Yearning for the Open Road

Here's a picture of my summer reading list: "Blue Highways" by William Least-Moon, "In a Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson, "Turn Right at Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams, "In Patagonia" by Bruce Chatwin, and "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac. Truthfully, there's no way that I'm reading all this by the end of the summer.

For me, summer is for road trips. For the past two years, I have gone on a 2,000+ mile roadtrip around Memorial Day weekend. So as Memorial Day came and went this summer with no roadtrip plans and no vacation plans finalized, the travel bug bit me hard. Now I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell the open road.

The second best cure is a good travel memoir (or five apparently). I'm currently reading "Blue Highways" by William Least Heat-Moon. And it's been great.

In 1978, after separating from his wife and losing his job as a teacher, Moon, 38 at the time, decided to take an extended road trip around the United States, sticking to only the "Blue Highways." Heat-Moon had coined the term to refer to small, forgotten, out of the way roads connecting rural America (which were drawn in blue on the old style road atlas).

At first, a good story satisfies the travel craving. It's that little taste I needed. I get lost in the narrative and ride shotgun with the author through his journey. But after a while it starts to inspire. It starts to stir up that yearning for adventure. And that's when I relapse. The fever grips me and I get these really crazy ideas. I get to thinking, "well, if he can do a 13,000 mile road trip, why can't I do short one." Why can't I pull out the road map and plot some 3-4 week, 6,000 mile, cross country adventure?

So what would this crazy cross country trip look like? Roughly speaking it'd go something like this: I'd rent a car and drive west. I want to see Austin, TX. Maybe catch one of my favorite bands along the way to New Mexico. I'd stop and say hi to my brother at the Philmont Scout Ranch. Then visit a few national parks like Mt. Zion and the Grand Canyon. Eventally I'd make my way to California to visit my friend Susan Issacs. Here's where I'd return the rental car and switch to the train. I'd take the Coastal Starlight route from Los Angeles to Portland. After such a long train ride, i might rent another car and make my way to Glacier National Park. Once there, I might shift back to another scenic rail route called the Empire Builder and ride to Chicago. Then I'd hop on a MegaBus for the return trip to Memphis with a short stop in St. Louis, MO. I like the idea of mixed transportation. Taking a little bit of everything across country. I think i'd do this trip European style and travel very light. Everything would have to fit in a big internal frame backpack. The kind you'd go trekking across the mountains with. That way I could easily make the switch between car, rail, bus, or plane.

Could I realistically do this? Probably not. I cannot take off more than 2 weeks in a row at my current job. So I'd have to do half the trip at a time. But now I've run off into a tangent. This post was suppose to just be a short list. I really only meant to share with you my summer reading and now I'm outlining my great American road trip.

Recommend listening: David Ramierz "Carry Me Like The Wind"
For every line on my body I want a thousand stories
And for my heart to hold the great American novel 

Notes from the Road: First stop Atlanta, GA

If there is one theme that developed over the course of the road trip, it was rushed. At times it was exciting. But as the trip went on, the lets-do-as-much-as-we-can-in-one-day got tiresome. You can't sprint for an entire marathon. Atlanta, GA was one of the quick stops on the trip. I spent just one night there.

My first stop was Ikea. And as I mentioned, it felt as though i was running through the place in an attempt to see everything and stay on schedule. I really didnt need anything from the store but I bought a package of small glasses that looked perfect for whiskey.

My other planned stop was the High Museum of Art. It was beautiful inside and out. "We're walking. We're walking. We're walking.... and stop." This was the monolog in my head at the museum. There was so much to see and I had about 2 hours to do it. I saw a roaster exhibit on display which seemed fitting as I was on a road trip. Which reminds me, I was pleasantly surprised by the much higher MPG that my Volvo wagon got on the highway. I drove from Memphis to Atlanta with a quarter of a tank to spare. In fact, I made the nearly 500 miles and 8 hour drive from Cincinnati, OH to Memphis, TN on one tank of gas. The wagon got about 33 mpg.

Pretending to have a Simpler life

On my road trip, I'm going to pretend that I'm living a fantasy that I've had for some time. In my fantasy, I have a much simpler life. No 3 bedroom, 2 bath house. No pets. Just an RV and the road. Each day an adventure.

How did I catch this travel bug? My immune system was down. We've all got a metal immune system for crazy ideas. Voices in our heads that automatically shoot down our 'crazy' creative desires because "Oh be serious. You can't do that and you'll starve/throw away your live's work/be seen as a failure/etc." But take a life changing event, such as a divorce, and suddenly you have fewer fears. I've already lost a lot. I've felt failure. I've survived a tougher situation than I ever expected to live through. Now I'm starting to hear a different voice and it says, "well, why the heck not? what do i have to lose?"

So let me share with you some of the infectious materials that have led to my roadtrip:

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller (urges you to live a more interesting story)
Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller (a journey from Texas to Oregon)
Travels with Charlie: in Search of America by John Steinbeck (his roadtrip was 10,000 miles)
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America by Bill Bryson (about 14,000 miles)

And then there are the countless blogs that modern day Steinbecks are keeping about their great American journeys. They even give you practical advice and encouragement so you can do it yourself.

http://tosimplify.blogspot.com
http://www.happyjanssens.com/
http://roadtripnation.com/

I guess i got tired of reading about everyone else's roadtrip adventures. Even my own sketchbooks have seen more of the country than I ever have and I was having to write about their journeys!

Sharing the creative spark

My first big roadtrip is drawing closer. What seemed like a far off date is frightfully close. Is the car ready? Am I ready? Do I have everything I need? Will it all fit in the car? But there is an equal amount of excitement. I'll be visiting some very artsy areas of the country and hanging out with many passionate artists. I'm looking to catch some of their creative spark. 


The goal is to meet in person some of the artists that I only know through email and online, do a little Q&A about their work, studio, and how their work and faith come together ( for example: for some it's subject matter, for others it's painting at church, or an outreach project that uses art.) I also hope that the artist(s) might show me (or at least give me directions) for some of their favorite artsy spots - a favorite gallery, coffee shop, thrift store, district. etc. I'm going to take as many notes and photos as i can so that I can share the creative sparks with you. 

I feel as though I'm about to embark on a 12 day long artist's date. I had been working my way through The Artist's Way but I'll admit.... I fell off the wagon. I was a member of a group and we met every Thursday at a coffee shop. But life got crazy busy and I dropped out. I didn't finish the 12 week workbook. But I mention this because of the artist's dates. An artist's date is a weekly time where you just go out by yourself and do something that recharges you creatively. Or as the website defines it:

"The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you. The Artist Date need not be overtly "artistic"-- think mischief more than mastery."

Some examples of artist's dates:
http://theartistswayblog.wordpress.com/artists-date-ideas/

Briefly, I'll be departing

In 10 days, I'll be leaving for my road trip and I'll have you know that I'm prepared. I just ordered the most important items of the trip - 2 pairs of ExOfficio boxer briefs. Sounds trivial I know, but this is the best underwear around. I bought a pair a while back for a backpacking trip. They wick moisture, prevent chaffing, odor resistant, and are amazingly comfortable. I wish I could afford to own nothing but this brand of underwear.

Why do you care? Hey, I'm just trying to give you some road trip advice. These boxers are the best thing since sliced bread or better yet... Smartwool socks - which I'd also like a lifetime supple of. What are Smartwool socks?! OMG, why are you depriving yourself of so much comfort and such a simple pleasure? Also, I need to tell you a really funny story about my brother, his first time to try on a pair, and him sliding through the kitchen like Tom Cruise in Risky Business. 

Road side attractions>>>> EXIT NOW!

You can't go on a good road trip without stopping at a few road side attractions. They add color to your story with their unusualness. Can I recall all of the arts and craft shops that I walked through in Gattlinburg, TN while vacationing in the Smokies? No. But I do clearly remember the ridiculous woodcarving shop. We're talking about the kind of stuff that is typically mostly large logs caved with a chainsaw and painted to look like black bears or eagles etc. Or walking sticks with small carvings of old bearded men. These places get to be as frequent as gas stations. But once I stopped at a very unusual woodcarving shop in Townsend, TN. What was so different that I had to stop? How about a wood carving about the length of a car of a blonde biker chick - big boobs, a thong, the "ho" works - riding a hog. No. not a motorcycle, a real hog that had  wheels attached to the front and back feet. There was also black bears but instead of the typical poses like standing or climbing a tree, one was sitting on a toilet next to a bear using a urinal. WTF! Inside I found other oddities like busty mermaids, a winged pig, and more busty women. My theory is that the artist is a lonely mountain man with a subscription to Maxium Magazine and he is grossly overestimating the market for poorly carved busty women statuettes.

 

See, i cant make this stuff up. and if you look in the background you can see the bear using a urinal.

Now, I already have some stops planned like art museums, friends, and site seeing. But here are a few that I'm really looking forward to:

Ikea 

Atlantic Station

441 16th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30363

(404) 745-4532

ikea-usa.com/atlanta

Heck yeah! My first Ikea experience. It's going to be epic. I have all sorts of things marked in my catalog at home for the house and the studio. The key will be to not fill up the car so early in the road trip.  

Cheap Joes Art Store

Open 10 - 7 Mon.-Sat.
Phone: 704 - 333 - CJAS (2527)
4420 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205

I love their online catalog and order supplies from there all the time. I hope to find all kinds of deals while I'm there and stock up. 

Buffalo Trace Distillery 

located in Frankfort, Kentucky just off I-64 at:
113 Great Buffalo Trace
Franklin County,
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Trace Tour Hours
Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. departing every hour
Saturday: 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. departing every hour

Buffalo Trace is a favorite bourbon whiskey of mine. And this distillery make all three of my favorite brands - Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare - a 10yr old single barrel bourbon whiskey, and Sazerac Rye Whiskey. Yum. They better have tastings as part of the tour and the gift shop better have awesome deals on the whiskey. I want to get a special glass for drinking whiskey too. 

I prefer mine straight over ice. Not a shot or mixed drink. Just something to sip. I dont recall exactly how i ended up drinking whiskey. The choice may have been influenced by watching Deadwood episodes. I think I just decided that the times called for something STRONG and HARD, and whiskey seemed like a pretty hard-ass drink. Also, it went well with cigars and gave you a nice warm sensation, but i found that out later. Anyway, now I just enjoy the taste and have tried quite a few brands. I'm sorta a whiskey connoisseur now. 

More Road Trip Suggestions

Kathy is my road trip hero. She does some big 2 week trip to a gorgeous national park just about every year it seems. In July of 2008, she did 5500 miles in 10 days including a 21 hrs non-stop drive from Memphis to South Dakota. Her trip included the Badlands and Black Hills, Crazy Horse Memorial, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. 


Favorite Road Trip Traditions/Games:


Kathy:
I’m not huge into traditions or games.
I’ll do the “spot the most different states/countries license plates” or “twenty questions, guess who/what I’m thinking of” sort of games.


Highpoint/Lowpoint of the day/overall trip are great conversation starters. That’s an awesome way to stop, breath and relive the good moments and vent about the bad moments with your companions at the end of each day. This is reallllly helpful to keep things friendly on long trips. Usually works better with girls than guys though...


I guess these are my traditions:
1. Make a point to get to know some of the people I meet along the way. Not all of them, cause I’m not that outgoing or energetic! Often helps me to appreciate how we are all so different, but still so similar. It allows me to recognize and say hi to the same people again and again along the road, which makes for the most random and friendly moments. 


One of my favorites was while waiting in front of the McDonald Lodge in Montana for our Jammer Bus Tour Guide to return. It was just a retired gentleman from North Dakota and me sitting on a bench enjoying the perfect weather. He’d heard the tour guide mention I was from Memphis. Turns out he was a huge Tigers Basketball fan. We had the best discussion on Memphis coaches, team history and where the team was going. I was amazed by his excitement and knowledge, and I think he was amazed that a girl from Memphis was talking basketball to him in Montana. :-) Since I was travelling alone, he and his wife invited me to sit with them during lunch to continue our conversation...which did move beyond basketball, eventually...love those moments.


2. Make a point to get up and out early at least once. Find some quiet alone time and watch the sunrise. City trips – a cup of coffee with a view of the city/neighborhood.
Beach/mountain/country trips – a walk/drive to quiet location with an inspiring view to have breakfast with only the local wildlife around.


3. I always make a point try to find something unique or quirky to randomly stop at along the road...Always do my best to avoid eating/shopping at major chains. Can’t completely avoid them, but I try...Love cheesy or decrepit camp stores...
  

Your Road Trip Tips and Suggestions are Needed

I'm soliciting advice from folks who have done their own Great American Road Trip. So have you done a GART (i'm stealing this fun term from Elizabeth)? What advice would you give to a novice road tripper? What is one of your favorite road trip rituals?

Elizabeth Cawein - longest trip - Memphis, TN to New Jersey and back - grand total over four days. it was about 35 hours. 4 hours friday, 12 hours saturday, 14 hours sunday, 4 hours monday: just be prepared to completely wing it. that's my biggest piece of advice. make a plan. because you should always make a plan. but then be prepared to completely throw it out the window and do something totally different. and no matter what you do, think of it as a story to tell later. that is the reason you stop in places called nutter fort, west virginia. because for the rest of your life you will talk about the time you stopped in nutter fort.

Fav Road Trip rituals: Stopping at a Dairy Queen for sure. also, i would say getting up at the crack of dawn is a big one for me. i love to make good time, and it doesn't feel like a road trip unless you're on the road just before dawn. (or well before dawn.) if i'm doing the road trip with someone else, i like to play car games, too. most of which are made up on the spot. like when holly and i played, "which developing nation also sounds like a baby name from Memphis?" 

Robert Fudge - longest trip - 22 hrs Memphis, TN to Flagstaf, AZ: 

have good podcasts. plan to be flexible, avoid doing things you could do at home (ex: eating at wendy's) also: check the pressure in your spare tire. alsp avoid interstate....you can never see stuff from the interstate, but two lane highway goes straight through town.....think I-40 verses Summer Ave, or Stage Road (both technically highways) you just get a better feel for places, even if it takes longer....also easier to pull over on a whim.

Fav Road Trip rituals: music tends to be key....as does coffee. I like to plan out mile stone playlists....what will I be listening to when....i cross the mississippi...leave pavement etc. lots of sing along sessions....keeps driver alert. i seem to have a wierd tradition of driving places in the middle of the night, not sure that i recommend it. but it teaches you to go ahead and nap when its needed. i have taken quite a few naps when alone at rest stops or what have you.

Darren - longest trip - 16hrs Memphis to Brighton, MI:

you need to take some of the 5 hour energy drinks because driving on your own sucks, i always make sure i have breakdowns covered on my car insurance, have a oil change about a week before you go that gives you one week in case some thing goes wrong, make sure you fill you windshield washer fluid, check the spare, and just have fun.

Robyn: 2100 miles - dallas, little rock, atlanta, nashville, birmingham, the colony, tx:

load the ipod with your favorite music. stay in the homes of people you go to see if its possible. if they have kids, bring them presents. this is all in my book i havent finished writing. ugh. video your experience so you can share it online. i wish i had done that schedule it so that you can have time to wiggle around, but also make sure you see the people you want to see.

Fav Road Trip rituals: i always look for sonic so i can have sonic ice. i like to eat in local restaurants, not chains, when i'm traveling.

Myself - longest trip - 14 hrs Memphis, TN to Anna Maria Island, FL: 

Fav Road Trip rituals: Stopping at the rest stops. Listening to David Sedaris audio books. Finding odd repetitive roadside attractions to call out, especially kitsch stuff like "hey, you need a walking stick." or "look boiled peanuts! wanna stop?" and making fun of billboard designs. 

Blanchard Springs - trial run for the BIG roadtrip

So here's the Blanchard Springs camping trip recap. The campsites are $10 cash per night and at a first come basis. Unlike some park it and camp sites, these did not have water facets. In fact, there was a boil notice at the time, and come to think of it there was one the last time i went there. So next time I'd either bring a whole bunch of bottled water or some water purification tablets. Boiling uses up a lot of fuel and time.



View Larger Map

This was the first time for me to take the volvo on a trip. I figure that a trip or two is required before my 2010 Art Roadtrip. I need to get comfortable and accustomed to my new ride. Also a few short trips should reveal anything that needs fixing. For example, the sunroof seems a tad loose which you dont notice around town or on good roads, but on bumpy Arkansas highways it's a very noticeable rattle. Oh, and it's not the best at river crossing (more on that later).

It was also good to try out the new tent. Wow, for a 2 person backpacking tent, it sure had a lot of room. Much more than i expected. I'm glad that I set it up for the first time in the daylight. It is always tricky the first time you set up a new tent. The ones I used as a boy scout are so familiar to me that I can (and i seriously have) set them up blindfolded. The REI tent was pretty simple once you got the hang of it. I think it will be much quicker next time. It was a great purchase. No doubt.

Above is a shot of the spring water coming out of the Blanchard Spring Caverns. The caverns are amazing. I taken the tour it a few times, but I didn't go this time. Everything was so nice and pretty outside that it didn't seem worth it.

The Ozarks, Arkansas rivers, and bluffs... ah, it feels like going home to grandma's. This is my childhood. This is where i went camping as a kid and as a boy scout. Speaking of all things Arkansas, let me introduce you to the low water crossing.

I don't care for these low water crossings, they worry me since I drive a car not a truck or SUV.  But Arkansas has a number of them when you go into the backcountry. So the Volvo and I have never done one of these before, but the water was only about 7 inches deep and the current seemed very slow. Should be fine right? The ranger didnt warn us about this. Anyway.... The photo above is from the drive out of camp. So maybe  I had a better technique this time because the first time the tires threw the water up higher. And this happened.

Seriously? I feel this bit o plastic (a wind damn or somthing?) wasn't firmly attached anyway. I'll get it put back on later, but this was upsetting at the time. Geeze. It felt like a real life version of the Oregon Trail video game. Your oxen have drowned. River fording FAIL... Sigh.

But all in all it was a great trip and I really enjoyed it. I'll be more prepared next time.

Vroom! I'm ready to hit the road.

So I've got a new(er) car and not a moment too soon. My 1993 Honda Civic hatchback with over 175,000 miles died. Not completely, but there was something seriously wrong and it barely made the short drive to Bruce Wholesale Motor Co from my house. I got next to nothing for it but I'm just glad to have it off my hands. It was bleeding me dry.

My newer car is a 2003 Volvo wagon V70 with 101,000 miles. Say hello to the Fudge-mobile art hauler - extended canvas edition. Holy cow. It's like going from a size small to XL. Not to mention clunker to classy.

I'm taking her camping this weekend to Blanchard Springs in the Ozark National Forest. And no, I haven't given her a name yet. It's too early in the relationship. Though I feel it should start with a "V". 


Before it gets too hot and buggy, I'll need to take her to the Summer Drive in for a double feature. When you have a hatchback, it's like tailgating when you go. It's going to be so much fun. 

And of course, HUGE canvas hauling is planned. I'm not exactly sure what i can fit but possibly a 4ft x 6ft one. I'm smiling just thinking about it. But before I do that I need to finish some preliminary sketches for a children's book that 2 friends are helping write and produce with me. (No. Seriously, I cant believe it either. More info to come.)

Just about ready for Art Roadtrip 2010

You may recall that I'm planning a roadtrip this summer. There were a few big ticket items that I felt I needed to make the trip better. A digital camera is a must for documenting the experience and gathering inspiration. I mean what roadtrip is complete without a slideshow when you get back? A backpacking tent and sleeping bag would be great to have as a cheap alternative to staying in a hotel. Also, the state and national parks in the area that I've driving through are incredibly beautiful. 


Well, through saving up and a couple art sales, I've purchased my new tent and digital camera. The tent was the most expensive purchase and the hardest to select. How big do I need it to be? I plan to use it later on camping and backpacking trips. So how lightweight does it need to be? What features do I need? Etc. Thankfully, I have my brother Robert to guide me through the selection process. Not only did he use to work at Outdoors Inc. (a local backpacking store), he also spends probably more nights under a tent each year than under a roof. This past fall and spring, he's been working 8 days on and 6 days off as a trail crew foreman with the national forestry service and has worked the past few summers at Philmont scout ranch as a trail crew forman. All this to say, he knows what gear to get and what to avoid. 


So here is the tent I ordered:

REI Half Dome 2 Plus

I can't wait! I'm going to take this tent for a test run camp out in a couple of weeks. I haven't gone on a camping trip in... wow I think it's been 2 years. That's ridiculous! It's a 2 person tent but it's one of the roomier backpacking ones I could find. With 2 vestibules, there's ample space to store gear. I'll likely be using it more on my own than with a second person anyway.

Now if I could just find a good car. 

   

2010 Art Goals #1 Art and worship road trip

So tis the season to think and plan for the new year. Ever since I started mailing around the prayer journals and created a map of Artsy Churches, a massive road trip has been brewing in the back of my mind. I feel that a REAL road trip must last about a week, include a decent number of states traveled through, and a visit to the coastline.

View Larger Map

Look at that monster. That's over 2,100 miles, over 35 hours on the road, and crossing through a dozen states. Now, before I can really do this, I need to replace my old 93 Civic Hatchback. Poor thing has over 170,000 miles and recently i smashed the front a little in a minor accident. My clunker would probably die before the trip was half way through.

So that's the first BIG hurdle.* I'm hoping to find a good used wagon like a Subaru Outback or Scion xB. I don't plan on traveling light - well, at least not by the end of it. Think about it. I might need to haul my live painting supplies if there's a chance i might paint at some churches along the way. or I might pick up some art along the way. or maybe i have a traveling art show to share at the churches i visit.

I need to save up enough vacation days at my day job. Also, need to save up the gas money etc needed. I'll need a camera for the documentation. Some good podcasts and audio books to listen to along the way are a must. I think a classic road trip requires some nights of car camping. I might need to buy a small tent and a sleeping bag. i'll be passing through the Smokey Mountains, and i know i'll wish i had spent a night camping there. A few nights of camping will of course save on the hotel costs. Also, i hope that a few artists will be open to allowing me to crash at their place while i travel through their area (please!).

*a friend pointed out that i should considering renting a car for the trip. hmm. that might not be a bad idea. i could rent a model that im interested in buying. it'd be like an extended test drive. hmm.