Friday, January 31, 2014

How much I missed winter after four years in NC

Audrey

The sun peeked out for the first time in well over a week. The snow glittered, the neighborhood looked actually pretty, and I went outside to frolic like a preschooler.

I bundled up in all my New England winter gear, of course--snowpants, boots, thick socks, double-layered LL Bean gloves, the works.

I ate snow, and made a snow angel because the snow wasn't sticky enough to make a snowman.

I wandered around to the hedges between the two apartment buildings and found a lovely cave area tucked away beside the office building.

I crawled in, of course.

And discovered what the view would be like for any dead bodies I need to hide, if dead bodies could see.

Picasa decided to add a falling snow effect to this one and I ain't complaining

We also have train tracks right above our apartment. You get used to it...

The road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

(I also basked in the sun on the carpet like a cat afterwards. Our next destination may have to be sunny.)

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Snow

Audrey

It snowed this week! Luckily the northwest is as used to snow as the northeast, and roads are taken care of quickly. I haven't had any trouble driving except to get my van up our apartment-driveway hill... We're cozied up in the apartment, plenty warm enough, but I'm not looking forward to having to go out in the cold to get to the laundry area. The view from our little back deck:

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Spokane!

Avery

After many many days of driving for ENDLESS HOURS and after a few close calls (which, spread out over a week, actually don't amount to much), Marta and I have finally arrived in Spokane! 

Our stuff is EVERYWHERE in the apartment, and I haven't even emptied out my car yet, we're tired, several hundred dollars poorer due to hotels and soooo many gallons of gas (I'm going to calculate all that later), and kind of overwhelmed with all that's happened, but we're here! And excited! And now I'm going to watch movies because I don't have to get up at six in the morning to drive anywhere. 

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

THERE NEEDED TO BE--

--A POST FOR TODAY OKAY.

Audrey

They're gonna get here tomorrowwwww. I shall clean and cook and they get to be the husbands and come home to a hot meal.

There are no beds for them. Awkward.

Then we will adventure through Spokane! Soon! I was told by a born-and-raised local that the first Friday of every month is a Big Deal in Spokane and different places have events and free stuff and you can get into all the museums free, so guess what I'm planning for February 7th~

Monday, January 20, 2014

Rocks rocks rocks

Marta


Achievement: Seflie At the Grand Canyon - Unlocked!


Yesterday was Tourist Adventure Day, we drove through the Red Rocks of Sedona (which were uh-may-zing) and then stopped at the Grand Canyon (which costs money to get in be warned) so basically yesterday was all about rocks. Lots of rocks. Big rocks. Tall rocks. Short rocks. Small rocks. Absence of rocks (canyon). But they were very cool rocks so it was worth it.

Then we drove past the Hoover dam but some jerk decided to put high walls on the bridge past it so we couldn't see anything. 

My first impression of Nevada is that people are terrible drivers. Las Vegas has lots of lights and flashing signs that can be very distracting if you have been driving through empty desert all day. 

Today we go into Vegas to party hard! I plan on blowing a WHOLE DOLLAR at the slot machines. I know they say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but I'll probably write a blog post about it anyways.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Living like adults

Audrey

Today I did a thing.

No but really, last night I picked up a free couch on craigslist, put one end up on the bumper of my van, then lifted the other end to push it in alone. I drove back, unloaded it, rolled it end over end up the stairs, dragged it down the balcony to the apartment, rolled it into the living room, set it up.

Solo couch moving: Maybe like a 1/10 do not recommend.

This morning I went back and fetched a futon that was there but that I couldn't cram into my abused minivan during the first trip. I took some bins and wrapped them up in curtains from college (classy), moved the furniture around, put one of my extra bedspreads over the futon, and laid out a dorm rug.

It's like I can legitimately fool people into thinking I'm an adult now.

Texas through Arizona

Avery
Things I saw today:

Cattle yards

A suggested speed of 70 mph on a curve (Evidence that everything in Texas is flat and straight)

Oil pumps. So many oil pumps. Too many oil pumps.

Two types of windmills. And lots of them.

Really really long trains.

Too much yucca.

Just as many power lines.

Hundreds of miles of empty space, abandoned buildings and settlements, a gas station at least forty miles from any sort of civilization, and...

A truck towing a boat in a place where the nearest water was probably a gazillion miles away.

And at the end of the trip? My very own beloved college roommate MK!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Texas

Marta
       
                                                     
                                                 Things I Learned Today: 


Tumbleweeds do exist.

Texas is mostly flat with some hills and lots and lots of scrubby trees.

It also goes on forever.

If you are driving along and you see a big white cloud of something coming towards you, slow down because it's a cloud of gravel and small rocks kicked up by trucks that will assail your car and hopefully not damage anything. 

Walkie Talkies sometimes pick up on conversations between strangers which are fun to listen to.

On-ramps are rarely clearly marked, and often have small roads right next to them that are NOT the correct choice. 

If the pickup truck parked next to your car at the hotel has a guy in the back of it plucking the feathers off a huge grey bird, don't say anything to them.

It IS possible to get a sunburn in the car. 





Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Asheville to Vicksburg

Marta


By The Numbers:

630                  Miles Traveled

50                   Average temperature in degrees

30                   Minutes lost in Atlanta

12                  People seen pulled over by police

11                  Pictures taken

6                   Miles Per Hour my speedometer is off

5                    States traveled in

2.98              Lowest gas price

1                  Sister seen and hugged






Sunday, January 12, 2014

A Trip Of The Road

Marta


Four thousand five hundred and seventy two miles, give or take a few.

It's an intimidating number, to be sure. But hey, I'm young, I'm independent, and I want to see as much of the world as I can before a career glues me in one place. From Massachusetts, to North Carolina, then all the way to Washington. Avery and I leave from North Carolina on Wednesday morning. Audrey has already driven from California to Washington to move into the apartment before we get there. If all goes according to plan, we'll all be together by the end of the month. For those of you who are interested in this misadventure we are embarking on, you can follow us here. The blog will be updated daily during the road trip, and then weekly once we arrive, each of us taking turns so you can get everyone's fascinating perspective. We'd love comments and questions so feel free to participate!