Day One: Boone, North Carolina-Charlotte, North Carolina

August 23, 2009
Boone, North Carolina-Charlotte, North Carolina
Miles: 115.3 miles

Hung Out with Anna for one last day. Just laid around, ate a lot of food and packed my bag and my car. I realized that In the whole summer, I have only driven my car by myself only once or twice in three months. That’s good because my favorite thing in the world is a full car. My car has 8 seatbelts and since this summer, we got 15 people in it. It. Was. Awesome. The people at Gables had no idea what was coming when we crawled out like a clown car in the circus.

I left for Charlotte around 6 and was terrified that I would be lost. Fortunately for me Anna was so sweet and wrote me up step by step directions on how to get to my couch surfer’s house in Charlotte. The drive was fantastic because the clouds were orange and pink. Stayed with Nice lady named Kristi who was an elementary school teacher. We watched True Blood and went to be early because the next morning I will be picking up NATE AT THE AIRPORT!!!!
Love Luke

Overview

States: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina

Miles Anna Darea, and Luke traveled from NY to NC: 1,445.9
Luke since OR: 4,500.2

Cost:
Gas Total: 157.33
Divided by three: 52.33

Hosts:
Henryville, Pennsylvania: Camp Lindenmere, The Ghost
Manhattan, New York: Jazz on the City
Worcester, Massachusetts: Dianne, Peggy, and Anthony
Salem, Massachusetts: Konstandt Family
Allentown, Pennsylvania: Senderowitz Family
Virginia Beach, Virginia: Perry Family
Greensboro, North Carolina: Mackey
Boone, North Carolina: Reichard Family

Quotes:
That’s Hogwash –Brenna (even though she’s not here)
My gums are throbbing –Doctor
What is your location? –David/Everybody at camp
I was lookin’ a hot mess –Brenna/Everybody
One hot minute –Brenna
Let’s Discuss how… -Brenna/Everybody
Seriously guys, just come to Oregon and you’d get it. –Luke
DINOSAUR PAAAAARK –Luke
Anna google Dinosaur park. Can we camp there? –Luke

Day 9: Boone, North Carolina

August 20, 2009
Boone, North Carolina

This morning we went to Anna’s mom’s charity event for a new homeless shelter, it was a fancy brunch that included Boone’s most well groomed and wealthy citizens … and us. Anna assured Luke and I that our shorts and shirts were fine, though it was evident that we were chronically under-dressed. Luke attempted to button up his shirt but being a checked hillbilly number his success at fitting in Boone style was slightly limited. However it must be noted that Luke and I may not have fitted in aesthetically but my accent, not consisting of ‘y’all’ or even a remote American twang made me stand out like a sore thumb. Highlights of the event included Eric whispering to me ‘Now the fun really begins’ after the fifth southern speaker said the same thing to their captive audience. The giggles were inappropriately passed around the table doing nothing for our attempts to be inconspicuous. Definitely a unique morning, on a serious note though it did make us all think about the social issue at hand.
‘Downtown Boone’ was about the size of a postage stamp but was chock-a-block full of hippie stores. We especially enjoyed a certain furniture store that looked like we had stepped onto the set of ‘That 70’s show’. It was awesome…dude. We also went to the most amazing old fashioned candy store I have ever ever seen, bought a lot of candy but hey there were barrels full of it! Oh and the other uber exciting part of the day was discovering that Anna had Girl Talk. Way better than dinosaurs. Darea x

dressin' fancy in wal-mart!

Day 8: Virginia Beach, Virginia-Greensboro, North Carolina-Boone, North Carolina

August 19, 2009
Virginia Beach, Virginia-Boone, North Carolina
Miles: 370 miles
Music: Ben Kweller, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers

Woke up to watch the sunrise, but it was not out. The sky was grey and just got lighter and lighter with no colors. We woke up again at 8 and Lauren took us to a restaurant called “The Jewish Mother” where they had a special called 3.33 where you got two eggs and style, two pancakes, and bacon….all for $3.33!!! Sweet deal. I was especially happy because I rode to the restaurant in Lauren’s friend Chris’ convertible...which later got towed for being parked in a dry cleaner spot. After a good breakfast, some friends left for Montreal to go to a rave or something.

Lauren and Allison took us to the beach and we went swimming and laid in the hot hot sun. Lauren managed to get us a few kayaks to paddle around in for free! We accidently paddled too far out past where anyone could see us from shore so Lauren came out and said that there were dolphins near the shore. We paddled back and sure enough, dolphins started swimming right next to us in groups of three or four! We saw babies and groups of them came within a couple feet from our kayaks! It was definitely an unforgettable experience. The coolest part about it was jumping off the kayaks and going underwater. When I did that, I heard the unmistakable clicks and high pitched whistles of the dolphins making noises under water! Got pretty sunburned through the whole thing so we paddled back to give Allison and Amanda a turn on the Kayaks. I’d like to note that Darea managed to give herself the most ridiculous color bone sunburn/soon to be tan line I’ve ever seen. It’s like she put a smattering of sunscreen on her chest with no regard as to how to rub it in properly. Oh how I love this girl. I on the other hand am just sunburned all over, even though I put on Allison’s SPF 70 (allegedly it was not waterproof) Anyways It is pouring down rain now so we have no worries about any kind of sunburns.

Lauren gave us a ride back to her house and we said our goodbyes after a shower and re-packing.

On the road again! We got very lost more than once on confusing highways that wanted us to go the wrong direction. Once we were on a long straight road it was very nice and pretty. Very green all along the southern part of Virginia, and the we passed into North Carolina and Anna and played our favorite Avett Brothers and OCMS songs about North Carolina! Very pretty place.

This whole trip I have been giving any car the thumbs up if I see that they have the same car as me. (Ford Taurus) Anyways, it hasn’t been reciprocated yet unfortunately. I guess not all Ford Taurus owners are as cool as me. I was, however, lucky enough to pass by another car with Oregon plates. Thumbs up out the window and of course what happens? It gets returned. This goes to show you the friendliness of Oregonians in and out of state. ☺ Made my car riding experience complete.

On the way to dinner with Anna’s Grandmother “Mackie”

Ok so being an English gal, meeting someone who quite genuinely says ‘y’all’ has been one of the highlights of this trip for me. Mackie is simply adorable and seeing Anna interact with her was a beautiful sight to see. She is evidently a funny albeit tiny lady who felt the need to be somewhat reserved on account of the two strangers in her manicured little home, but her humor came out in no time.(I would just like it noted that I resent the way I have to spell humor, it should have a u in it but an angry red line appears when I write it like that, so when in Rome…) especially cute ‘Mackie Moments to note are her joke about if she doesn’t read her name in the obituary list then she will go out and the hilarious quip she made to Anna; ‘I thought about it before you, I just didn’t shout it out’. The lady is pure gold and it was a pleasure to meet her. The evidence for this was the fact that the moment we got back in the car, grinning from ear to ear, Luke and I rang our respective grandparents. Being the cool kids that we are one of the biggest laughs if the day came from Luke telling another ‘funny story’ about Gramma Judy and her ‘sex in the car’ story. On our way to Boone now, up some mountains in the rain but we are in good hands with Anna driving. Who I have consequently decided to call Florence Nightingale with regards to the fact that she carries a pharmacy in her purse. Thinking of shortening it to Flo? Hopefully she will be more accepting of it than I was to Drizzle. Darea x.

Note: Anna told me that the ‘site to see’ on our drive to Boone is the world’s only double storey Wendy’s. Not going to lie it is no giant ball of yarn, or an obnoxiously large Confederate flag (either of which would be truly exciting and I’m still crossing my fingers for) but hey a double storey Wendy’s? I’m prepared to be excited, after all I am just a impressionable tourist. Oh and Anna killed a bird, the weapon was Luke’s car and the location was the high-way, but she doesn’t want to talk about it. Darea x.

First impressions of Anna’s town and home: very green, winding roads and some pretty stars. I’m excited for tomorrow. Darea x

Day 7: Allentown, PA-Delaware-Maryland-Virginia Beach, Virginia

August 18, 2009
Allentown, PA-Delaware-Maryland-Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Miles: 317.6 miles
Music: Fun., Manchester Orchestra, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Beatles

Woke up and had bagels on the porch. It is ridiculously hot out today and it has been very hot every day since we left camp. Said goodbye to the Senderowitz family and before leaving took dome pictures and videos with massive white and red flowers growing in front of their home. Biggest flower I’ve ever seen. Now we’re just in the car driving south! Today I hope to surf in the ocean again. The car was filed with this song and it is stuck in our heads: “All the Pretty Girls” –Fun.

We’ have passed about 125 churches so far and a building called “church stores.” Also Anna said there is a church in North Carolina where people are Baptized in hot tubs. Welcome to the South.

Long time driving until we got to the beautiful Chesapeake Bay Bridge which is really long and pretty. We stopped to take pictures and played Hoppipolla, Darea’s favorite Sigur Ros song.


We got to Virginia Beach around 6:30 and we were greeted by Lauren and her mom in their amazing house on the bay. It was huge and gloriously decorated. We dropped our stuff of and Lauren took us to where her brother Brian and her friend Allison work at a burrito place called Muchismo’s. Had some massive burritos, then went to another friend’s house named Amanda. We waited a while, then drove downtown to the strip near the ocean. We had a drink and Darea told us about her adventures in Africa. After listening to some bands, getting ice cream, we decided it would be more fun to sit on the dock at Lauren’s house. The city lights in the distance provided some evening glow and many friends sat and discussed plans of going to Canada and stuff like that.

The floor we slept on was upstairs in a big room and it was the softest carpet I have ever slept on. Good sleep.