My Cross-Country Trip6.23.03-7.3.03

Warning.. None of these pictures actually do the subject justice despite my outstanding, amazing, superb camera skills. In other

words, I couldn’t fit the world in a 3x5, you’ll have to see it with your own eyes to really appreciate what’s out there!

Any similarities between the ideas expressed in this statement and the lyrics of “3x5” by John Mayer, are purely coincidental

Philly > Pittsburgh

Although the trip began a few days before, when I left good old Naugy, had my last CT sushi dinner with friends, and then headed down with Lori to Grampa’s house in Jersey… the journey really began that Monday when I left Vin’s pad in Philadelphia,

hittin the open road on 76 West..

Pittsburgh

On my way to Cleveland I stopped to check out Pittsburgh. Pretty cool place.. Unfortunately I parked near PNC Park, which was closed, forcing me to run around looking for a bathroom. Of course there were none, so ended up making sure to water the bushes around the park when no one was looking. Urimysoticis became the theme of my trip.

Just thought this was a cool picture, despite the profanity, and I squeezed in a Roberto Clemente statue…

Stupid Steeler fans and their Ketchup field! The location of that glorious victory by the Pats to get to the Super Bowl in New Orleans. “I’m happy to report that despite all of the prognostications of doom, the Patriots have shown up here today, and will take the field against the Steelers.” “Cancel those reservations! Cancel those reservations!!” Yes Willy.. Cancel those reservations indeed.. (ok now I’ve lost everyone that has not seen the Sports Illustrated Patriots Super Bowl XXXVI DVD 500 times.)

So then I made my way into Ohio, and up to Cleveland. If you ever get a chance to spend a few days in Cleveland… DON’T. It’s a friggin ghost town! Everyone leaves at 6 pm, and you can see tumbleweeds and hear crickets. I felt like I was the last man on earth.

Cleveland

Cleveland did have some nice scenery, and the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame!! (no pictures allowed). It also had this pimp guy, who I saw on 3 totally different occasions just wandering around with his pimp walk, in his pimpin black suit. I saw him once the first night on the street, then again on the street the next day, then he was even at the library when I went to check my email!! Finally when he asked me if I wanted to make some quick money, I decided it was time to run!

Finally I got to take in my first ballgame. KC vs. Cleveland. Ended up with great seats! And the 2nd theme of my trip came about… At all the ballparks, I always became friends with an old man sitting near me. So for the first week all of my social interaction came from old guys at a ballgame.

Sears Tower

Hot chick in Volvo

There were plenty of reminders of home!

I made it a little late to the Cubs game, after admiring the scenery, but ended up with 3 rd row seats!! I was sitting in a tiny seat, surrounded by pissed off, irritable, pessimistic Cubs fans.. I felt like I was in Fenway Park!!

It is now Thursday, as I leave Chicago and head down to St. Louis for a Cardinals game and to laugh at the Rams fans!

I got to see your favorite player, and mine.. Tito Martinez, go off, belting a HR, a Double and a Single. I also talked with Griffey for a bit. He told me he wants to make it through the season without any more injuries. He’s especially sure he won’t have any ankle problems. Good call Junior!

This is Amy.. Me and her were hanging out during the game. She was cool, and we had a good time!

Ok.. I don’t know her name, and well, we weren’t really hanging out, but we talked briefly and she did seem nice.

Ok.. So I never said a word to her, and just took her picture from 2 rows back.. But she was hot ok?? Get off my back!!!

I got a quick glimpse of the famous Arch, and then off to my hotel. I promise this is the only time I drove at night or hit any real traffic for that matter!! Cuz I know you worry so..

Next stop was Kansas City.. And standing room only seats. But it turned out to be great.. Only $5 to park, and another $7 for the ticket! Plus this cool old biker dude was standing with me the whole game telling me his life story and going nuts for the Royals. Turns out Cardinals/Royals is actually somewhat of a rivalry! Who knew?

Then after the game, it was off to exciting Topeka, Kansas.. Where some local thugs were hangin a little too close to my car at the hotel!! So I took care of them… by going to Denny’s and coming back a little later when they were gone. I showed them! Then I got a night’s sleep before my trip through the fields of Kansas the next day. Oh maybe I did drive at night again, oops!

Ok so about 5 minutes into my drive to Denver, I was bored.. So I stopped in the home town of Bob Dole! Russell, Kansas! And had lunch at the Russell Inn, with Jed & Bobby Sue who told me about the big fireworks show coming up at the county fair to celebrate the harvest!! Yee-haw! Then finally.. Finally.. Finally!! Mountains!!

Open Weigh Station! (inside joke)

Mountains!

Saturday evening I arrived in Boulder. My friend Leah (who lives in Denver) was up in the mountains, so I had to find my own fun in Boulder. The waiter/bartender dude at Applebees gave me advice on where to go out, and then said his girlfriend was having friends over, so I should stop by.. But I’m shy, so I decided to stay in and watch a movie, then get an early start in the mountains…

Yaaa.. That’d happen! So needless to say, I ended up hanging all night with strangers at a party in Boulder. We had a great time!!

I know there’s a hotel jacuzzi around here somewhere!?!

Oh.. There it is..

Paul McCartney!

Dude from Applebees, saw him for all of 5 minutes the whole party

Sunday.. I headed into the Boulder Foothills (mountains to us New Englanders)

Rocky Mountain hiiiigghhh… Coloradooooo.. Easy there Johnny Denver. On Monday I met up with Leah and we did some site-seeing.

For instance.. Buffalo Bill’s grave!!

Evil Coors..

Nice Local brewery.. With man in fermentation tank for flavor I think?

We decided to check out Golden, Colorado the home of the Coors Brewery. Leah told me that Coors is evil cuz they ruin the local environment, so we went to a local brewery instead. I never knew beer could be evil?!? It was one of many eye-opening lessons I learned on my journey..

Hey.. Don’t I have a CD by some band that played here at Red Rocks once?? Dan Mathers Band or something? I dunno.. But it looks cool!!

And she’s buyyyiiinnggg.. A stairway to heaavveeennn…

Next up was a visit to Coors Field to see the Rockies play. We bought the cheap seats and had a great time, and eventually we moved closer..

Tuesday morning it was off into the Rockies.. From 5200 feet up to almost 10,000 feet above sea level, and everywhere in between. So in other words, there wasn’t much to see and it was just the most boring ride of the trip. Uh.. Ya right, I think I stopped every 2 minutes to take a picture. So I didn’t go out of my way to get these shots, they were just along the way as I drove.

Colorado River

On my way to Wally-World with Aunt Edna strapped to the roof, I stopped to see the world’s biggest ball of twine, and oh ya, the Four Corners Monument

Remember my statement in the beginning?.. Totally applies here. You gotta see it, cuz you really can’t see the depth and size just by looking at a picture.

Sunset at

Yes.. I actually got up early, and saw the sunrise at the Canyon. (that’s me in the top-left picture, contemplating the meaning of life and when me and Amy Miller are actually going to hang out.)

Finally.. After I figured out what life’s all about, I began the last leg of my trip on Thursday, July 3rd… headed towards LA LA land.

There’s the Ocean!!

Ahh… It’s a rough life here in Hermosa. Things are going well now that I’m here. Steph and I are looking for 3 bedroom places for her, myself, & Jeff. We don’t have any money, so we might have to find a cheap place, but it’ll all work out in the end. Now if I can just find a volleyball partner…

Deep thoughts.. By Jack Handy…

One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh, no," I said. "Disneyland burned down." He cried and cried, but I think that deep down, he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late.

It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean ? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.

To me, it's a good idea to always carry two sacks of something when you walk around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey, can you give me a hand?" you can say, "Sorry, got these sacks."

Probably the saddest thing you'll ever see is a mosquito sucking on a mummy. Forget it, little friend.

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is "God is crying." And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is "Probably because of something you did."