#they just loved doing mount drivebys

[meeeeeeese]

Ahhhh, what a relaxing vacation in sparkfly fen, sure hope nothing comes out of the water to attack me today!

... I'm having far too much fun with this silly new chair

[always-ed-iting]

Challenge #3: Write About a Unique Experience

This is the story of the party I threw for my car. 

But First: Establish Love for Car 

Growing up I had an older brother and some pack rat parents so that meant I never had anything that was my own. Not until I turned 22 (?) ((sounds good)) and I rolled off the lot with my brand new 2011 Honda Civic.

Pouring Out a Verbal 40

Let me take a moment (out of respect to inanimate objects) to recognize that I have been the sole owner of other valuable things: listed in (kinda) order: my Pocket Pikachu (lost in PE field ((probably ran over by lawn mower (((at least that’s what I said when I cried about it))))), my Gameboy Color (died because games cost $40 but batteries cost $1 and I never had $1), my guitar collection (which has died to my decreased interest in becoming a professional musician), my first desktop (which I’m typing from (and which is “da real mvp”)), and my PS3 (died of STOLEN).

And while those other things were highly prized, used, and cherished they suffered being taken for granted due to being part of my life when I was too young to appreciate them.

But: by the time my cars tires touched the freeway for the first time: I had a job, and had learned the value of making a buck. They didn’t let me (and no one ever prompted me), but I was totally ready to give a “thank you speech” to celebrate the accomplishment. A speech that would have included shout-outs: to the heavens, the fates, and the multiverse for allowing me to exists in a timeline where finally I had the CD player, AC, and the grey exterior I always wanted.

A speech that still sits in my wallet. 

Oh Yeah I Never Told Ya’ll About This

In my car: I’ve had some deep conversations, a lot of thinking, lots silent drives, many miles, and an adventure or two. My first adventure was a (nearly) perimeter tour of the United States (sorry Maine). I told instagram that I had 3 open seats to whoever wanted to pitch in on gas, not bring any drama, and be down for whatever. So me and 3 strangers became friends over the next 8,000 miles. It was meant to be a drive from Houston to NYC, then to LA, but (as I got closer to all these areas I’ve only heard about) it turned into a 1) I gotta drop off some guns for my military brother near Atlanta, 2) let’s stretch our legs in Charlotte, 3) “we’ll we gotta see the White House”, 4) NEW YORK CITY 5) Cleveland, and Detroit were late night drivebys (I remember serving as getaway driver outside of the original Motown record store the area was full of sketch), 6) Mandatory Bean Picture in Chicago, 7) “OMG Mount Rushmore” is just a few hundred miles that way, 8) ok guys I have a confession, “I love Frasier and want to go to Seattle”, 9) Portland is a lot like Austin, 10) a quick jog across the Golden Gate Bridge, 11) shooting guns in the deserts of Cali, 12) overspending on dinner on Sunset Boulevard, 13) gambling for the first time in Vegas (I retired from gambling the same day), 14) seeing what OKC was up to…..then getting back home on Monday morning in time for an early breakfast with mom before she went to work.

Oh did I mention we did it in 10 days?

Will Anyone Ever Know Why She’s Named Blackie?

That car which for (long story) I named Blackie (despite her gray color) is where my sense for adventure developed. I had never traveled before that. I was always impulsive but with a set of reliable wheels, I became a traveler. 

Let’s Skip a Bit and Finally Talk About My Unique Experience.

Out of respect, love, appreciation (and all that we had been through) for my car, I wanted to do something big for her turning 100K Miles. So I planned a trip out (900 miles away but still in my state) to Amarillo home of…. The Cadillac Ranch and next door to Canyon, Texas where Palo Duro Canyon State Park is (the Second Biggest Canyon in America). So I loaded (with ideas of taking an epic ass picture) my car up with party hats (one for me, and one for my car), champaign, and a glasses (for a toast, duh) and headed out on the 11 hour drive. This time, I attempted to invite a bunch of strangers, but like all my plans…it was too short notice, so I found myself going alone. Which ended up being good, because it gave me the freedom to film a video idea had been thinking about seeing done.  

It was a marathon of a drive, with not a lot to see on along the interstate. I did stop at Dinosaur Valley State Park and accidentally hiked the longest, loneliest, and hardest trail, but the view from the top…wasn’t worth it. Getting back to my car, before dark, and getting back on the road was its own reward.  “Science Teacher Me” did enjoy the preserved dino footprints I saw though. Especially after finding out I didn’t need to hike that trail to find them, it’s only a 2 minute walk from where I parked (but on the other side of the branches I thought led to nowhere).

On the way to Amarillo a bit before nightfall: my car rolled from 99,999 to 100,000 miles. I really wanted to pull over and take a picture but I was in very odd (sketchy) little town: a town I swore I would never forget….whose name I forgot.

Once in Amarillo, I stayed in a very nice ($30) hotel and hiked the most iconic part of the canyon that next morning. Then I drove back home.

In the end I settled for this picture in my backyard. But it’s all about the journey.

I’m learning success isn’t the most important thing: it’s all about the experience. Some experiences you learn from and some will motivate you to do better, but all will inspire you (if you let them).

So back home (and before the trip even started) we (me and Blackie) came to an agreement that: she’d be retired, and only used as a commuter car (just for work)….but we decided that retiring is for people who want to die: so we’ll be in Utah this summer.

See ya in a bit Mt. Zion National Park. 

So that’s the explaination of why me and my car are wearing party hats. 

...on to Challenge #4!