At a travel plaza outside Rockford Illinois. Stuff just got real flat. And the farms got really big. My turn to drive, more later.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Recharging. We are in Ohio. The rest stops here have Starbucks in them!!!
Staring at the road is starting to make my head hurt. Guh, need some eyedrops too.
Also, first wildlife spotted: chipmunk, at the rest stop in PA where we had lunch. One that doesnt count: the dude we saw wickedly over-adjusting his junk outside the mens room right now. (nice.)
Friday, May 18, 2012
... I think i'm actually, officially on vacation!
Worked 10 hours today at the vet. My heels are screaming.
And my dogs are there! So lonely tonight without them! But hooray for boarding privileges at work.
Also, i spent $40 on road snacks at Fairway. (and also protein bars for when we get stranded in the woods.) And did i mention what my mom got me? Trail Mix- "for when you get stranded in the woods." Thanks Mom- way to have faith in us! Hence the stranded in the woods jokes- though who am i kidding? I am no naturalist/rugged survivalist! But, trail mix isn't going to ward off bears or rattlesnakes.
(Though if there's one thing i've learned about survival, it's to drink your own urine. Thanks, Bear Gryllis! I'll keep it in mind!)
*every survival guide i have ever seen advises AGAINST drinking your own urine. It just puts the sodium and toxic crap your kidneys have filtered out back IN. The more you drink your urine, the more concentrated it gets.
Anyways- tomorrow we leave! at about seven. Joe promises he will drive first so i can continue sleeping.
Worked 10 hours today at the vet. My heels are screaming.
 |
| (not me, or my actual work, just a stock photo. But it's reasonably close. Only imagine a lot more vomit, some eyeballs hanging out, and howling dogs. And super snarky co-workers. We were on fire tonight.) |
And my dogs are there! So lonely tonight without them! But hooray for boarding privileges at work.
 | |||
| Actual dogs. Luna on the left, Nibbler on the right. |
Also, i spent $40 on road snacks at Fairway. (and also protein bars for when we get stranded in the woods.) And did i mention what my mom got me? Trail Mix- "for when you get stranded in the woods." Thanks Mom- way to have faith in us! Hence the stranded in the woods jokes- though who am i kidding? I am no naturalist/rugged survivalist! But, trail mix isn't going to ward off bears or rattlesnakes.
 | ||
| Maybe if i throw some peanuts at him he'll go away. |
*every survival guide i have ever seen advises AGAINST drinking your own urine. It just puts the sodium and toxic crap your kidneys have filtered out back IN. The more you drink your urine, the more concentrated it gets.
 | ||
| Wait, is he trying to drink turtle piss in that one? That dude is fucked up... |
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The story behind the story...
This blog documents a trip taken by me (Steph) and my forever-boyfriend (Joe. Joe Porto. Porto.) We always knew we loved traveling... though life often gets in the way of that (due to jobs, lack of jobs, and not having a money tree.) We're not the type of people to take a vacation just to sit by a pool for a week- we like adventuring. The first big trip either of us took was probably when Joe worked on the Warped Tour for 2 months about 10 years ago. He saw something like 30 states... but only for a few hours at a time (and in the context of a concert set up at a fairgrounds) but had some idea of what he wanted to see more of. I had been to California once, and Florida as a kid (disney world) but was brought up by parents that were not necessarily as adventurous as I (My mom has never been in an airplane. All the traveling my dad has done was in the military 50 years ago. Their idea of excitement is going to Maine.) So- I knew the world existed, but hadn't seen a lot of it... but I knew that staying in my "safe place" wasn't very exciting, and that you don't really KNOW what something is like unless you've seen it firsthand. I wanted to discover the world in my own eyes. But where to start? Europe? Asia? I saw no sense in visiting those places until I had fully discovered what is right at my doorstep- the United States.
Why the United States? Well, because it's home, and it's cheap and accessible. But also, because it's oft misunderstood. We don't always agree with each other here, and we tend to sneer at each other from afar (north vs south, red state vs blue state, Fairfield County vs the rest of CT.) But- we have natural features (and man made features) here that literally can not be found anywhere else. The Grand Canyon, the Pacific Coast, Redwoods. Badlands and Bison. New England Clambakes. A Spam Museum. We have a colorful and varied past. We are a continual melting pot. There are still thousands of immigrants who come here in search of the "dream", the idyllic life for their families. We may not have the picket fence/dinner in every oven American Dream, but we still have something special. Plus, our history is constantly evolving.
And really, our continent is huge. There's a lot to see. And there's nothing like seeing something with your own eyes. We want to see what's really out there- the real American story- mountains, plains, and Spam factories included. And, we want an adventure. Which is why we didn't book any hotel rooms (except yellowstone, because it's memorial day weekend and that place is gonna be nuts.) And, we're driving.
(of course, We're driving in a BMW, so THAT'S not very adventurous. Makes me wish i still had that rusty Buick. OKAY GO AHEAD AND SAY IT- HOW CLICHE, YOU'RE FROM CONNCTICUT AND YOU DRIVE A BMW... yeah, i was laughing at myself in the parking lot of REI. It's used, okay? And at this point if Joe wants to drive a beemer it's his money, as long as he doesn't wrap it around a telephone pole, what do I care? And honestly, the service/warranty packages on it are pretty sweet. They do bend over backwards for their owners- so in that respect i can't knock it. But as a girl from the valley- it still makes me feel funny.)
Bottom line: We don't believe everything we see on TV. We like to see things with our own eyes. We like roadtrips. And we're gonna document it all- because we're a couple of photo nerds. And you bet it's gonna be snarky as hell, because we're a couple of sarcastic assholes.
We've been planning on going to Yellowstone for years... and this trip has fallen through a hundred times. First job loss, then job gain and job loss again. Saving all the money and then having to spend it on dental work. Hell, my mom is having some health issues right now and we weren't even sure if we were going to be able to DO THIS. For all i know, i might have to fly back early. But, as it stands- on Saturday May 19, we are packing the car, pointing it west, and putting a brick on the accelerator. Destination: everywhere (but mostly, everything between Stratford, CT and West Yellowstone, MT.)
Your hosts: Steph, the Trapeze artist/Vet Tech/Mall employee (no really, i'm a circus performer. And i work two part time jobs, because the arts are a bitch to get paid in.) Joe, the graphic designer/web developer/nerd/gamer/musician/beard grower (it's super scruffy.) One european car, and the open road...
Onward ho! Not yet, i have to pack. (I'm almost done, i gotta throw some shit in the dryer... and pack my shoes and toiletries.)
Why the United States? Well, because it's home, and it's cheap and accessible. But also, because it's oft misunderstood. We don't always agree with each other here, and we tend to sneer at each other from afar (north vs south, red state vs blue state, Fairfield County vs the rest of CT.) But- we have natural features (and man made features) here that literally can not be found anywhere else. The Grand Canyon, the Pacific Coast, Redwoods. Badlands and Bison. New England Clambakes. A Spam Museum. We have a colorful and varied past. We are a continual melting pot. There are still thousands of immigrants who come here in search of the "dream", the idyllic life for their families. We may not have the picket fence/dinner in every oven American Dream, but we still have something special. Plus, our history is constantly evolving.
And really, our continent is huge. There's a lot to see. And there's nothing like seeing something with your own eyes. We want to see what's really out there- the real American story- mountains, plains, and Spam factories included. And, we want an adventure. Which is why we didn't book any hotel rooms (except yellowstone, because it's memorial day weekend and that place is gonna be nuts.) And, we're driving.
(of course, We're driving in a BMW, so THAT'S not very adventurous. Makes me wish i still had that rusty Buick. OKAY GO AHEAD AND SAY IT- HOW CLICHE, YOU'RE FROM CONNCTICUT AND YOU DRIVE A BMW... yeah, i was laughing at myself in the parking lot of REI. It's used, okay? And at this point if Joe wants to drive a beemer it's his money, as long as he doesn't wrap it around a telephone pole, what do I care? And honestly, the service/warranty packages on it are pretty sweet. They do bend over backwards for their owners- so in that respect i can't knock it. But as a girl from the valley- it still makes me feel funny.)
Bottom line: We don't believe everything we see on TV. We like to see things with our own eyes. We like roadtrips. And we're gonna document it all- because we're a couple of photo nerds. And you bet it's gonna be snarky as hell, because we're a couple of sarcastic assholes.
We've been planning on going to Yellowstone for years... and this trip has fallen through a hundred times. First job loss, then job gain and job loss again. Saving all the money and then having to spend it on dental work. Hell, my mom is having some health issues right now and we weren't even sure if we were going to be able to DO THIS. For all i know, i might have to fly back early. But, as it stands- on Saturday May 19, we are packing the car, pointing it west, and putting a brick on the accelerator. Destination: everywhere (but mostly, everything between Stratford, CT and West Yellowstone, MT.)
Your hosts: Steph, the Trapeze artist/Vet Tech/Mall employee (no really, i'm a circus performer. And i work two part time jobs, because the arts are a bitch to get paid in.) Joe, the graphic designer/web developer/nerd/gamer/musician/beard grower (it's super scruffy.) One european car, and the open road...
Onward ho! Not yet, i have to pack. (I'm almost done, i gotta throw some shit in the dryer... and pack my shoes and toiletries.)
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