And...I'm spent

Day 4: The last day of driving, and the last day of sitting in my car for hours on end.  Soon, I would be sitting at a desk for hours on end, completely different.  The final leg of the trip was 620 miles, an estimated 9 hours and 40 minutes.  Because I needed to be at my destination before 6:00 PM, I was up early and on the road.  I didn't want to be late for that, because that was paying the first month's rent and taking possession of the apartment I would be living out of.

And to be completely honest, I don't remember much from this portion of the trip.  I mean, it wasn't bad, it was just the last day I was driving, and the last day I had on the road, so I think I was more interested in arriving than taking in what was around me.  I can say that the path I chose was a little bit less straight than I anticipated, and not really traveled much from what I can tell.  I didn't really pass many people along the way.  Maybe it was because I was driving in the middle of the day when people are working.

I can say that I spent a little of my drive in Tennessee.  And that's about all I can say.  Other than the state changing, and the road signs changing, the scenery was still pretty much the same.  I know I stopped a few times, and once was for gas and food in Tupelo, MS.  Again, I cant remember much.  I can say that was the first time I had Chick-Fil-A, and it was pretty good.  They know how to make a good chicken burger and fries I'll give them that.

Wait...I do remember having to stop, I cant remember where though.  Meridian?  I only remember I had to stop because it was for a train that was moving pretty slowly.  I probably sat there for a good 45 minutes, all the time watching the clock and freaking out a little because I didn't think I would make it to get my apartment.  And I remember coming in to Alabama.  The road I was on turned from four lanes to 2, and went through the "backwoods" a little, where there was absolutely no cell reception.  It was a little disconcerting because I was afraid I would hit a deer or something and be stranded with no way to get in to Saraland.

Well, I made it.  My apartment, about five or six blocks from a Walmart Superstore, which is nice.  I can get groceries and everything I need...I just have to deal with the people at Walmart.  I know, I sound pretty pretentious not wanting to shop at Walmart because of the people, but have you ever been there?  There are so many people, and for someone that is pretty antisocial, that is a nightmare.  As for the apartment, I ended up spending quite a bit of time in the front office, filling out paperwork and getting the electricity put in my name, normal move in stuff.  My apartment is in the back corner of the complex, and up on the third floor.  That sucked for unloading my car, especially since the humidity was high.  I had finally arrived, ready to start work and learning about my new city.....too bad the rest of my stuff wouldn't show up for a week.  I was going to live with the bare essential for a week, and an air mattress.

And what was the first meal I had at my new apartment?  Nothing.  I went out to Ruby Tuesday's because it was easier, and because I could have a beer.  There was not really much unpacking that happened that night either, when I was done with dinner, I went back to the apartment, and went to sleep.

Fuck...more corn.

Day 3: Woke up a little early to get going.  The third leg was going to be the longest.  730 miles and an estimated 11.5 hours, and all I could think of was how I really didn't want to be in the car for that long.  Everything on satellite was starting to repeat.  Everything.  I even started listening to the pop channels to get something different, albeit they repeat more than others so that got old pretty fast.  I ended up hooking up my iPod and listening to podcasts.  Who doesn't like to listen to the Brewing Nation while they are driving?  Because stupid me forgot to download some audio books before embarking on this trip.  God knows I could have been "reading" the Game of Thrones books.

So I was told before I left that Nebraska sucks.  In fact, I believe the exact words were "That is the shittiest place I have ever driven".  Not my words.  And this same sentiment came from three different people who have had to drive across country.  Well, chose to.  I fear for any situation in which someone has to drive across country, but I guess it could happen.  The feeling I got were that driving through Nebraska was like waiting for pitch to drop from a funnel (that there is a scientific reference, let me help you if you don't understand Google That Shit!).  All this being said, Nebraska wasn't bad.  I had expected the worst, and was pleasantly surprised, although these little buggers are everywhere.

Yes, corn!  When they say the midwest is corn bred, they mean it.  There was almost nothing to see on the side of the road from Sidney, NE to St. Louis, MO but corn.  An ocean of green and yellow, and sadly brown in the fields that were dying.  There were some interesting things along the road (though they were few and far between).  This happened to be one of them.

I kinda wish I would have stopped to find out what it was.  It just looked like a causeway, but why would there be a causeway in the middle of nowhere?  If it were a bridge over the freeway, why would it need to be enclosed?  But sadly, I could not stop.  Half because I had missed the exit for it, and the other half because I was driving 11.5 hours and couldn't really spare the time.  Obviously since I was driving and taking pictures at the same time, the time frame was more important than my safety.  I also made the mistake of not fully reading my directions before I got started.  Sure, drive east.  From Sidney, NE you just head east on I-80 for almost the majority of the state.  What I didn't realize was that when you forked a little south and got on NE-2 heading east, it will take you right in to Iowa.  I was under the impression I was going to head south before hitting Iowa, and transition straight from Nebraska to Missouri.  Suffice to say, I freaked out a little when I got in to Iowa, but my directions were right on my phone.  I hit I-29 and just headed south.  Spent a total of about 13 miles in Iowa.

I almost had to take a detour when I was coming in to St. Joseph, MO.  Not for any sensible reason, like a historical landmark or a good food restaurant, but for a small town along route 36.  Nothing special, except it's name.

Skirted along the edges of Kansas City.  Kinda wanted to stop and find a BBQ place, but ran in to the time issue again.  Basically nothing else of interest happened.  It was a long drive and when I checked in to the hotel, I was exhausted, but also hungry.  Lucky for me there happened to be a Cracker Barrel right across the street.  I had never had it before, but was told exactly what to order by my Girlfriend.  And it was delicious.  I would definitely eat there again.  The hotel, that was kinda weird though.  Got a room with one bed, so the rest of the room had a couch and a coffee table in it.  Not a problem.  They also had a desk in the corner, what I believed to be a computer desk, but there was no chair.  In fact, there were no chairs in the entire room.  Apparently if you wanted to use the desk, you have to sit on the coffee table?  Those were just some thoughts I pondered.  Once I was laying in the bed after dinner there was no way I was getting back up until morning.

Which way is East?

Day 2: Skirt the Mormons.  About as clever a title as I feel like making it, and I know it's probably offensive to someone, but they can suck it up and grow a pair.  I shouldn't be required to watch what I say because of someone else's feelings because I don't expect them to care about my feelings.  Oh well, back on topic.  This is long day number one (though when you are driving across the country every day should probably be a long day to do it in a reasonable amount of time).  Distance: 712 miles, estimated drive time: 10 hours.  So what did I decide to start the day doing...eating.  That's right, continental breakfast at the hotel before anything else.  Greasy foods (sausage mostly) may not have been the best option, but at least it was tasty.  And right to driving?  No, I decided to leave a little early to see one of the national parks in the area, basically one of the reasons for stopping in Twin Falls, ID, Shoshone Falls.  They make the claim that Shoshone Falls is actually a little bit taller than Niagra Falls, and luck has it for me that I don't need a passport to see them (though I already have one so that wouldn't be a problem).

So I arrive at Shoshone Falls around 7:00 AM, and there is a sign on the entrance that gives park times and cost to drive down to the falls, but there is no one there.  So I should probably wait until someone shows up so that I can pay, right?  Why would I do that, the gate is wide open, so I just drive down in to the falls...and my cell reception drops to nothing (not an important note, just a observation).  And this is what I behold at the falls:

Wait, wrong picture.  That was along the drive down to the falls...sorry...

The view was gorgeous, and I thought the falls were impressive, though not as spectacular as what they were being advertised as.  On the way out of the park, there was someone as the pay shack, and so I ended up stopping and talking with him.  Apparently, the falls are dry.  The small amount of water that I saw cascading down is just run off, and that it has actually been a very poor year for snow melt (since there wasn't much snow) and all of the river levels are low.  When the falls are at their glory, they are much more spectacular.  Guess I will need to make another trip out there at some point in my life.  Maybe when I decide to drive through Wyoming (mostly Yellowstone).

And speaking of Wyoming, that was the most interesting part of the drive.  Heading out of Idaho I traveled south east through Northern Utah (boring, there is really not much to see in that are).  The most interesting part of that drive was the hilly areas where the highway was actually down in a small canyon (again, no cell reception).  My path directed me around Salt Lake City, which was fine by me.  I don't like driving in large cities, especially when I am attempting to keep my directions up to date on my phone (no, I don't have GPS navigation in my car).  The scenery changed once I got in to Wyoming.  The first portion was kinda flat and boring, and then the hills started, and the valleys, and the rock formations, and it was a very pretty drive through Wyoming.

See, pretty.  Near the eastern side of Wyoming, it got kinda flat again, but once I hit the state line of Wyoming and Nebraska, I was only 60 miles from my destination for the day; Sidney, NE.  It was pretty funny actually, I don't remember how many miles I was in to Nebraska before I started seeing corn, but I did start seeing it in that first 60 miles.  From what I could tell so far, there really wasn't much there except corn.  I realize that probably isn't true, but from the drive and my perspective of what I was seeing, that was it.  And who decided that stop lights should be different?  I was confused when I stopped in Sidney because instead of the lights being vertical, they were horizontal.  Red on the left, yellow in the middles, green on the right.  Though the one nice thing about that that I can say, you can see the lights over the large transport trucks, something they cant seem to figure out in the Pacific Northwest.

Arrived, checked in to my hotel, and set out to find food.  There was a place called Buffalo Point that had a really delicious sounding sandwich, the problem was that I couldn't find it.  There literally wasn't much in the part of town I stopped in.  Apparently there was more a little north, but I didn't feel like driving much more.  Finally found Buffalo Point near the Cabela's.  I'm not talking about a Cabela's store (though they had one of those too), Sidney, NE is the corporate headquarters for Cabela's.  Who knew?  Grabbed my food, went back to the hotel to watch some TV and eat, and then passed the hell out to get as much sleep as I could for the next leg of the drive.  The bed in that hotel wasn't as nice as the previous, but you deal with things like that sometimes.

Driving, Leg 1

Day 1: The first leg of my journey begins.  I am to head north.  Makes no sense really, head north to travel southeast, but trust me.  I triple checked the numbers and it was both a shorter distance, and a shorter time.  The other option was to head south and then head east.  Not interesting for me because I have been through the Southwest multiple times.  The farthest east I have been in Oregon is the Umatilla area.  So I took off in the morning, both excited for the adventure of a new place and a new job, but sad at the same time for leaving almost everything I love behind.  I say almost because I brought these little guys along as reminders on my drive.

Yes, it is a stuffed penguin (one that has been with me whenever I have traveled) and a baby scorpion pepper plant.  But the point is that they are things from home that will remind me of home, and you can think whatever you want.  The total distance I would be driving for this leg is 623 miles, and the first 370 miles sucked.  The driving was not difficult, although at that point I got tired of the repetitive songs on the radio (and I have satellite radio), it was the weather.  It rained for more than the first half of the distance, anywhere between light rain and torrential downpour.  It really only let up as I was getting close to the Idaho border.

Idaho is not as bad a some of the people I talked with made it out to be.  The landscape was pretty, at least in the area that I was driving.  I also can't really fault a state that has a giant lizard (I think this in Idaho, but the picture was taken while I was driving so I can't be completely sure).

Driving through Boise sucked.  Reminded me a lot of driving in Portland or somewhere else that is moderately sized.  Nothing like LA.  Driving in LA always sucks, no matter the time, day, or where.  Probably the best part of that day was stopping in Twin Falls, Idaho.  First, because they have a bridge coming in to town, which passes right over a river and gives this wonderful view.

And second, because I was tired and hungry.  I checked in to my hotel and grabbed a Quesadillia Explosion Salad from Chili's.  It was really good, and really nice to have some food and a bed to lay on, because driving for nine hours really makes the legs and back stiff.  I was determined to enjoy stretching out as much as I could, because there were three more days ahead of me to drive.

What to do?

Look anywhere on the internet and you will find people who continue to say that "when one door closes, another opens", or that you struggle through the hard times to get to something better in your life.  I don't believe any of that.  Life is what you make of it, and how hard you work for what you want.  It isn't about getting what is coming to you, or what you believe you are owed for your struggle.  That is just entitlement, and it is rampant in society these days.  I don't believe that because I have a college education that jobs need to be thrown at me, and I will work at McDonald's if I have to to get by (though apparently they don't want someone with as much education as I have, I tried).

This brings me to the monkey wrench that hit my life.  I finished my first degree and went to work for a biopharmceutical company doing pretty advanced organic chemistry (got lucky with this job.  I was already working there, so it was a promotion).  I worked in that position for over three years.  As stressful as the work was most of the time, I liked what I did.  I loved the challenge, the need to continue learning, and the opportunities it afforded me (not so much some of the people or politics, but that happens).  And honestly, I was damn good at what I did...and then I got laid off.  I was confident in my skills, my education, and my ability to get another job so I wasn't worried.  Then my unemployment ran out.  Then the emergency unemployment from the federal government ran out.  It was a situation that I had not planned for, the overall job market.  It sucked so bad that I was getting passed up for people who were more educated and more experienced than I was, but I continued on the path.  People sometimes think that I am lying when I talk about my time being unemployed, how hard I actually worked to get a new job.  I would submit anywhere from 10 to 20 applications a week.  I tried to stay in my state for the first few months, and realized that was not getting me anywhere, so I expanded.  Finally, after being unemployed for over 1.5 years I was offered a job.  A wonderful job at that.  New company, new technology to work with, new learning that I can do, and a wonderful possibility for future career advancement.  The problem...it was on the other side of the country, 2700 miles away from home.

And what did I do?  I accepted the offer.  Why would I decline something this perfect just because it is not geographically convenient?  So I set a start date, and started preparing.  In a month I set up all of my travel plans and prepared everything that was coming with me, except my other half.  Yeah, this is where it gets even more difficult.  My long-term Girlfriend was not moving with me.  When I say long-term Girlfriend, we have been together for over 5 years, longer than some people have actually been married.  Why isn't she joining me?  She has things left to do in Oregon, obligations that she could not leave for a couple of years.  So she is staying in our home, with our animals, and I will live across the country to Alabama.  Again, not how I wanted things to go, but it's not something I can afford to turn down because it is inconvenient.

I know that I am making it sound like it was not a difficult decision, but trust me, it was.  I moved 1000 miles away from my family when I went to college (from California to Oregon) and that was a hard decision.  So believe me when I say this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make in my life.  I didn't want to leave her, but this is the best option for now.  It gets me back to work, and we can keep our house (because we were getting to the point of losing it).

So enough back story, this is about the interim part of my life.  Travelling across the country, and living away from my love, away from my home, and away from everything I have known.  And pictures, there will be pictures sometimes.