Sycamore's "Shit, that was alive, wasn't it?" Roadtrip/Tour 2003

[elSicomoro]

A couple of weeks ago, I vaguely mentioned that I might be buying a car.

The car in question is a 1994 Pontiac Sunbird with 108K miles. My brother knows the owners of said car, and it is apparently a very nice car. The owners bought a new van this winter, and so the Sunbird is no longer needed. Apparently it only needs a water pump, though I sent my brother to do further investigation (he works on cars on the side).

Apparently, it's good to go. So, the plan is to head out to St. Louis next month to pick it up and drive it back to Philadelphia.

Of course, this means road trip. I'm not going to fly (not b/c I'm scared, but quite frankly, I don't feel like going through all the security b.s.) Because renting a car is going to be about the same as buying a one-way ticket to St. Louis, that is the main game plan.

And I can't wait. Me and the open road. I haven't been on a real road trip since Rho and I went to Coney Island last summer. This is going to rock the fuck out, quite frankly.

I'm thinking of taking the long way home. So, I'll probably head up the NE Extension of the PA Tpk., then take I-80. I'll stop overnight in Cleveland, then head onto Chicago before heading south to St. Louis. Or, I'll take the PA Tpk. towards Pittsburgh, then swing up to I-80. Or, just take I-76 all the way to Youngstown, OH, then hit I-80. I'll have to look at my budget, and plan accordingly.

Then, I'll spend a few days in St. Louis with the 'rents and my peeps. I need to hit my favorite restaurants and all that fun stuff. Then, the shortest way back to Philadelphia with my new car. This all has to be done in the span of 10 or 11 days.

So, the only real problem is...when? The car probably won't be good to go for another couple of weeks, and my current job assignment is scheduled to last another month or so. (And I figure that's the best time to go--in between jobs. That way, when I come back, if my agency has nothing for me, I can just pop open that unemployment claim I have...therefore, still having income.) So, it's looking like maybe mid-April or so.

I'll take lots of pictures, and post them to Sycamoreland when I get back. If there's anything you all would like a picture of, kindly submit the request here, and I'll see what I can do.

[elSicomoro]

I'm thinking of a second route for my trip...maybe. Southern-style.

This would involve heading south towards Baltimore and Washington, then west along I-66, then south towards Knoxville, then I-40 west to Nashville, I-24 west to Paducah, old-school short cuts to Cape Girardeau, then north to St. Louis.

The only problem with this is that I really want to stop in Chicago. I haven't been there in 4 years, and I miss it terribly.

I could always hit Chicago after Nashville (via I-65), which would take me through Indianapolis, but Indiana is boring...I've covered a good chunk of that state already. Not to mention, that would take up an extra day, and we definitely have to watch the funds here.

Then there is my possible addition to the first route. A swing up to Detroit and into Windsor, Ontario. I've never been to Canada, and that wouldn't be going out of my way too terribly much. But I don't know if I'll be able to take the rental car into Canada (my guess is no), plus I doubt that my own car insurance would cover me there.

The total mileage is going to be in the neighborhood (if I go the north route minus Detroit) of 1200 or so miles. The rental car company may stick a mileage limit on me, though if I'm taking the car cross-country, that may not apply. We'll see.

This is really exciting stuff here, folks! I haven't done a road trip like this since...well, since I packed up the U-Haul and moved to DC 3 years ago. So, since I don't do this very often, I want to make sure I enjoy the drive and have fun. Maybe I can catch up with some of my old friends in Chicago (though I haven't talked to them in like 2 or 3 years).

Now I just have to make a list of all my favorite eating places in St. Louis that I have to visit, since we don't have them in Philadelphia.

[elSicomoro]

Well, the primary reason of my road trip has now slipped away--as I mentioned in another thread, the car I was going to buy has a blown head gasket. And this sort of thing is EXACTLY why I had my folks take it to their mechanic for a serious once-over before sending my $700 to buy it.

Needless to say, I am incredibly disappointed. I was so looking forward to this, as I haven't owned my own car in over 3 years. But I'll own a car again...sooner or later. Preferably sooner.

So, the real question now is, should I still go home?

Finances aren't an issue. Rho and I are doing good at the moment, and the 'rents have already offered to chip in half on a car rental (about $260 for the week). Plus, I won't have to fork out $1000 plus for the car, inspections, registration, blah blah blah.

Rho will be alright while I'm gone...I can have a couple of friends check up on her to make sure she's doing okay.

And the timing couldn't be more perfect. My assignment at Pep Boys ends April 18th, and if there's nothing available when I get back, I get a ride on the Unemployment Compensation Express. Whoohoo!

Okay, I talked myself into it. Not like I needed to though...I haven't been home in 2 years, so I think it's time.

Among my objectives for this trip:

--Seeing places I've never seen before (Pittsburgh, Cleveland)
--Catching up with old friends in Chicago and St. Louis
--Securing enough photographs for new exhibits in the Sombra Gallery
--Eating a lot, but not gaining a lot of weight

It's serious planning time, kiddos!

[elSicomoro]

Since I will be bringing a car home with me after all, I had to make some adjustments to the road trip.

I looked into renting a car one-way from Philadelphia to St. Louis...too much at $440 for 3 days.

Then I looked at Amtrak...30 hours, including a 6-hour layover in Chicago. And no smoking on the train (though that may not apply to Superliner trips). The cost was reasonable--$180, but had I added a bed for the night, the cost would have went up to $300.

So, I *gulp* decided to try my luck with a one-way flight. After checking out various sites, flying out of Philadelphia was out of the question--the best I could get was $250, on two different airlines, with a stopover on each flight, 10 total hours in the air. No thanks.

Then I looked at JFK and LaGuardia in New York. Not bad...$170 for a nonstop flight to St. Louis, add $50 for a train from Trenton, NJ to Penn Station, and a shuttle from there to JFK.

But Southwest came through like a trooper. Refundable anytime flight, nonstop from Baltimore to St. Louis, $169 including tax. Add $45 for the train trip from Philadelphia to Baltimore, and it's still a good deal. It makes the flight a half-hour shorter, and I know BWI well...plus my father-in-law is picking me up from the train station, letting me stay overnight at the in-laws' house, and taking me to the airport Saturday morning. A good deal all around. Don't have to get up at the butt crack of dawn on Saturday to go to NYC, and I can handle a 90 minute train ride to Baltimore...and I should be able to handle my mother-in-law for 12 hours.

This pushes the road trip to the back end of the trip. Which is cool b/c I get more time on the home end of the trip by flying to St. Louis.

Now, I just need a name for my car.

"Justine." I dunno why, but it's the first thing that popped into my head.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Seems appropriate. It became available Justine time. Oh stop groaning.

[elSicomoro]

I need to pick out some good tunes to listen to on the way back, since I'll be racking up about 1000 driving miles.

These are all the CDs I own. Rho has about 300 more, mostly 80s stuff and R&B. Suggestions are welcome.

And the name of said road trip: Sycamore's "Shit, that was alive, wasn't it?" Road Trip 2003

[juju]

Are you looking to buy new CDs, or just pick out ones from your existing collection?

I'd recommend any of Henry Rollins' spoken word albums. And if you like Crystal Method's Vegas album, their Tweekend album is also very good.

[elSicomoro]

At the moment, the only 2 new CDs I'm going to buy are the new Martin Gore CD and its first single. I might pick up some used Miles Davis CDs at Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis...they usually have a great used collection. So at the moment, I'm only picking ones from my current collection.

[Dagney]

Originally posted by sycamore
I need to pick out some good tunes to listen to on the way back, since I'll be racking up about 1000 driving miles.

These are all the CDs I own. Rho has about 300 more, mostly 80s stuff and R&B. Suggestions are welcome.

And the name of said road trip: Sycamore's "Shit, that was alive, wasn't it?" Road Trip 2003

Yanni...I'm suggesting Yanni...played loudly and with Manly Gusto

And i'm gonna duck now....

Dagney

[wolf]

Originally posted by Dagney


Yanni...I'm suggesting Yanni...played loudly and with Manly Gusto

My word, woman, what are you trying to do? Increase the lad's chances of highway hypnosis and falling asleep whilst driving? (I'd recommend staying away from ANY Philip Glass for the same reason ... and I really LIKE Phil Glass).

You need loud, with a good beat, dude.

[wolf]

I was looking over your collection, which I must say is QUITE eclectic ...

Coupla good possibilities. Certainly a smattering of DM, some Ministry thrown in for good measure, and no road trip is complete without a copy of The Doors Greatest Hits (actually you really only need to put "The End" on single track repeat).

But then I realized that there may be a cool experiment here ... why not take JUST the soundtrack for "Natural Born Killers," just to see what might happen ...



My personal favorite CD/tape for the long car trip would be a big ol' pile of books on tape. I have a batch that I usually run around with including Andrew Vachss short stories, Harlan Ellison short stories (read by the author, not worth it otherwise), Bringing Out the Dead, And the Band Played On, and Patrick Stewart reading A Christmas Carol.

[elSicomoro]

Yanni...*smack!*

I'm putting the CDs into my new carrying case now...I've picked out 16 so far. I'll leave 4 slots open (out of 64) for new stuff. Good thing my mom put a new CD player in the car last year...a nice one too. Now I won't need to deal with the discman/car adapter on the way back.

Now I just have to reprogram my new phone before I head west.

And this is where I say adios for now. I've got too much shit to do tomorrow night (and tonight), so I won't be on the board (other than maybe some peek-ins at work) for a few days. I'll be making postings while on the road, though probably only to this thread.

Have fun folks!

[Elspode]

Originally posted by wolf
I have a batch that I usually run around with including Andrew Vachss short stories, Harlan Ellison short stories (read by the author, not worth it otherwise

I would dearly love to locate these in mp3 format...Ellison is such a wonderfully warped author.

[Griff]

Originally posted by sycamore

Have fun folks!

[Yar!]Emusic has some different spoken word downloads available. Rants from Jello Biafra, Chomsky, Zinn, Abu-Jamal, Nader, Cockburn... Poetry from Ginsberg and a bunch of guys I don't know. Comedy from Carlin Seinfeld blah blah blah[/Yar!]