people shuffling their feet. people sleeping in their shoes.

Departure day is a week away. And while my sleeping accommodations for various nights throughout the trip are figured out, night one is still a variable as are many others. I've discovered several interesting options. Upon arriving in Cleveland, I shall see which one fate has in store for me. I hope to use all of these before my travels end:

- Walmart Parking Lots: Many (but not all) Walmart locations offer their endless ocean of paved acreage to campers, travelers, and all kinds of vagabonds. If these types of people shop there, I can't imagine who is sleeping there. In addition to being free, these campgrounds are monitored by 24 hr Walmart security. Call the Walmart you're planning on visiting and ask if they allow camping. It's that simple. Plus they have bathrooms when you get up in the morning. It's not the Ritz Carlton, but remember, you just slept in a car.

- Hotels: Hotels cost money to stay in. You know what doesn't? Their parking lots. One friend advised me, "don't park too close to the back of the lot, or too close to the front. Right in the middle with everyone else. You'll blend right in." That idea combined with another friend's practice: "Go to places where they offer free breakfast with an overnight stay. Just walk into the dining room in the morning like you own the place, ask for more mix for the waffle iron, and you're all set," takes care of sleep and sustenance. Two birds, one cheap, shameless stone.
Consider the following: Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, and the Hilton Garden Inn.

- Residential areas. Just park on a side street where homeowners park on the side of the road. Who's going to notice one more car? If you're worried about looking suspicious, buy a FOR SALE sign and hang it in the window. This to me seems a little sketchier, but that doesn't mean it won't work. Note: Make sure you're not accidentally parked near an elementary or nursery school. Cops probably frown on that type of activity.

big wheels keep on toynin'

This is what I look like when I'm buying a car. I know... too eager.


And this is what I look like standing (ever so casually) next to a car that I just bought.


I knew nothing about buying cars prior to this. I probably still don't know much. Still, these two or three pointers should be helpful.
- CarFax. Make sure you get one. Owner history, repair history, etc. The dealer often has it on file, but if they don't you can get one here for about $40.
- On your test drive, take the car to another mechanic nearby that you trust. Have him check it out. And ask if he knows anything about the dealership you're buying from. If he's local and been around long enough, he should have some sense. In my case, he had nothing but good things to say.
- Don't forget to test it on the highway.
- Check Autotrader in addition to Craigslist and Ebay for comparable deals in your area.

If you ever happen to be in Ludlow, MA and in need of a used car (weirder things have happened) the guys at Ludlow Auto Sales are terrific. They've sold my family a few cars in the past. Really nice guys, really nice cars on the lot, and a pleasure to deal with. This was my first car purchase and it couldn't have been better or easier. This is of course assuming the product is good and that I don't end up stalling out and uncontrollably barreling down a mountain and off a cliff. Buckle up.

training for the road

In my planning, I have realized I'll be sleeping in a number of places that aren't my bed at home. This could mean a tent in the woods, a friend's couch, the back of my car or the driver's seat while doing 75 on I-90, etc... As fate would have it, when I went to visit my brother and sister this weekend, I discovered a recent addition to their home; a hammock. Outdoors. So after a long days work of hanging out, eating fresh veggies from their wonderful garden and watching Zombieland in the outdoor theater we built on their porch, I took it upon myself to do some self-testing/preparation and slept two nights outside in the aforementioned hammock. While it wasn't the most comfortable sleep I've ever had, it also wasn't the worst. What's odd is that 24 hrs later it still feels like I'm in one whenever I sit down.

may the 4th be with you

AUGUST 4th is the date I will depart, barring any sort of unforseen mishaps (a broken arm, monsoon, TB, an Arrested Development reunion mini-series, etc). That gives me just about 4 weeks to get my act together, finish up my planning as much as possible, and head west.

I've moved out of my NYC apartment today with the help of good ol' mom and dad, who at this point have moved me somewhere in the vicinity of 20 times. Saints they are. With gigs here in NYC, Cambridge, MA, and Pleasantville, NY, I'm only a few days from being completely uprooted from Manhattan.

In other news, a few items that will change my course:

- Touchdown Jesus burns to the ground after being hit by lightning. I would say "What are the odds?" but apparently they're pretty good.

Before planning my trip: After planning my trip:

- Lollapalooza is possibly thrown into the mix. Until my tix pull through, I refuse to spend any more time getting excited about it.

- I have registered for CouchSurfing.org. Check their site out if you're not familiar with it. My dear friends at the Today Show ran a segment on it recently and have verified that it will:
* drastically decrease my expenditures on nightly accommodations whilst in cities not inhabited by friends and family
* hypothetically give me some more great road stories to share with you here (read: severely increase the total amount of awkward moments in my life)
* only marginally increase my chances of being abducted and skinned in the middle of the night and made into a lampshade.

- Despite Enterprise Rent-A-Car's advertisements of "unlimited mileage" anywhere in the continental US, my phone representative, Nancy, informed that "That's just not true." So, I'm in the market to buy a car. More to come on this...