Numbers

Since some of you have been asking, here are some interesting numbers regarding my trip:

• Days spent on the trip: 33
• Approximate miles driven: 7770
• Oil Changes: 2
• Breakdowns: 0
• Money spent on gas: Unknown - Far too much
• Speeding tickets: 0 (I know!)
• Nights at a motel: 3 (all in New Mexico)
• Cities visited: 12

Second of all, I still have no job yet--I've spent a bit of time just relaxing with the folks, and catching up with old friends; So, I'm only starting my search now, but will update once I have a job/location, to move to, and thus continue my road trip extravaganza. And lastly, since most of y'all back East have never met any of my high school friends, here are some pics of us at the Seahawks/Texans game this last Sunday. Good times!

Homecoming - LA to San Fran to home in 2 days

I'm home now! I got back late on Thursday night after about 12 hours of driving. Coupled with my drive from LA to San Fran on Wednesday that took roughly the same amount of time, I was exhausted and took some time to relax with the folks, so I haven't really had a chance to post until now; here's what happened:

I left LA pretty early on Wednesday, and picked up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) after Santa Barbara. I then stopped at Hearst Castle for a tour. Hearst was just some dude with lots of money, both earned and inherited, and built a huge 'ranch' on the coast to play with his celebrity friends and mistress. The castle was incredible. From the grounds, to the pools, to the rooms inside and the building itself, this dude knew how to live in luxury. Must be nice to have gobs of cash.

After leaving Hearst Castle, I drove along the coast up to Monterey. I had been looking forward to this the entire trip, and let me tell you, the sights were astonishing. The highway winded through lots of hills along the rocky coastline, so the going was a bit slow. There were lots of viewpoints along the way, and I made sure to stop and take it all in. The drive was great...just cruising along in the mountains, windows open, 70 degrees, sunny, and a nice cool breeze coming off the ocean. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

After winding my way up the PCH, I got to San Fran Wednesday night around 7 PM last night, and stayed with another fraternity brother, Andy Berkheimer, who just moved out there from Boston a little over a month ago. We hung out a bit and grabbed some good food at a trendy pan-asian place, but other than that we just crashed. I didn't do any sightseeing there, as I've been there a few times, and seeing the home stretch, I just wanted to make it back to Kent, WA in time for dinner

Then, after a month of great weather and no car breakdown, something happened on my very last day driving - my driver-side window got dislodge from its track and wouldn't go up all the way. Just my luck. But I plugged onward, figuring I'll just drive straight home. I drove all day, stopping only for gas--yes, there were things I wanted to see, but most of them I've seen before, and given they're a one day drive from home, I could always come back. I even ate while driving, trying to finish off my crackers and peanut butter in my cooler. And after driving through the mountains in northern CA and Oregon all day, I finally hit Portland...and it started raining. With my window down, the last few hours of driving were a bit wet and miserable, but I made it! Mom and Dad were waiting with dinner at the ready, and I was sure to fill up on some good eatin.

And that's pretty much it. I haven't seen my friends yet, and I'm going to start looking for a job now. SO: I'll update with my job search, and with pics of me partying with friends. Once I figure out where I'm going to end up living, I'll have to make another road trip--this time to get my stuff from North Attleboro to my final destination. Since there's more to my travels, stay tuned, and check out the pics of Hearst Castle and the PCH, both below and in the Photo Album. And, I want to thank everyone for supporting me, from those I crashed with to those well-wishers I left behind--you've all been great!

Hearst Castle

Pacific Coast Highway

Southern Cali - San Diego and Los Angeles

Before I get into my latest travels, just an FYI--I changed my Photo Album a bit to make it a bit more navigable. I also put the links in my city list, and cleaned it up a bit. So, without further ado...

The drive from Phoenix was a bit long and...well, dry. There was nothing but desert in-between. So, the first thing I did when I got to San Diego was drive straight toward the beach--there were even signs on the freeway that said "To Beaches". Sweet! It felt great dipping my feet into the Pacific again, and since it was a warm sunny afternoon, I sat on the beach and napped a bit...ah, the life of the unemployed man.

I then met up with my friend Rebecca, who went to church with me back out in Boston. She's an English teacher here now (it seems like every other friend I have is a teacher of sorts), and we had dinner in the Old Town area of San Diego. It was cool to catch up with her, as she was really helpful to me in figuring out my spirituality. A few years ago, I never would've figured me for being religious at all--not that I'm all that pure, but hey, we all should try.

Today I took a stroll in Balboa Park. It's a gorgeous area with well-maintained gardens and fountains, and some great spanish-style architecture (not sure if that's the right term). Then I spent the next 4 hours at the San Diego Zoo--I saw lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!). I also saw the polar bears, panda bears, koala bears, giraffes...well, you get the idea. Pics down below and in the album, of course. Overall I liked San Diego--there was a very laid-back atmosphere among the people, and just life. I think I would be a beach bum if I moved here though, so we'll scratch it off the list.

 After lunch I headed up to Los Angeles while listening to the Red Sox take a beating. I drove along Sunset Boulevard and Mulholland Drive. Now, I was never a big fan of LA before, and after tooling around town for a couple of hours, my opinion is unchaged--LA sucks. There's nothing really cool to see here, except for the celebs. And I care more about seeing my ass in a mirror than I do about seeing celebs. In fact, the only reason I wanted to stay here was to visit my friends Thad and Gargi from college, who I hadn't seen in years and are now married. It was great to catch up with them and reminisce about the good 'ole days. In fact, the best parts of my trip have all been about seeing all my old friends again. That and the random hookup, of course. :)

I've been on the road for a month now, and I'm starting to get antsy to get home. So for the final stretch, I'm going up to San Fran tomorrow, and then straight home from there. I'm electing to pass on wine country--with gas prices as they are, my wallet's been taking a beating anyways. And, I'm starting to miss the feeling of having a home. I'll update with San Fran tomorrow or Thursday morn, then I should be home! Until then, take a look at the pics of animals from the San Diego Zoo below and in my Photo Album!

Arizona - Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, and Mario P. Gonzalez (YES!)

I've done a lot over the weekend, so this may be a bit long...After leaving New Mexico early on Friday morning, I stopped by the Petrified Forest National Park across the border in Arizona. I wasn't too impressed with the Petrified Forest (just a bunch of broken-up petrified logs). I was, however, impressed with the northern part of the Park, which was a scenic drive by the Painted Desert.

And I thought New Mexico was breathtaking.

I was stunned by some of the vistas I came upon, which sent shivers down my spine and had me yelling obscenities at their sight (which the elderly tourists around me didn't appreciate). Every time I stopped, I was amazed more and more, even though the stops could be a half-mile apart. Just freakin incredible.

I then swung over to the Grand Canyon. And again, my jaw dropped at the immensity of the scenery. Seeing these places undisturbed by mankind really makes you appreciate the beauty of the natural world. It's something you don't get back East, and let me tell y'all, you're missing out. As with New Mexico, the pics below and in the Album don't do the views justice. I highly recommend that everyone get out here sometime in their lifetime and spend a few days touring the numerous parks around here. Trust me, you will not regret it.

That evening, I drove down to Phoenix, where I stayed with an old fraternity brother, Mario P. Gonzalez (YES!). He works for Honeywell doing mathematical modeling on Aerospace-related stuff--I told him he should tell people he does government contract work that will help send people to Mars (which might or might not be a lie, but is definitely a better pick-up line). We watched the Sox beat the Yanks at happy hour, and over the weekend we went to the ASU/USC game (where I got him pretty hammered before the game), drinking with his friends at a huge bar/club called Sugar Daddy's, to a Beer/Jazz festival in Scottsdale, and then out to dinner for some good Southwestern food. Good nightlife times, although I couldn't get Mario hooked up with a girl like I promised.

I had lots of fun in Phoenix--there was an active nightlife, food was good, lots of places to go and things to do, and just like Austin, girls in skimpy clothes and fake breasts. My only beef with the area is that it's hot. Real hot. 100 degrees-is-normal hot. Apparently they break out the parkas around here at their 50-degree winters. But no place is perfect. I think I'd actually move down here if the job was right (yet another place for me to look for a job). But until then, it's off to San Diego to visit my friend Rebecca, so check out some of these pics of the Painted Desert and the Grand Canyon below and in my Photo Album, and wish me luck on the last legs of my trip!