Transport Story #2: Homecoming

Somerville, MA

It was not without some excitement that Tim and I learned that Sasquatch was in Massachusetts and would be delivered tonight. There was some scrambling to get everything ready, but the communication with Tiffany at ProStar Auto Transport and the dispatcher at Transauto Logisitics made it go smoothly. Tim and I headed down to Assembly Row to await the driver's arrival. We had just wrapped up a quick meal when the phone rang. It was here. We headed over immediately and suddenly, there it was. Like seeing a friend that's lived far away for some time! We inspected the van. Given a tough trip East (the driver mentioned hail storms in Texas), Sasquatch looks in decent shape.  We are thrilled to have it back in our driveway. We hope it feels the same way!

Transport Story #2: Sasquatch come home!

Pasadena, CA and Somerville, MA

1933 Mack Auto Transport by Tootsie Toy (photo by Loopdeeloop)

We're excited and honestly, a tad nervous, as we embark on bringing Sasquatch home. Diran and crew at Strictly German have given our van a new heart, and everyone there has been super helpful as we begin the arrangements to have it picked up and put on an open carrier transport back East. As I mentioned in an earlier post, part of our trepidation comes from the fact that Sasquatch is originally a West Coast van. We hope it's recent demise isn't a wish to stay put there! Navigating the auto transport industry is daunting. There are many vendors out there making many claims and more horror stories than you can count. Tiffany at ProStar Auto has been a great resource and we hope to sing her praises as well as that of the carrier in a few weeks time. Pick-up is scheduled for the beginning of next week and we should be reunited with our Westfalia at the end of September.

The Wedding Road Trip: Home

Concord, MA

With our Westfalia being mended, we were determined to have a fun arrival,
and what better than a tow truck—an integral part of our journey!

Tim and I are a still aglow from all the love and good wishes that enveloped us on Saturday—our wedding, the final destination of our road trip! What a gift the weather gods gave us! How lovely it was for everyone to come and celebrate with us! We couldn't possibly have had a more wonderful day.

The Old Manse in Concord, MA was a beautiful setting for a wonderful day.

Travel and hiking are two of our favorite activities, perhaps in part because they are much like life. You plan your trip or your hike. Have a destination in mind. Prepare. And, then, start. But things can and do change along the way. You learn to adapt. You enjoy the great stuff. You deal with the bad, and try to never it overwhelm you. The beauty of both activities is you always have something ahead and yet, can simply turn around to see how far you come. All this to say, we feel we've got some good experience to navigate our marriage and whatever comes next. We're in the process of collecting photos from the day and will be sure to share them with you. With much love, T + C

The Wedding Road Trip: Classics

Finger Lakes Region, New York

When we heard the New York State Fair was close by, we knew we had to go. Tim and are are suckers for the Topsfield Fair in MA: the 4-H competitions (particularly the food contests-picture week old pieces of pie encased in plastic takeout containers and draped with 1st, 2nd or 3rd places ribbons), the bunny and bee houses, and the racing pigs. The NY fair has many of these classics, though not all. We got to enjoy the junior competitions for dog agility and draft horses. We didn't sample the array of things fried that are offered. We enjoyed watching farm families cheer their kids on during competition and the awkwardness and pride of the competitors themselves.

The Wedding Road Trip: Contrasts

Seneca Falls, New York

From Nebraska to Iowa, you rise to similar settings and drive through landscape that changes subtly. That's not to say it's boring. We saw plenty of interesting things along the way and would love to go back and explore these states. On other drives, you start out the morning in one environment, and end the day with something wholly new. Detroit to Niagra Falls is one such experience. Though in Detroit for just a short time, it's not hard to miss how in trouble the city is. It's a big city with enormously broad avenues, and yet so few people. We saw the abandoned buildings but we also saw people starting anew. A short walk from Corktown to downtown showed us many sides of the city—entrepreneurs trying to revive a neighborhood, sports love, places where people love to meet and have a good gnosh and a beer, gleaming casinos next to derelict hotels. 

And, then we were in Ontario at Niagra Falls! Tourists from every part of the world aiming smart phones and cameras at themselves, at each other, at strangers—all with the rushing falls as background. Niagra Falls is another natural phenomenon that's easy to dismiss. It IS touristy, but it's also spectacular. A place where you can see a rainbow almost always. We were awed by the power of the water. Getting into Canada was more work than we thought. Tim teased that with a name like Sirois, he was a shoe-in whereas I'd probably be taken to a back room for questioning. Turns out, a couple from Boston in a California rental raises enough suspicion that were were quickly directed to step out of the car while three agents searched it thoroughly. After spending time taking it all in, we decided to avoid the carnival atmosphere of the Canadian downtown and headed to the U. S. and onward to the Finger Lakes region. We feel the pull of home as we get closer and closer!

The Wedding Road Trip: Mi casa es su casa

Loft Life for a Day in Detroit, Michigan

After a truly wonderful gathering with friends in Chicago, we headed out with the Motor City in mind as Monday night's destination. During a quick stop in St. Joseph (dubbed the Rivera of the Midwest), we scored two vintage finds at Elephant's Breath, a sweet 60's top and a custom Erlenmeyer Flask. Being from the East, it's hard sometimes to realize that in the West and Midwest, things are not just transactional. A purchase is an opportunity to chat with someone. To exchange a few stories and to pass some time. During our conversation with the owner of the shop, we learned that he's proud of his daughter, that he kind of hopes her boyfriend becomes something more and the secret to driving in Detroit—go fast and use your turn signal. People here will yield to a turn signal!

Without the van, we've been going by the seat of our pants each day. We choose our destination and then en route look for someplace local to stay—a place where we can experience something of the neighborhood if only for a very brief time; a place that give us a chance to meet people and share a conversation. In Lincoln, Nebraska, we met Nora. One of eight kids, she's a great people person who creates quite an impression on her guests. Chuck Jones, animator of Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes characters, called her enchanting.

In Iowa City, we met Daissy. Native Columbian. Once married to a University of Iowa professor, she know runs a B&B and travels the world. Her home is full of photographs from the places she's been and she's quick with a great story to go with each. Kindred spirits, we felt much at home at Daissy's and hope to return to visit with her someday.

Taking a random exit off 80E in LeClaire, IA, we met Greg Pelo—a collector whose his family soda fountain shop has been his home for 69 years. Within moments, he was sharing vintage photographs and the some fascinating stories surrounding them. (Ask Tim or I about the story of the human flag photo!) He brought out Tibetan Singing Bowls and taught us to play them. He let us put on rings of Jack Earle and Ted Evans, men who made their living as giants among men.

Tonight we're staying at Eric's loft in Corktown, the oldest neighborhood in Detroit.  And we haven't even mentioned those friends and family who hosted us and treated us along the way. (A very, very big thank you to Joe + Sara, Tony + Gabrielle, Tim and Ed!) As far as Detroit goes, too much to take in to write now. More on our experience there later. Good news on Sasquatch, the new engine is coming along and it should be ready very soon!

The Wedding Road Trip: What Cheer

Iowa City, Iowa

 

Road trips are funny things. You are blissfully in the moment and then, you remember you're on a schedule! You're exploring, but there's only so much time in the day. Eventually, you need to make time on the highway. The past two days, we've flown along at 75-80 mph (the speed limit more or less) on endless flat stretches of road with what seems like a single scenic view for miles and miles, passing by town after town. You can't stop at them all. You can barely stop at one or two. So, we've added a task for the navigator of the day. Learn something about what we're missing out on. There are lots of interesting town names. Rifle. Parachute. Silt. Crook. And, they all have a story. There's a dispute about how "What Cheer" (yes, an actual town name in Iowa) got it's name. IIiff (which is really I'Iiff) has 213 inhabitants as of the 2000 census and was named for a cattlemen who had a ranch nearby.

On this side of the Mississippi, each exit is a history lesson. There's a ghost town in Proctor, CO. In fact, there are ghost towns or ruins of town gone bust all across the heartland and elsewhere in the States. Nebraska is the keeper of many Western Expansion artifacts. A Pony Express Station. Forts. The Homestead National Monument in Beatrice which commemorates passage of the Homestead Act of 1862. Abraham Lincoln said: "It is the purpose of our government to elevate the condition of men, to lift artificial burdens from all shoulders and to give everyone an unfettered start and a fair chance in the race of life." People were granted 160 acres of free land in return for residence and making the land productive. Women, African-Americans and immigrants were all allowed to claim land. Native Americans were not so lucky. Much of our agriculture history and evolution stems from this one act. Fascinating.

The Wedding Road Trip: Road Trip Delirium

Omaha, Nebraska

"Want to see the face I make when I see a snake made of candy?"

The Wedding Road Trip: Anniversaries and a Hydrologic Point of Interest

Eisenhower Tunnel, 50 miles west of Denver

On August 22, we were in the perfect place to commemorate an anniversary for Tim and I. We entered the Eisenhower Tunnel on Route 70E in Colorado. One of the world's highest vehicular tunnels, we loved that it transported us past the Continental Divide* in the Rockies. (As Tim and our friend Christopher say, "It's all downhill from here!")

But, it also felt fitting to be at elevation (the tunnel's maximum height is 11,158 ft) since it was exactly one year to the day of Tim's proposal on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (19,341 ft). I still have the handmade sign he made on the cover of Ernest Hemingway's "Snows of Kilimanjaro."

*The Continental Divide separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific and the Atlantic. 

The Wedding Road Trip: Gardens

Denver, Colorado

Our trip re-route brought us right through Denver giving us an opportunity to visit my brother Tim. We had a fantastic dinner at Sessions Kitchen and had a chance to catch up and to share some stories from the road. Tim suggested we head to the Denver Botanic Gardens before leaving town to see Dale Chihuly's installation. If you haven't seen this artist's work, I highly recommend it. We've seen his exhibit at the MFA, but seeing it outside woven into a series of incredible botanic gardens was magical.

 Thanks for the suggestion Tim!

The Wedding Road Trip: No Chains

Fort Morgan, Colorado

When we stop for a bite to eat, we try our best to avoid fast food and chains and seek out a local joint. On our way through Eastern Colorado, we stopped in Fort Morgan and had a bite at Cafe Lotus. Housed in an old community center, it had a large stage, which would have been perfect for the previous owner of our next find—a hand-carved ventriloquist dummy—we saw while thrifting at the Goodwill Store. For just $12.99, it could be yours!

The Wedding Road Trip: Weather

Across the Corner of Eastern Colorado

In Utah, we both got flash flood warnings on our phones, and saw the evidence of them after the fact. Our tires are still red with silt from wash-outs along the Green River coming east out of Moab. As we made our way across Eastern Colorado to the border with Nebraska, we had some dramatic skies ahead and radio DJs warning of severe weather—severe enough to be warned to keep inside and seek shelter if a storm developed—but, the storms hit other counties.

Contrast this with California. As we made our way up the 5 towards San Francisco, we saw signs everywhere raising awareness of drought conditions. Too much water and no water.

The Wedding Road Trip: Gas and Wild West Miniatures

North Platte, Nebraska

Pulling off I-80 for a bio break and fill up, we noticed a stockade fort with a giant Buffalo Bill Cody sign dwarfing everything in the parking lot. Clearly a tourist trap, the free museum is inside the trading post. And although in some respects it could have been any old cheesy road side shop, this one had immense charm and some fun cool items. In addition to some great taxidermy and artifacts from the Wild West, there is Buffalo Bill's Miniature Wild West Show created by Ernie and Virginia Palmquist. With over 20,000 hand carved and painted wood figures, the diorama has several animatronic scenes and a voice-over track.

The Wedding Road Trip: Halfway

Lincoln, Nebraska

We're back! Writing tonight from humid, hot Lincoln, Nebraska. We're nestled in a historic neighborhood full of prairie-style homes and have the "Summer Porch Room" in a home built by a prominent Lincoln banker some 100 years ago. There's a nice sense of age to the place and a spareness in design and furnishing that we appreciate. First, apologies for the gap in posts. The last few days have literally flown by, and as I mentioned, we've had very little ability to connect as the last two places we stayed had either no electricity or no internet access. Since we're behind, I've decided to write shorter posts that catch you all up on where we've been and what we've been doing.

The Wedding Road Trip: WiFi-less

Moab, Utah

It's been an action packed two days, but alas, no way to connect and post. I'm writing this on my phone from our cozy tent (complete with twin beds) in Moab, Utah. We arrived here this afternoon after a fantastic drive through the Dixie National Forest and Capitol Reef. Tomorrow morning, I hope to get a few posts up while in town for breakfast before we hit the road on our way to Denver. If you've got a map handy, you can follow us from Pasadena to Las Vegas to Escalante, Utah to Moab, Utah to Denver, Colorado to places to be determined in Nebraska and Iowa and on through to Chicago on Sunday. I apologize for the lack of images, but with no WiFi and unfriendly Blogger image import from my iPhone, you'll have to wait til tomorrow!

The Wedding Road Trip: Hardship, Strangely Good Luck at the Worst Possible Moments and Goodness

The Magic Eight Ball. We often ask it the question again and again until we get the result that we want. During the past few days, we've learned that while it's not always possible to get the result that you want, it does no good to think of yourself as being "behind the eight ball." It's more fun to defy the Magic Eight Ball, change up your plans and continue on.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE VAN?
This is a tough post to write. With truly heavy hearts, we have to share the news that Tim and I are on the next leg of the wedding road trip, but the Westfalia will remain behind to be mended after a serious incident on Saturday evening. At about 5:30pm, we shared hugs with the folks at Strictly German, hopped in our van and headed back to Joe and Sara's to pack up for the drive to Pfieffer Big Sur State Park. Sasquatch sounded great and while it'd be a long drive, we were both looking forward to the sunset and stars along the Pacific Coast Highway. About an hour out of Pasadena, doing a conservative 60 mph in the slow lane, Tim heard a noise and we saw white smoke pouring out of the back of the van. He quickly cut the ignition we managed to get off the 101 and into a gas station parking lot.

And then reality hit, there was the engine, covered in oil with a golf ball size hole in the engine case. We were despondent. We were in a state of disbelief. It was not possible that this was happening. But it was, and it did. And we decided on the spot, that although it saddened us very, very much, we were not going to feel sorry for ourselves—we were safe and unharmed. We were going to have our wedding road trip, just not the one we planned and not in our sweet van.

And, then we started to realize what incredibly great luck we were having during this truly awful moment. We were at an exit when this happened, and there was enough incline for us to roll off the highway. There was a gas station at the end of the ramp and we had enough steam to get off the road. Two big guys were pumping gas and were able to help Tim push the Westfalia up the remaining bit while I steered it into a parking space. The folks at GoodSam Road side assistance were attentive and helped us think through options. The cashiers working at the gas station were kind beyond belief and agreed to let us keep Sasquatch there until we could make arrangements on Monday. We thought we'd be stranded but a hotel cancellation allowed to grab a room for the night.

We had to think through many possible scenarios that night in an exhausted, stressful state, but we knew that beyond anything, we wanted to make our San Francisco gathering. So, we rented a car early the next morning and drove 6 hours to join our friends for a wonderful meal atop the roof of Farina in the Mission District. It was a relaxed and joyful evening with dear friends and we're so glad we made it.

It was a long haul driving day today. We left San Fran early and made the 6 hours back to our van. Diran at Strictly German had made arrangements to get it towed to his shop. In a world where it might be easy to make excuses and shrug us off, he is not that kind of person. He's doing right by us and working on securing a new engine for the van.

We're blown away by the goodness and kindnesses of family, friends and strangers. With the van safe and being mended, Tim and I began to head East. After another 5 hour drive, we arrived in Las Vegas. We're finalizing a new route and looking forward to the next part of our adventure together. Keep the van in your thoughts please. It is originally a West Coast van, so we hope it hasn't decided it wants to remain here. We'd like to coax it back to Massachusetts where we can enjoy it to the fullest. More soon on our new route!


 

The Wedding Road Trip: Adventure

Pasadena, California

 

Reminders to be prepared, but also
flexible:Mr. Shackleton wallet
photo and Boy Scout Badge.

Wikipedia says an adventure is "an exciting or unusual experience," one that may be "a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome." We think taking a 30 year-old van across the country in both directions qualifies. Shortly after yesterday's arrival in Pasadena, we had the chance to get the full low-down from the folks at Strictly German. As of yesterday, our engine was repaired and intact, just not yet in the van. It was nice to lay hands on "Sasquatch" as we've come to call it, and to put faces to the voices of the hard-working guys trying to get us on the road. Doran and Daniel are doing their best to make sure our adventure's desired outcome is realized, and we appreciate it greatly. Our intended plan to get to Sequoia National Park today has been scrapped, but we're working on new route options that might still get us there or to the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) prior to our arrival in San Francisco on Sunday.

This morning, we took advantage of the delay to embrace the spirit of our road trip idea: bringing the wedding to friends. Phil Jarboe is a dear friend who Christine met while attending UMass Amherst. We were able to squeeze in a fly-by breakfast at Russell's in Old Pasadena. Was really wonderful to catch up and enjoy a few moments of Phil's quick wit. Always considerate, Phil even attempted a height adjustment during this photo opp! We hope you enjoy the new blog format and hope to be posting daily as we get underway.