Week One Again

Alright. Eggs and pancakes in my belly, time to continue. We left the guidestones and headed north to Virginia, where we picked up the Blue Ridge Parkway. This has been one of the highlights for me so far. We caught the parkway at sunset, with a pink, nearly full moon rising over the mountains to the east. Every curve offered a new view of the dusk sky: clouds alight with the fading sun, fields and mountains bathed in the colors of coming night. We passed dozens of deer on the side of the road, and I found it impossible to stop being amazed. Sometime after eleven we pulled to the side of the road and set up our sleeping bags. The cool air, bright moon, and near absolute silence dragged us into a full night of sleep. It was magical.

In the morning we left the parkway and headed down the mountains to Monticello. We walked around a museum for a little bit but decided not to pay the twenty bucks to get into the actual house. Sorry Tom.

That's Tom Jefferson, for those of you who don't know. We're best buds.

We were in DC by early afternoon. With a perfect parking spot in front of the Capitol, we took our bikes down the mall and around the different monuments and such. DC is always a paradox for me. I get caught up in the nostalgia, but then I remind myself that these were politicians in their own day, that there is all sorts of corruption buried under the romantic language and the gorgeous architecture. The nostalgia comes back, though, as soon as I see the diverse crowds on the steps in front of Lincoln. The architecture and history and engraved speeches mean something in that moment. And seeing it all on bikes made it even better. Try it sometime.

That night we stayed with a group of strangers living in what they call an intentional community. There were about twenty people in this house, named Maitri House, meaning "loving kindness." They share possessions and co-raise each other's kids. Most of them are vegetarian or vegan, and they get almost all their food from a side garden or from dumpster diving. Really interesting people...it was beautiful sharing dinner with them, and I should be able to stay in touch with at least one of them.

I think that brings us to Thursday, when we drove to Rhode Island. On the way we found a gas station on Crooks Lane in New Jersey and a brilliant little sandwich shop in New York, but otherwise that was just a big drive we had to knock out. From Rhode Island we took a ferry to Block Island, about 25 miles offshore. Britton's friend Julia, who we were picking up on the island, got us into a sunset kayak tour for free. If the Blue Ridge Parkway wasn't the highlight so far, then the kayak trip was. Beautiful skies, beautiful water, beautiful conversation with beautiful people...not to mention the kayaks. Again, magical.

We spent all day Friday exploring the island, swimming in a lake and visiting the beach. An interesting development came up when Julia told us about her friend who was leaving his job at the newspaper, and that eventually led to a phone conversation with the editor. So there is a very very very very slight possibility that, at some point after we reach LA, I might move to Block Island to work at a newspaper. We'll see.

We ferried off the island in time to catch the sunset over the ocean. On the boat we befriended a few drunk folks, including a rather rambunctious fellow who was about ready to fight me for not letting him sit next to a lady he fancied. After the ferry we loaded up again and drove here to Connecticut where we met Erin and spent the night with her family and her patriotic neighborhood.

Sarcasm: Now we have the fun of figuring out how to fit four people and all of our stuff into my car, which is exciting and wonderful.

Not sarcasm: Then we have the fun of Erin's mom emptying her refrigerator to make us dinner, which is exciting and wonderful.

From here we drive to Maine for a couple days, then...somewhere else. I kind of forget. But I'll keep updating here, and I'd love to stay in touch with you more individually. Facebook, phone, email (beaudenton at gmail)...let's talk.

Hopefully some of these updates will be shorter and more focused, but there was a lot to catch up on this time around. Love.