Road Trip!!!

So my last post was disappointingly weak, I’m working on that.

I hope ya’ll had a delicious and patriotic 4^th of July! I’ll update with photos of my grilling from the holiday weekend and this coming one next week.

As I move closer and closer to leaving Albuquerque for Miami, I am putting the final touches on my road trip that will take me from Racine, WI to Coral Gables, FL. Here is where my travels will take me:

Day 1: Racine, WI to Bloomington, IN

The first day of my trip will be very low-key until I reach Bloomington and my friend Drew. As it looks now, my step-dad’s cousins will help me get going in the morning by taking me to the dealership. I am fortunate that they live in the same town as my uncle, who’s car I am taking. I left the car at the dealer in May and will have to go there to pick it up before I can get on the road. That shouldn’t be too bad, but then I have to double back to my uncle’s condo to pick up my stuff and one or two small boxes of stuff I have to take to DC for my dad, brother, and me. My goal is to be on the road and through Chicago by noon. I do not want to stop for lunch or gas until I get through The Windy City. My thinking is that it makes more sense to get through the city with the most traffic this day as soon as possible. I’ll be doing my best to go to Gary, IN before I stop so if anyone knows of any good places to eat south of Chicago or in northwest Indiana, please send your recommendation my way. This 6 hour drive will culminate with spending the night with my friend Drew in Bloomington, IN where he is currently beginning law school at Indiana University.

Day 2: Bloomington, IN to Philadelphia, PA

I am not looking forward to this day. It is just over 12 hours from IU to Philly. I can do the drive, that’s not the problem. The problem is that the defending World Champion San Francisco Giants begin a 3-game series against the Phillies that night and I want to be there. That means I need to be in Philly by 6PM, ergo, I need to be awake and on the road at 6AM.  Sorry Drew, I’ll take however much sleep I can get, but I think I’ll be up early to begin driving through Indianapolis, Dayton, Columbus, Wheeling (WV), and Harrisburg that day. Again, if you know of any good eats along that drive, pass the good word on to me. Hopefully I make it to Philly on time and can go to the game. If not, I might just have to stay an extra day to see them the next night. The real concern right now is where I am going to stay in Philly, so Bodzin and Manny, you need to let me know if your couches are available for a night or two that week.

Day 3: Philadelphia, PA to Washington, DC

There is absolutely no hurry on Day 3 to get going. Whether I stay in Philly for a day or drive to DC, I’m going to be sleeping in and getting as much rest as I can. I don’t mind sleeping on couches; so this shouldn’t be a problem. The drive from Philly to DC should only take 2.5 hours depending on traffic. I’ll make this drive after the morning rush-hour so as to avoid all traffic along the way. To spite my brother, I just might stop in Baltimore at Attman’s deli for a delicious pastrami sandwich before heading south on I-95 to Georgetown (I’m a good Jewish boy).

Day 4 & 5: Georgetown

The plan is to spend 3 nights & 2 days on my brother’s couch at 3509 O St. NW in Georgetown to kill time during the drive, to see him, catch-up with DC friends, and to spend a few long long days at The Tombs making up for my lack of drinking since graduation. I did go and have a drink there for 100+ days in a row. I just hope Greg, Rachael, Fish, John Q, and the rest of The Tombs staff will be as happy to see me as I will be to see them. If you're going to be in DC at the end of July, let me know so we can make plans. I would prefer to not spend both of these days completely alone at the Volta pool.

Day 6: Washington, DC to Cary, NC

On Saturday morning, with just two days left in July, I will lazily get up, recover from the night before, grab some greasy brunch, loads up my car with everything I stored with my brother, and make my run south. My stepdad’s sister lives in Cary, NC and that will be my rest stop Saturday evening. I am really looking forward to seeing her and her husband for the first time in a few years. They are a real couple of characters and it will undoubtedly be a lot of fun to hang out with them. This is only a 5 hour drive, so once again, there’s no hurry, especially as it will be the end of the month and every county cop along the way will be looking for me (lead foot and out of state plates). One of my goals for the trip is to make it all the way to Coral Gable without any tickets or fines; tolls are ok. If I can do that, I will certainly be buying myself a drink Monday night in Coconut Grove.

Day 7: Cary, NC to Jacksonville/Orlando, FL

So, Day 7, the last day of July is still up in the air. I know that I will be driving along the Georgia coast and into Florida on I-95, I just don’t know where I will be spending the night. I have a friend in both Jacksonville and Orlando, so if I can’t squat in Jacksonville, then I’ll be off to the city of Casey Anthony and Disney World for a night. Orlando is a bit out of the way, but not too much and I would enjoy seeing JR, so Meghan, it’s up to you where I sleep that Sunday night. I want this to be a very relaxing and enjoyable road trip, so I’ll go wherever the road, my car, and my friends take me.

Day 8: Northern FL to Village of Kings Creek Condominium in Coral Gables, FL

Whether I leave from Jacksonville or Orlando, the last day of my road trip will involve 6 hours or less of driving, especially if I do it as planned and arrive in Miami in the middle of the day. I expect that this will be the bittersweet leg of the drive. I know I will be excited to get to Miami and move in to my apartment, but it will also mark the end of my road trip and turn the page to the next chapter of my life. I must say, I am really looking forward to this day.

Total Trip: >2,250 miles & >30 hours of driving. We won’t even try to predict the number of Red Bulls, water bottles, and Big Macs that will inevitably be consumed during this trip. I will keep track, receipts and all, and blog about it once I get to Miami.