long run. And you never know what will happen on the trip....I'm confident in my driving, but its the other weirdos out there that you have to watch out for. Having AAA as my insurance company makes me feel secure.

Besides doing lots of research online, printing things out, checking out campgrounds and cheap hotels, I've made another side plan. I'm going to be in Nebraska for Thanksgiving. My aunt Josette lives there and I wanted to visit during my trip and it probably would have been around that time so this will be perfect. However, if it doesn't happen, it's no big deal. You never know whats going to happen on the road - weather, car problems, etc. - but I'm going to try my hardest to get there for the holiday. I think that will be fun.

My last day at the yacht club is coming up. Next Monday....wow, that came up quick. I only have three shifts left - Pub Night on Friday, a wedding on Saturday and my last shift is Decommissioning on Columbus Day. Not gonna lie, it's kinda depressing showing someone else how to lock up the building and knowing that my key chain is going to get significantly lighter next week. But I know it's for the best. That's what I have to keep telling myself... Last Saturday was the annual meeting where the committee changed and a new commodore took over. When the past commodore was giving his speech, he thanked me and everyone clapped. I honestly didn't expect it so it was kinda nice to be recognized. And then of course, everyone wanted to know where I was going. I'm sure the staff is getting pretty sick of me talking about my trip...I'm actually getting pretty sick of hearing myself talk too! Seriously. I really am. But by talking to the members, I've managed to add a couple more contacts and references and hear others stories and suggestions. I'm glad to be leaving at this time....I'm not too happy with the regime change. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out once I'm gone...

The anxiousness is starting to set in. I can't help but feel a little bit nervous....

One week and six days. I'll drink to that!

The irrefutable, indisputable fact is it happens.

Yes I did just quote a Sugarland song as my title. Get over it.

AHHHHH! Where do I start? The last time I wrote was two weeks ago and so much has happened since then. First off, let's start with the straight facts. My last day at the Beverly Yacht Club will be on Monday, October 12th. That is less then three weeks away and as the day gets closer, I get more and more excited. Maybe I'll feel sad when the day actually approaches, but for now...it's thrilling!!! And then there's Monday, October 19th. That's when I will finally set out to see what this great country has to offer. I was toying with the idea of skipping out on UMASS Homecoming to start earlier but honestly, I can't do it. That will be the last time I see my college friends for a couple months and it just won't work.

Soooooooooo....once I finally got a confirmation on my final day and take-off day, I was all about completing more things on my checklist. I continued to do research, and still am doing that actually. I bought a membership to the Kampgrounds of America (KOA). It was only $24 and it gets you 10% off for every stay and you can earn points to towards future camping. Obviously camping is the way to go. Yes, I've only done it a couple times but that's what this trip is all about....learning new things, proving to myself (and others) that I can do anything if I put my mind to it, getting over certain fears. Plus, since I'm flying solo on this trip, a campground with other people to interact with is much less-lonely then a dreary hotel room. Agree? Agreed. I also bought a National Parks pass for $80. There are so many national parks throughout the US and now I won't have to pay any entrance fees. It's just another added bonus - also on top of having my FastPass which I can use on the East Coast highways and $210 in gascards from my credit card rewards.

Last week I really started buckling down on my "need-to-get" list. I went to Target with my mom and bought a nice air mattress with a pump, first aid kit, battery-operated lantern and some other little random things. This weekend though, I hit the jackpot. I went to annual Freetown Robinson Estates yard sales with my mom, my uncle and my mom's friends. We got there at 7:40 AM and didn't leave until 12!!! Crazy! It must have been my lucky day because one of the first yard sale we went to I found the steal of the century....a *brand new*, still in the box 7x7 Coleman tent. Perfect! And it was only $25. Did I buy it? Um, hello? Yeah, I did. I also managed to come away with a nice square cooler, a couple flashlight things, a sleeping pad ($2!), travel mug and some other random things some of which had nothing to do with my road trip (3 Wareham High School yearbooks from 1990-1992, hahahaha). Today I went to Ocean State and bought a crap load of well, crap. Batteries, flashlights, tarp, rope, duct tape, dustpan and broom, bugspray and a bunch of other things that I think will be of value for this trip. And I only spent $60. Now all I really need to get is a hot plate of some sort, because I can't eat every meal out and some last minute things. So exciting! All together I spent a little over $100 for everything and my mom pitched in too, but shhh! Don't tell Smitty!

Last night I decided to set up the tent and see how it looked. It took my dad and I about 10 minutes, including the time to read the instructions. Being complete camping novices, I would say that was pretty good. I think I'll be able to set it up by myself. Well, I'm going to have to be able to. We unrolled the air mattress too but since the pump wasn't charged, it didn't get blown up. But it does fit comfortably inside the tent. Hooray! I am just bursting at the seams with excitement! Today I also fully inspected my car looking for all the little storage compartments and figuring out how to get to my spare tire. Also put all the seats down and realized that I could easily, and comfortably, sleep in it. Thumbs up.


Call me crazy, but this is so goddamn awesome. It is going to be a dream come true. I've dreamt of this moment for years. It took a while to get my dad on board, but especially after setting up the tent and showing him how well-thought out this trip is and how organized I've been about it for the past couple years, he's doing better with the concept. My mom too, for that matter. Yes, they're my parents so they're allowed to worry...especially since I'm their only one. But it's nice to have their support and have them throw their ideas and suggestions at me.

And now I feel I can broadcast by general outline of the trip. It's going to be pretty vague because while I have some places I want to go to, I don't know how I'll get there or what I'll encounter along the way. I don't really want a schedule. I just know that wherever I am between 5 and 7 that night, I will stop. My first place to go will be the Yuengling Brewery for a tour Monday - the 19th - afternoon at 1:30. It's in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, which is near Allentown so it's a good 6-7 hour drive. I'll be leaving around 5 AM to give myself plenty of leeway. After the tour, I will spend two nights at the Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA campground (two nights for a little under $80 including water, electric and free wi-fi) and do some exploring of Amish country - a place I've always wanted to visit. After that...the world is my oyster shell! I'll head in the general direction of Louisville, KY and then onto Tennessee where I think I'll probably spend a good week. After that I will meander south with Key West being the next destination but who knows where I'll go on the way there. I want to shoot up to Nebraska at some point too to visit my aunt Josette and also go back to New Orleans. But wherever I am about a week for Christmas, I will come home and after New Years, go do it all over again. But this time go west with Arizona being the destination for Steve and Crystal's wedding in January. That's months away though...I just have to focus on actually leaving right now.

I know this was long, and I think now I feel comfortable enough to make this blog public. So if this is your first time stumbling upon this (and you made it all the way to the end) leave me a comment. Let me know what you think! More to come in the next couple of weeks....

Go on, grab your hat and fetch a camera.

Holler back young'n! The summer season at the Beverly Yacht Club is officially over. At 4:00 today, our lunch service stopped and by 7:00, I was outta there! We had a countdown all day which was kind of fun. At exactly 4:00 we banged pots and pans, or in my case ice scoops, and hooted and hollered....and then it was over. I can't describe how happy I am that this season is done with, if only because it means I'm closer to getting out of there and doing what I've wanted to do for years. This summer definitely wasn't as stressful as last year - a much lighter workload, but still annoying in many other ways. We had our fair share of drama this year, sometimes it was a little too much....too much gossip, too much talking behind backs, just stupid stuff that complicates things at times. The staff was great, especially once we got rid of a certain person, but there's always room for improvement.

Me personally, I know my heart wasn't quite in it as much it should have been. But that's because the thought of leaving was constantly in the back of my mind. And once I talked to Joe and knew I could see the end but couldn't quite get to it yet, I've found some things (and people) to be frustrating causing me to have a "i-don't-give-a-shit-fuck-everyone" kind of attitude. I know that's not the way to do things especially since I'm a manager, but sometimes I just hate the place. I can't help it. After seven years, certain people piss you off, certain days get on your nerves....even looking at certain food items makes my skin crawl these days! I don't know, I can't explain it. But for these last few weeks, I swear, my attitude will be better. Especially since I finally get some time off! And I'm still on salary so that's pretty cool too. Last year I was taken off of salary right after Labor Day, but that was one of the things I kinda worked out when I gave my notice so...yay.

Now I really have to buckle down and watch my spending habits. I've mostly paid off my bills for the month of September. So now I have to make sure that my October bills are squared away and that I'll be able to cover the next few months, even if it's just paying in minimum for most things, while I'm off on my wanderlust. However, I do have two things planned that will involve some money. Tomorrow I'm going up to UMASS Amherst for a couple days. My friend tranferred there and I can't wait to show her around and hang out on Club Sidewalk and act like I'm a college student again. And then next week, my friend Jack from Key West will be in Boston so we're taking in a Sox game and hanging out around the city. But that's it! No more big spendings, unless it's directed towards my trip.

Feels so good to know that I have the next two and a half days off...I definitely earned it. Standing by on 6-8, cap't.

Upside down and inside out. When I leave here I'm going alone.

It's September 1st so you know what that means? Last full official week at the yacht club. Our technical "season" is only from Memorial Day to Labor Day and this summer flew by. It might have been the whole lack of summer weather thing until the end of July. Or maybe I just subliminally wished for it to go by quickly. Whatever the case is, my summer is coming to an end QUICKLY. Tonight was my last Tuesday Ladies Racing Night ever. I say "ever" because I really hope that I can basically find the strength, though it sounds stupid, to not come back to the BYC in the spring. Even if I'm living in a ditch somewhere, I don't want to come back because I need to step out of the comfort zone that I've lived in for seven years, quit being a little bitch and move on.

All I asked for tonight was for them to thank me, as a group. That's all. Not too hard. Maybe it's selfish because I feel "deserving" of their praise and want acknowledgment. But you know what? Yeah. It's selfish. I'm allowed to be that way every now and then. I've taken the fall for people a lot over the years, I've put up with members complaining and being pains-in-asses, so yeah, I think it's only fair. Only about a handful of the ladies knew about my plans and frankly it's so much easier to let everyone know as a group then telling everyone individually. I did get the group "thanks" and most of them were shocked at my news, but are happy for me. But honestly, I've heard nothing but positivity about everything and really, that's what I need.

Can't say that it wasn't a bittersweet feeling locking up the building tonight. Tuesday nights have always been my favorite night at the club. I've been taking care of them for at least 5 years, maybe a little longer, so they're used to me and I know what to expect week after week. Oh, I remember the good 'ole days when we didn't even offer food service to them on Tuesday. That was fun. And, this is the group of ladies that came and visited me when I lived in Key West. Oh, that was a good time. Tomorrow night is my last Wednesday Night Racing, but that honestly isn't that a big of a deal to me. Never really been a fan of Wednesday or Thursday nights, to be honest. So whatever.

OK, enough of this rambling. My laptop is awesome. Can't wait to use it on the road. This week's task is to look into a better sleeping bag and car-camping gear. I'm also going to bring my car in for an oil change and see what they suggest for me to do before taking off on the trip in October. I'm sure a tune-up is in for call....

Until next time!