Well I did it. From Boston to Austin and all that I came across in between. Here's the wrap-up of life on the road...
I started Wednesday later than I'd have liked due to when the movers could come and finished packing my stuff. Soon I was off around 5pm and heading for Bridgeport, CT. There I was going to have dinner with my cousin, uncle and aunt and also grab a clock that was my grandfathers that they were holding for me. It only took a couple hours to make it there and it was great to see them. Not only because I got a great home cooked meal, but also got to catch up with the fam. My uncle and aunt had been in Ecuador for 5 months due to being stuck while on vacation with travel restrictions so it was good to see them home! I wasn't there too long before getting on my way.
I hit some traffic near Stamford but found a way around it and kept rolling. Before long I had cleared New York and New Jersey for a bit to hit Pennsylvania. As I watched the clock I decided to stop near Harrisburg, PA because it was a good stopping point and also one I used when moving to Roanoke all the way back in 2000. I got in a shower and passed out.
In the morning I was on the way west and from this point on it was all new territory for me. I rolled along through Pennsyvania for what seemed like forever before finally hitting the dorsal fin of West Virginia and then dumping out in Ohio.
Most of the trip to this point I was listening to the Adam Carolla podcast. I'm usually about a month or so behind on these so this was a great chance to catch up. I also mixed in some tunes sometimes including some old one I made in like 1999-2002 called "Pich Country" basically a collection of Country songs I liked. My country music fandom is reserved for summer time only usually but I figured I'd get in to the mood of my new area by getting a little country.
Ohio took awhile and I got to Columbus and then headed south towards Cincinnati. Once arriving there the rains came... And traffic... I sat near the Reds Ballpark and then later the Bengals Stadium. Fun to see Cincinnati a bit.
Then I crossed in to Kentucky for the first time ever and headed for Louisville to visit yet another cousin from the other side of my family. The rain, and weird detour made this take longer than I'd hoped but I made it there and met my cousin and his family. Ate dinner then rolled after getting a special portrait drawn of my likeness! It was great to catch up with him and have yet another home-cooked meal!
I then rolled south towards Nashville where I planned to stay with a friend who used to live in Vermont. Tiff was a gracious host and her dog, Benny, was hilarious at how he reacted to the storm that was rolling overhead. After catching up for awhile I showered and slept. In the morning we went out to get breakfast at Loveless Cafe. Soon after our tour there and picking up the food after opting to not wait an hour for a table... we went back to her place and ate. Then I rolled out and headed west. Nashville was mostly closed so it wasn't the best time to see it for the first time, but still it looked like a fun town!
My goal for this day was to get as close to Austin as I could so Saturday would be a layup. I made it to Memphis and was impressed by the Pyramid Arena... very cool to see in person. Soon I crossed in to Arkansas for the first time ever and stopped to cut a promo on Instagram and bathroom it up.
Most of my stops were not for food. I had so many snacks with me thanks to Katie and a Trader Joe's send-off bag that I mostly stopped for cold drinks, bathroom breaks, and rarely gas. (Thanks Prius!)
I hit Little Rock and continued southwest to Texarkana. Where I finally crossed in to Texas and yet still had over 5 hours to get to Austin. After a stop in New Boston, Texas mostly for the check-in, I decided to try and get to Waco so the morning would be easy.
I trucked on and kind of sadly, around Dallas although I saw it in the distance. That green lined building really sticks out. I can't wait to come check out Dallas someday. I eventually made it to Waco and made camp for the night at a Hampton Inn.
In the morning I simply had to acquire money order to have in hand to move-in at my new apartment and then make the 1.5 hour drive there. And shower and rest was what I needed. In the morning I began to have trouble when going for the money order... I had to call my bank to figure it out because they suspected fraud and under the circumstances that makes sense to me. So I stopped a few places on the way down one post office, a western union, a Buc-ee's (More on that later in life... it needs a deeper dive for me than the bathroom break I used it for.) Eventually while waiting on hold as I drove I got the clearance I needed to get a second money order which I got from a Walmart.
Then I rolled to my apartment complex. I was starting to finally recognize areas... the time on the arrival finally shrunk to 2 minutes. It wasn't long after I had keys in my hand, checked in with peeps, and then emptied my car of all I had with me. Then I went to Target to get some necessities mostly for the bathroom so I could shower and eventually wipe my butt. Then I came back and organized all I had with me and then made my phone a hot spot to watch the Canadiens beat the Penguins...
I won't have my stuff for a few days so I'm running lean in all this new space but I'm so glad to finally be here.
When I left Wisconsin in 2010 I was so upset about it. It was the right move for me at the time for sure, but as I headed back to Vermont I told myself I needed to not stay too long and then get back out. The Milwaukee time was short but it resembled what I wanted out of life. After being in Vermont through 2013 I eventually made my way out in 2014, reluctantly, for a job in Chelmsford, Mass. Then when I was fired from that in 2016 I wondered where I would head next. Eventually I landed at Endicott College and then Warrior Ice Arena... I always looked around the country for other jobs. Boston, or Massachusetts, was never where I wanted to settle down.
I am hoping upon hopes that Austin is that place I root down happily. For so long I refused to do certain things in Boston that would allow me to settle in. My body was rejecting it... of course that's not to say I didn't make the most of my time there... and I met a tons of great people... I have no regrets. Everything I did since I left Wisconsin in 2010 got me here 10 years later. It was a great path, and the correct path to once again spring free from New England. I was more read for this than ever.... so prepared... so efficient with a lot of what I did and how I prepared. Ahhh... it's just been great so far.
Basically I became a Texas resident today after completing #PichAcrossAmerica I can truly say that the trip made this that much sweeter. Now when my stuff gets here and I set up it will truly be great. Also excited to finally dig in at the new workplace and help them on site with all the growing pains of a new building ready to open soon.
THANK YOU! To everyone who reached out and said congrats, or good luck... it meant a lot to hear from so many people in so many ways. It was tough for me to leave during a quarantine time.... no handshakes, or hugs... but I had everyone behind me on social media and I appreciated it. I didn't make that journey alone! My success, my journey, my adventures... are yours as well because I like to share... and now I have an apartment where people can come stay and visit and have an adventure with me. I look forward to it!