It's On!

All,

I've returned to the road to visit friends and places heretofore unseen (by me) in the West. I'm also hoping to network like a big dawg as my impending unemployed status grows more real. I think I forgot how to budget somewhere along the way. I'll be learning quickly... and brushing up on my skills as a calligrapher. "Will work for food." Does that look better in 24 or 36 point font?

I'm now in Salt Lake City and hanging out with a very good, long-time friend of mine, Eric. We explored a few of SLC's more exotic venues - i.e. caffeinated and ethanalated (my new word of the day) establishments. I don't know of the LDS church bans chocolate cake, but they probably should; we tried that too. So far I thoroughly approve. Plus, no rain! Sweet.

I'm thinking this might be a good place to return. It is geographically and oddly equidistant to all of the Western US markets, halfway between the sun fields of Arizona and the windfields of Wyoming, and is affordable. Plus the houses are damn nice - for once, it is good to be in real estate in the late "oughts". We'll see, but so far SLC is looking like a damn nice place to start a business. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to fall - you know, forceful baptism and/or conversion, but despite fears nothing has happened. So far. As anyone with an ounce of sense knows, however, sometimes they really are out to get you.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family. I spent a wonderful evening talking about old Navy stories at a charming party with friends in Western Montana. We might not deep fry turkeys, but folks out here know how to throw down a 30k calorie spread. 3 slices of cake and a loosened belt later and I'm off for my second soiree with beer and football. Go Denver! It was a nice night - if only I could have woken up on time this morning.

Finally, I must admit the van remains in the shop. I'm traveling by way of a rental car. I have to hang my head in shame, but I really, really didn't want to be stranded between Idaho Falls and Butte. Look it up in google (or click here). Having your car crap out in this part of the world is not for the faint of heart. I'm fairly certain both USAA and AAA give a standard response to roadside assist requests in this part of the world. "Sorry, kid, you're on your own" followed by maniacal laughter recorded earlier in front of a studio audience. Bottom line, I went with something reliable. Dad and I will be effecting repairs upon my return from the SLC/Bay Area/Portland road trip. Once new boots are in, leaks are plugged, and gas mileage is solidly above 16mpg, I'll chance being stranded in one-tooth towns.

Take care and happy holidays. More reports from the city of Temple to follow.

Trip in Remission

All,

Thanks for your patience. I had to return back to my base of operations in Polson, MT to perform a thorough check on the BBB as well as take care of some local business crisis (mold in the rental!). It was a good week to reassess my travel plans.

First - unless one is REALLY camping and unplugging from the grid and Internet, traveling in a fuel inefficient vehicle from coffee house to coffee house isn't cheap. At all.

Second - it is crucial to drive to a place and then really shift into local (i.e. bike) transport. This begs the question - where can one simply shut down and plug in. Well, during my final days at the corporation, I'd have to go to a city and stay at a friend's place, or stay at a KOA. I am lucky to be blessed with many friends, but I feel guilty about consuming your mojo (i.e. power) too long and KOA aren't as cheap as I imagined - $30/night is better than a hotel, but not exactly the depth of low rent I was hoping for. After I leave the corporation, I can camp in place and start hiking in earnest at camping rates - hopefully asymptotically approaching, but likely not touching, $0.

Third - I must contain and plan my itinerary better or get a more fuel efficient vehicle. Wandering hither and yon at 13-14mpg is simply too expensive. $90/day was my average for a week of travel in the mountainous west. I have a feeling that traveling like this is quite doable in the urban wilderness of the East, but it gets pretty pricing to do a lot of travel between stops. Toyota Sienna or Tacoma look nice and will likely fit into my future business better than a VW van.

More to ponder. I hope to drive out to Portland next week . . . depending on what the other mechanic tells me about the VW. Seems there were a few other problems. . . .