Crosssing America
It's been a crazy year.
Since April, I've been sick various times, really more than at any time in a long time. I've been traveling... more than any time in recent memory. Working quite a lot, and so many other things.
Last time we "talked," I was on my way to Germany, as well as a road trip across the US and Canada. I also worked 7 more anime conventions since there, including: Otakon, Anime Next, Nekocon, Big Apple Anime Fest, Anime USA, Connecticon and Anime Boston. So much has been going on.
For starters, I've been traveling a lot, both for myself and for work. At Anime Boston, I met up with Tim and Rebecca, two of my best friends, and we traveled across the United States, leaving from Boston. We found a lot of surprises like Warren Dunes State Park in Mi, as well as Kalamizoo, Mi, Madison, Wi, and Vancouver, BC, Ca. The drive through Montana was simply stunning, and although I got pulled over doing 96, we paid 70 bucks cash and never heard about it again.
This was not my first time along parts of this route from Montana West on I-90, although that drive never gets old. We were able to find "Lost Lake" in the Cascades of Washington State, which was something I had passed on a previous trip. It was the closest thing to a hike we had on the trip, and I always like to have at least one or two of those on a trip. Seattle saw the return of me to my favourite book store, The Elliott Bay Book Co, where I dropped some cash and bought an amazing sci-fi book called "Inverted World," about a city built on railroad tracks that constantly moves around a ravaged planet. (The big deal is that they keep digging up the tracks and laying them ahead of the city) Anyway, from Seattle, we took a day trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, and were blown away by how beautiful the city was! Clearly rich too, b/c I saw 2 Ferrari's there, along with several other nice cars. They had a shop with British sweets too, but afraid to use my credit card in another country without notifying the bank, I passed.
Other highlights on the trip included San Francisco, where I got some amazing shots of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge, as well as visited the park below the GG bridge, where Hitchcock shot scenes from "Vertigo," which had been a place I had wanted to visit since seeing the film. We also went to Berkley, which seemed nice enough, although paled in comparison to SF proper. We didn't get much time in Portland, Oregon, although we did finally make it to Powels City of Books, the self-proclaimed largest book store in the world. Picked up a few more books there, although I liked The Elliott Bay Book Company better, b/c they had hand-written recommendations right on the shelves for great books. Also, I found "The Carlucci Trilogy" there, which is my favourite Cyber Punk series ever, by one of my fav authors, so I was biased.
We saw Mt Shasta in Northern Ca, where Shasta cola is made, as well as a town called Weed, with a sign that said "Weed like to welcome you." So cheesy that it was classic! The trip ended up in CA outside of LA, where Tim's Parents live in Tahatchapi. Home of the Tehatchapi train loop, it's one of three place in the world where the train tracks loop in a complete spiral to climb elevation. Not interesting for most, except that as a kid, I loved trains, and realized that I likely had seen it before in my train magazines (yes, I was on Model Railroad geek). For my birthday, they surprised me with a trip to Midaevil Times, where I had never been before, and it was a grand time! I made sure to yell extra loud, and we even got to drive there in Tim's Dad's Jag!
I had a great time with two of my best friends, although having not seen them in over a year and a half, and them now living in Utah, 2 weeks was not enough time! This road trip marked the completion of yet another life goal. Having been a bit of an international snob in the past many years, I felt it important to experience as much of our own country as possible, and get to see all of our roots and lands, as well as meet our people. From the Elvis-like man at the Montana Gas Station that explained leaded fuel to us, to the various waitresses and toll booth agents through Chicago, to the friendly pedestrians in the strange city of Madison Wisconsin, and the hikers in Washington's Cascades, I feel closer to our own country than ever.
As I'll get into later, I also feel closer to the people of Germany, and even to parts of New Jersey. It's been a good year to experience many things the world has to offer, and I'm only more excited than ever for what the future may unveil.
2009 Cross Country Photos
Since April, I've been sick various times, really more than at any time in a long time. I've been traveling... more than any time in recent memory. Working quite a lot, and so many other things.
Last time we "talked," I was on my way to Germany, as well as a road trip across the US and Canada. I also worked 7 more anime conventions since there, including: Otakon, Anime Next, Nekocon, Big Apple Anime Fest, Anime USA, Connecticon and Anime Boston. So much has been going on.
For starters, I've been traveling a lot, both for myself and for work. At Anime Boston, I met up with Tim and Rebecca, two of my best friends, and we traveled across the United States, leaving from Boston. We found a lot of surprises like Warren Dunes State Park in Mi, as well as Kalamizoo, Mi, Madison, Wi, and Vancouver, BC, Ca. The drive through Montana was simply stunning, and although I got pulled over doing 96, we paid 70 bucks cash and never heard about it again.
This was not my first time along parts of this route from Montana West on I-90, although that drive never gets old. We were able to find "Lost Lake" in the Cascades of Washington State, which was something I had passed on a previous trip. It was the closest thing to a hike we had on the trip, and I always like to have at least one or two of those on a trip. Seattle saw the return of me to my favourite book store, The Elliott Bay Book Co, where I dropped some cash and bought an amazing sci-fi book called "Inverted World," about a city built on railroad tracks that constantly moves around a ravaged planet. (The big deal is that they keep digging up the tracks and laying them ahead of the city) Anyway, from Seattle, we took a day trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, and were blown away by how beautiful the city was! Clearly rich too, b/c I saw 2 Ferrari's there, along with several other nice cars. They had a shop with British sweets too, but afraid to use my credit card in another country without notifying the bank, I passed.
Other highlights on the trip included San Francisco, where I got some amazing shots of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge, as well as visited the park below the GG bridge, where Hitchcock shot scenes from "Vertigo," which had been a place I had wanted to visit since seeing the film. We also went to Berkley, which seemed nice enough, although paled in comparison to SF proper. We didn't get much time in Portland, Oregon, although we did finally make it to Powels City of Books, the self-proclaimed largest book store in the world. Picked up a few more books there, although I liked The Elliott Bay Book Company better, b/c they had hand-written recommendations right on the shelves for great books. Also, I found "The Carlucci Trilogy" there, which is my favourite Cyber Punk series ever, by one of my fav authors, so I was biased.
We saw Mt Shasta in Northern Ca, where Shasta cola is made, as well as a town called Weed, with a sign that said "Weed like to welcome you." So cheesy that it was classic! The trip ended up in CA outside of LA, where Tim's Parents live in Tahatchapi. Home of the Tehatchapi train loop, it's one of three place in the world where the train tracks loop in a complete spiral to climb elevation. Not interesting for most, except that as a kid, I loved trains, and realized that I likely had seen it before in my train magazines (yes, I was on Model Railroad geek). For my birthday, they surprised me with a trip to Midaevil Times, where I had never been before, and it was a grand time! I made sure to yell extra loud, and we even got to drive there in Tim's Dad's Jag!
I had a great time with two of my best friends, although having not seen them in over a year and a half, and them now living in Utah, 2 weeks was not enough time! This road trip marked the completion of yet another life goal. Having been a bit of an international snob in the past many years, I felt it important to experience as much of our own country as possible, and get to see all of our roots and lands, as well as meet our people. From the Elvis-like man at the Montana Gas Station that explained leaded fuel to us, to the various waitresses and toll booth agents through Chicago, to the friendly pedestrians in the strange city of Madison Wisconsin, and the hikers in Washington's Cascades, I feel closer to our own country than ever.
As I'll get into later, I also feel closer to the people of Germany, and even to parts of New Jersey. It's been a good year to experience many things the world has to offer, and I'm only more excited than ever for what the future may unveil.
2009 Cross Country Photos