Miles since last blog: 19.9
Route
Well, I was hit by a car today. Not so much hit, as bumped and the riding on the hood for a few feet, but still. I'm okay, just thought I'd let you know I'm broken in, it had to happen sometime I guess.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Auburn, GA: Blues skies in Georgia
Miles since last blog: 32.5
Route
After loosening up, I decided that at the end of my walk today it would be fine to drive into Atlanta and couchsurf for the night, then return to where I had left off tonight in the morning. This way I still walk it all, I get to sleep inside, and I get to spend a bit more time in Atlanta. This was a very good decision.
After settling in at our CS destination we got directions to a local Tex-Mex place. We never made it there. Along the way while looking for it we stopped dead center of the street looking at a restaurant so dark we sat an extra half minute trying to figure out if it was even open. It turns out it was. It also turns out that Heaven is in Atlanta, GA, but here it's called Fat Matt's Rib Shack. It was too attractive and southern for us to pass up.
The first thing that you notice when entering FMRS is that the windows are not tinted, it's actually that dark inside. Which draws your attention even more to the glowing hole in the wall that was the gateway to the kitchen. In it stood a portly good natured woman with one tooth and a big welcoming smile.
The second thing you notice is that the food comes in portions like 1/2 slab, full slab, 1/4 or half bird.
The room is pasted with Blues magazine pictures, framed with posters and on the far wall under a banner which states "live music nightly" is a mural of Mount Rushmore with the Presidents replaced by Muddy Waters, Rob Johnson, B.B. King and one other man who not even the employee knew. Blues piped through speakers is the dim light and the smell washes over you when the door opens. Barbeque.
All the ambiance was nice, but the real business was the BBQ. I ordered a half slab of ribs and Free got a half bird. We sat down with a picture of Marvin Gaye who was to serve as the sign for which table to bring the food to, this would not have been hard to discern since we were the only people sitting in the restaurant that didn't work there or already have food.
The food came quickly and when I picked up my first rib by the bone the meat stayed on the plate simply letting the bone slide out. It was just that tender and that moist. I took the meat and dipped it in the trough of BBQ sauce they had provided. Then followed pure bliss. I'm sorry Dad, but this was amazing. The flavor and texture would be impossible to describe, we just sat for a moment wide eyed at each other and then reached across to get a taste of the others food. I can't remember ever making that much noise while eating food in my life. Moans and deep almost meditative breathes were the only things besides occasional outbursts at the incredulous deliciousness to interrupt the complete devastation of our meals. Suddenly at the end of the ribs the two slices of wonder bread made sense as we sopped up any trace amount of rib or chicken on our plates and dipped the bread n the last glorious bit of sauce.
Immediately I knew I could eat another slab but realized that his was a taste so good that I would have to visit again and the taste would be better spread out. Even now I could easily go back for more. Although I am a voracious eater, food rarely effects me this way. As we drove away we smacked our lips still miles down the road. We both agreed that it was worthy of being written about and neither of us had a second thought about covering the same territory literarally, it seemed the least we could do.
it's a good thing Fat Matt wasn't there, I don't know if I could be held responsible for what I might have done in tribute.
Route
After loosening up, I decided that at the end of my walk today it would be fine to drive into Atlanta and couchsurf for the night, then return to where I had left off tonight in the morning. This way I still walk it all, I get to sleep inside, and I get to spend a bit more time in Atlanta. This was a very good decision.
After settling in at our CS destination we got directions to a local Tex-Mex place. We never made it there. Along the way while looking for it we stopped dead center of the street looking at a restaurant so dark we sat an extra half minute trying to figure out if it was even open. It turns out it was. It also turns out that Heaven is in Atlanta, GA, but here it's called Fat Matt's Rib Shack. It was too attractive and southern for us to pass up.
The first thing that you notice when entering FMRS is that the windows are not tinted, it's actually that dark inside. Which draws your attention even more to the glowing hole in the wall that was the gateway to the kitchen. In it stood a portly good natured woman with one tooth and a big welcoming smile.
The second thing you notice is that the food comes in portions like 1/2 slab, full slab, 1/4 or half bird.
The room is pasted with Blues magazine pictures, framed with posters and on the far wall under a banner which states "live music nightly" is a mural of Mount Rushmore with the Presidents replaced by Muddy Waters, Rob Johnson, B.B. King and one other man who not even the employee knew. Blues piped through speakers is the dim light and the smell washes over you when the door opens. Barbeque.
All the ambiance was nice, but the real business was the BBQ. I ordered a half slab of ribs and Free got a half bird. We sat down with a picture of Marvin Gaye who was to serve as the sign for which table to bring the food to, this would not have been hard to discern since we were the only people sitting in the restaurant that didn't work there or already have food.
The food came quickly and when I picked up my first rib by the bone the meat stayed on the plate simply letting the bone slide out. It was just that tender and that moist. I took the meat and dipped it in the trough of BBQ sauce they had provided. Then followed pure bliss. I'm sorry Dad, but this was amazing. The flavor and texture would be impossible to describe, we just sat for a moment wide eyed at each other and then reached across to get a taste of the others food. I can't remember ever making that much noise while eating food in my life. Moans and deep almost meditative breathes were the only things besides occasional outbursts at the incredulous deliciousness to interrupt the complete devastation of our meals. Suddenly at the end of the ribs the two slices of wonder bread made sense as we sopped up any trace amount of rib or chicken on our plates and dipped the bread n the last glorious bit of sauce.
Immediately I knew I could eat another slab but realized that his was a taste so good that I would have to visit again and the taste would be better spread out. Even now I could easily go back for more. Although I am a voracious eater, food rarely effects me this way. As we drove away we smacked our lips still miles down the road. We both agreed that it was worthy of being written about and neither of us had a second thought about covering the same territory literarally, it seemed the least we could do.
it's a good thing Fat Matt wasn't there, I don't know if I could be held responsible for what I might have done in tribute.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
?, GA: And now for something we hope you'll really like
Miles RAN since last blog: ?
Ok, not as prepared with town and mileage as normal, but what can I do with a midday blog?
As I am running on time according to my month's schedule, but a day behind for couchsurfing request, it was decided by me last night that I would attempt to run the entire 66+ miles to my next host today. It deserves to be said that my companion, Free, and I, are very different in numerous ways. For instance, I like to push my own limits and Free likes to push other people's limits. The line of reasoning was more or less similar last night, "well, it'll at least be an interesting story." This seems to be a main argument when I decide on a course of action.
I knew I would need a good night's rest if I was to attempt this. Free went to bed, then C. (the girl we were staying with), and finally I headed into my room where I spent my time editing footage until about 2 a.m. My inner sadist decided that this was probably enough of a challenge for the next day and I headed off to dreamland.
I dreamt of flying, that would make this easier. It's possible that this was spurred on by Free and I wishing to skydive, but it's expensive so we decided to use it as a celebration when we arrive in Cali. In a theoretical universe, Free and I would have some of our dichotomy sharply illustrated with this adventure.
Upon Free's arrival at the Skydive takeoff point, the conversation might go something like this:
Insturctor: "I think that's one of those parachutes they use for dropping tanks off in the desert."
Free: "Uh huh,"
Ins: "Well, I don't think you need all of that. And are those a few extra parachutes strapped to your side?"
Free: "Yeah, I had room so I thought I'd bring them."
Ins: "Is that a french press hooked to your belt?"
Upon my arrival I would however rush onto the plane and jump out at altitude without a parachute thinking, "Surely if I had really needed a parachute someone would have given one to me by now."
The instructor would then jump out of the plane to catch and save me, when he caught up to me I would probably invite him along and offer to buy him lunch since he brought the parachute.
In any case, I forgot to set my alarm and got up at 9:30. Being late there seemed no reason to hurry. I wandered about the house eating pop tarts and slowly packing up. Our host assumed I wouldn't run since there was no temporal possibility for me to arrive in Atlanta today. This did not deter me however, it just made me relaxed and slow. I headed out at a slow jog. before two miles were up I was thinking that I had had a very bad idea. As is often the case though, after the first hour things seemed to fall in line. I ran on the flat and downhills and walked fast uphill. I picked a very cold and windy day to try this out. I had under 60 miles to go when hunger drove me indoors, after a meal I'd be ready to head out and destroy my body even further.
I was however, saved by the bell, or rather the Austin Powers theme song on Free's phone, courtesy of E., Free's friend in Greenville who had set up the TV interviews for me. The sign and business cards had arrived and she could drive halfway to meet Free and hand them off. While I was waiting for Free for lunch I begin to slowly freeze. Having sweat soaked through my shirt and being in an air conditioned restaurant was doing me no favors but giving me plenty of time to think about the way I was going about things. As often happens, I decided I was stupid and that I was now much more intelligent than I had been seconds before. When Free arrived I decided to go with him because it sounded more fun.
It was, probably, I suppose we'll never really know. The thing that I have noticed is that I expect this trip to be a wonderful and life changing experience, but then find myself desperately trying to remain rigidly the same in some aspects. I want to walk the USA, that much is true, but all the limits and time constraints and rules that exist around it are self inflicted. I started this venture with an aspiration to set myself outside of the normal world in a permanent way, to never return to the life that society carves out for us and we complacently accept, but things aren't always what you think they'll be, sometimes they are much more.
I got a tattoo of the world map on my leg this summer (even though Antarctica is suspiciously absent I consider this future planning with the Greenhouse effect). Tattoos, I think, are a lot like children. They are rarely exactly what you imagined but you grow to love them anyway. Originally, I got my tattoo as a commitment to see the world and continue traveling, but this summer during my survival school I looked down and realized that it was something much more to me suddenly, even if the old meaning was still there too. When I look down at that tattoo now I notice I always look for the spot that I am on within it, and that the whole rest of the world is still there silently putting me into context as tiny and knowing that any waves I feel don't even appear in the world view. From here, we all look peaceful and serene, and that's enough to make you feel that way as well.
Walking out of my old life I expected a change, and I got it. I wanted to escape the regular world and then created it around me and had to remove myself again. Even now when I get down to the core personal meaning of this walk I realize it was always about living my life as I wanted to and that the only person left keeping me from that was me. So, in the place where so many epiphanies have surely taken place, a KFC in Georgia, I decided that i would let go of a few of my rules and take down a few more of the bars I had set up to jump over. I wanted to walk across the USA and that is what I'll do, my way. I'll walk when I want to walk, as far as I want to walk. I'll stop when i want and stay an extra day somewhere if I like.
I don't know if I am looking for enlightenment, trying to save the world or become the man I always believed I was, but I suppose I'll figure that out at a McDonald's.
Ok, not as prepared with town and mileage as normal, but what can I do with a midday blog?
As I am running on time according to my month's schedule, but a day behind for couchsurfing request, it was decided by me last night that I would attempt to run the entire 66+ miles to my next host today. It deserves to be said that my companion, Free, and I, are very different in numerous ways. For instance, I like to push my own limits and Free likes to push other people's limits. The line of reasoning was more or less similar last night, "well, it'll at least be an interesting story." This seems to be a main argument when I decide on a course of action.
I knew I would need a good night's rest if I was to attempt this. Free went to bed, then C. (the girl we were staying with), and finally I headed into my room where I spent my time editing footage until about 2 a.m. My inner sadist decided that this was probably enough of a challenge for the next day and I headed off to dreamland.
I dreamt of flying, that would make this easier. It's possible that this was spurred on by Free and I wishing to skydive, but it's expensive so we decided to use it as a celebration when we arrive in Cali. In a theoretical universe, Free and I would have some of our dichotomy sharply illustrated with this adventure.
Upon Free's arrival at the Skydive takeoff point, the conversation might go something like this:
Insturctor: "I think that's one of those parachutes they use for dropping tanks off in the desert."
Free: "Uh huh,"
Ins: "Well, I don't think you need all of that. And are those a few extra parachutes strapped to your side?"
Free: "Yeah, I had room so I thought I'd bring them."
Ins: "Is that a french press hooked to your belt?"
Upon my arrival I would however rush onto the plane and jump out at altitude without a parachute thinking, "Surely if I had really needed a parachute someone would have given one to me by now."
The instructor would then jump out of the plane to catch and save me, when he caught up to me I would probably invite him along and offer to buy him lunch since he brought the parachute.
In any case, I forgot to set my alarm and got up at 9:30. Being late there seemed no reason to hurry. I wandered about the house eating pop tarts and slowly packing up. Our host assumed I wouldn't run since there was no temporal possibility for me to arrive in Atlanta today. This did not deter me however, it just made me relaxed and slow. I headed out at a slow jog. before two miles were up I was thinking that I had had a very bad idea. As is often the case though, after the first hour things seemed to fall in line. I ran on the flat and downhills and walked fast uphill. I picked a very cold and windy day to try this out. I had under 60 miles to go when hunger drove me indoors, after a meal I'd be ready to head out and destroy my body even further.
I was however, saved by the bell, or rather the Austin Powers theme song on Free's phone, courtesy of E., Free's friend in Greenville who had set up the TV interviews for me. The sign and business cards had arrived and she could drive halfway to meet Free and hand them off. While I was waiting for Free for lunch I begin to slowly freeze. Having sweat soaked through my shirt and being in an air conditioned restaurant was doing me no favors but giving me plenty of time to think about the way I was going about things. As often happens, I decided I was stupid and that I was now much more intelligent than I had been seconds before. When Free arrived I decided to go with him because it sounded more fun.
It was, probably, I suppose we'll never really know. The thing that I have noticed is that I expect this trip to be a wonderful and life changing experience, but then find myself desperately trying to remain rigidly the same in some aspects. I want to walk the USA, that much is true, but all the limits and time constraints and rules that exist around it are self inflicted. I started this venture with an aspiration to set myself outside of the normal world in a permanent way, to never return to the life that society carves out for us and we complacently accept, but things aren't always what you think they'll be, sometimes they are much more.
I got a tattoo of the world map on my leg this summer (even though Antarctica is suspiciously absent I consider this future planning with the Greenhouse effect). Tattoos, I think, are a lot like children. They are rarely exactly what you imagined but you grow to love them anyway. Originally, I got my tattoo as a commitment to see the world and continue traveling, but this summer during my survival school I looked down and realized that it was something much more to me suddenly, even if the old meaning was still there too. When I look down at that tattoo now I notice I always look for the spot that I am on within it, and that the whole rest of the world is still there silently putting me into context as tiny and knowing that any waves I feel don't even appear in the world view. From here, we all look peaceful and serene, and that's enough to make you feel that way as well.
Walking out of my old life I expected a change, and I got it. I wanted to escape the regular world and then created it around me and had to remove myself again. Even now when I get down to the core personal meaning of this walk I realize it was always about living my life as I wanted to and that the only person left keeping me from that was me. So, in the place where so many epiphanies have surely taken place, a KFC in Georgia, I decided that i would let go of a few of my rules and take down a few more of the bars I had set up to jump over. I wanted to walk across the USA and that is what I'll do, my way. I'll walk when I want to walk, as far as I want to walk. I'll stop when i want and stay an extra day somewhere if I like.
I don't know if I am looking for enlightenment, trying to save the world or become the man I always believed I was, but I suppose I'll figure that out at a McDonald's.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Hartwell & Athens, GA: The Deep South
Miles since last blog: 68.1
Yesterday's Route
Today's Route
The thing about Georgia is that I have always heard of it. That's not the case with a lot of states, but Georgia is different. Savannah, Atlanta, these are some of the quintessential cities that come to mind when I think of the Deep South. Crossing the Savannah river at the border into Georgia lived up to all my expectations. The beauty of the surroundings, the peach and song riff on the sign and the already dropped famous name of Savannah enveloped me. I felt deep fried and seasoned with southern flavors not one mile in.
Even the kindness has been amplified with the border crossing, as well as the appearance of a curious thing called to go drinks which you can take when you leave a restaurant. Yesterday I met two people on the road in Georgia, a deputy (I get stopped about every other day) and a man in his front yard just down the street from where I met the deputy. I gave them both my card and both contact me today via email or phone. One to tell me he thought I was crazy but after visiting the site was inspired (although he may still think I am crazy) and the other to find out how far I went and where I was going next, he had been impressed by me it seems.
It's nice to be in a place where people are effected by this so openly, to see that there is some outcome to this trip even before it is over. I feels good here, and very friendly.
Yesterday's Route
Today's Route
The thing about Georgia is that I have always heard of it. That's not the case with a lot of states, but Georgia is different. Savannah, Atlanta, these are some of the quintessential cities that come to mind when I think of the Deep South. Crossing the Savannah river at the border into Georgia lived up to all my expectations. The beauty of the surroundings, the peach and song riff on the sign and the already dropped famous name of Savannah enveloped me. I felt deep fried and seasoned with southern flavors not one mile in.
Even the kindness has been amplified with the border crossing, as well as the appearance of a curious thing called to go drinks which you can take when you leave a restaurant. Yesterday I met two people on the road in Georgia, a deputy (I get stopped about every other day) and a man in his front yard just down the street from where I met the deputy. I gave them both my card and both contact me today via email or phone. One to tell me he thought I was crazy but after visiting the site was inspired (although he may still think I am crazy) and the other to find out how far I went and where I was going next, he had been impressed by me it seems.
It's nice to be in a place where people are effected by this so openly, to see that there is some outcome to this trip even before it is over. I feels good here, and very friendly.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Anderson, SC: A Day with Skip
Miles since last blog: 36.3
Route
Today we have a new President!
Also, I recorded a bit of my walk today, I'll try to post it here sometime tomorrow. Oh yeah, my hair is dyed black from Halloween.
Video Update Click Here
Route
Today we have a new President!
Also, I recorded a bit of my walk today, I'll try to post it here sometime tomorrow. Oh yeah, my hair is dyed black from Halloween.
Video Update Click Here
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Greenville II: Growing Pains
As always when I am in a place for a few days I am starting to go a bit stir crazy. This is no doubt fueled a bit extra by the massive amounts of Halloween candy I've been eating.
I've been really enjoying Greenville. Some of the things we've done here include: finding bronze mice, walking the largest-curved-pedestrian-suspension bridge in the world (and possibly the one with the most qualifiers as well), listening to street jazz, eating at a BBQ place which hands out towels instead of napkins, learning my blues name (Pretty Liver Bradley), and of course going out for Halloween.
Tomorrow I'll be on "Your Carolina" so that's pretty cool. Things seem to be moving along as they will and I'm relaxing a bit and loosening my control. A friend of mine wrote me (actually several did, thanks all) and told me a Dutch saying, "Some people feel the rain, others only get wet."
As for people who called or wrote asking how they could help, please send the website to your friends and ask them to donate, even if it's only $5 or $10 that's enough to help a bit. I'd like to make sure it's clear that all the money goes to the non-profit, I am completely funding this walk and it's costs (or rather me and Visa) because I think that this is important. Second, if you know of any great educational programs that are doing great things or schools that need help, email me and let me know, we'd love to promote these programs and help them if we can raise funds.
I've gotta get my beauty sleep for the interview ;) Goodnight and keep on moving, I will.
I've been really enjoying Greenville. Some of the things we've done here include: finding bronze mice, walking the largest-curved-pedestrian-suspension bridge in the world (and possibly the one with the most qualifiers as well), listening to street jazz, eating at a BBQ place which hands out towels instead of napkins, learning my blues name (Pretty Liver Bradley), and of course going out for Halloween.
Tomorrow I'll be on "Your Carolina" so that's pretty cool. Things seem to be moving along as they will and I'm relaxing a bit and loosening my control. A friend of mine wrote me (actually several did, thanks all) and told me a Dutch saying, "Some people feel the rain, others only get wet."
As for people who called or wrote asking how they could help, please send the website to your friends and ask them to donate, even if it's only $5 or $10 that's enough to help a bit. I'd like to make sure it's clear that all the money goes to the non-profit, I am completely funding this walk and it's costs (or rather me and Visa) because I think that this is important. Second, if you know of any great educational programs that are doing great things or schools that need help, email me and let me know, we'd love to promote these programs and help them if we can raise funds.
I've gotta get my beauty sleep for the interview ;) Goodnight and keep on moving, I will.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Greenville, SC: The Month in Math
Miles since last blog: 23.5
Route to Greenville
549.5 Miles walked
17.73 Miles per day average (w/days off)
27.45 Miles per walking day average
0 Hours in the rain (The sun shines on Skip)
2 Flat Tires
30+ Forest Gump references
1 Not-so-evil twin
1 TV spot
1 Radio interview
3 Newspaper Articles
4 States
1 District
2,753 miles left (roughly)
5 Months to go (about)
Hmmm . . . I guess I opened a 7 or an 8 pack of adventure (see Catonsville, MD blog)
Also, thanks for all the calls and emails. The night walk helped me clear my head and get perspective and the response has been nice seeing that people care out there. The whole thing has pushed me back to gain the perspective I had lost. I need help on the road, but the important thing for me to remember is that only get one chance at this so I need to do it right, and for me, at the heart of this, "doing it right" means doing it my way. In the rush to create a new and different life where I could help people and live as I wish, I went and created the very thing I was trying to escape from. I can't say it won't happen again, but I am getting better at recognizing my mistakes and correcting them. I want to show people that if they are strong and have courage they can live the life they want, not the life they think they should or the life they can get safely.
Route to Greenville
549.5 Miles walked
17.73 Miles per day average (w/days off)
27.45 Miles per walking day average
0 Hours in the rain (The sun shines on Skip)
2 Flat Tires
30+ Forest Gump references
1 Not-so-evil twin
1 TV spot
1 Radio interview
3 Newspaper Articles
4 States
1 District
2,753 miles left (roughly)
5 Months to go (about)
Hmmm . . . I guess I opened a 7 or an 8 pack of adventure (see Catonsville, MD blog)
Also, thanks for all the calls and emails. The night walk helped me clear my head and get perspective and the response has been nice seeing that people care out there. The whole thing has pushed me back to gain the perspective I had lost. I need help on the road, but the important thing for me to remember is that only get one chance at this so I need to do it right, and for me, at the heart of this, "doing it right" means doing it my way. In the rush to create a new and different life where I could help people and live as I wish, I went and created the very thing I was trying to escape from. I can't say it won't happen again, but I am getting better at recognizing my mistakes and correcting them. I want to show people that if they are strong and have courage they can live the life they want, not the life they think they should or the life they can get safely.
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