The Good, the Bad, and the Unexpected
Week 1, May 5-10
This is my first GBU post! I'm excited to share the fun and surprises from the past week!
Every week on this vanlife journey I'll be sharing my adventures, my day-to-day, the surprises and the letdowns. Being honest and earnest in sharing this trip with everyone. This is as much for sharing as it is for my own posterity.
I hope you enjoy, and feel free to drop me a line and share your thoughts.
Monday May 5, day 1 - Departure Day
I optimistically wanted to get out the door and on my way by noon.
Realistically I actually left at 5:56. Later than intended, but happy that I got everything done that I needed.
The drive to Cleveland was shorter than I remembered from the last time I put it in the GPS. If I had left when I’d originally intended, I would have gotten there on the first day. That wasn’t meant to be, and I was ok with that. I didn’t mind splitting the drive across two days and was looking forward to my first official night sleeping in the van. In fact it might have felt anticlimactic to spend the first night of vanlife sleeping in a cushy bed somewhere.
It was raining lightly as I went to bed and the patter on the roof was relaxing.
Also as part of my recaps I decided to add something called the daily listen! Posting something I listened to that day (music, podcast, audiobook, whatev’) that I feel is worth sharing.
While finishing up packing I was watching ‘A Complete Unknown’, the Bob Dylan biopic. Decided that ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ seemed like a proper listen for hitting the road. Spoiler; it absolutely was.
Bonus listen was the ‘Into the Wild’ soundtrack by Eddie Vedder, recommended by a friend.
Good: I’m doing it!! I’d been saying that this wouldn’t feel *real* until I pulled out of my driveway and drove off. Well, it’s real!
Bad: I got about 20 minutes down the road and realized I forgot something! Drove home and couldn’t find it. Turns out I *didn’t* forget it. Shrug.
The second time pulling out of the driveway and driving off did not feel as dramatic.
Unexpected: Through the course of the day as I was finishing the last of the packing and closing things up I was feeling a tightness in my chest and an unsettled feeling that I couldn’t quite identify. I sat with it for a bit and realized that the act of leaving felt scary! I don’t often (or really ever) feel actual fear. It was odd.
As I sat with the feeling and unpacked it I realized I wasn’t scared, per-se, rather the act of leaving felt scary. IDK if the distinction makes sense, or even matters.
At no point, even for an instant, did I waver or question if I was really going to do this. But I realized that leaving everything and everyone behind and changing what my life looked like for the foreseeable future was unquestionably scary. And that's ok - feel it, understand it, allow it - and move through it.
Tuesday May 6, day 2 - Warren, OH
I woke up in a Cracker Barrel parking lot this morning.
That is not something I ever thought I would say.
Cracker Barrel allows - invites - people to stay overnight in their parking lot. This one already had 3 vans, 2 full size RVs, and a gaggle of cars parked in the lot when I rolled in at 11 the night before.
I skipped out on the Cracker Barrel skillet and hit the road early. The drive started off on a foggy highway through rolling green hills that were hauntingly beautiful. However I realized with a start that I was doing 65 on winding roads with barely 50 feet of visibility! I quickly slowed down and was more careful.
The fog gave way to a rich blue sky and a sunny morning.
My music app started playing something from an album called ‘Emergence’ that is best described as ambient electronica. It fit the mood uncannily perfect. That's day two's Daily Listen.
Rolled into Warren, OH before noon to visit and stay with a friend. We toured the town in his funky homemade car, complete with ‘aagoooogah!’ Horn!
I’m rolling through this Cleveland suburb because he asked me to do his son’s high school senior photos and I was happy to make that a reason for a visit! Plus I got a real kick out of answering "Where's your first stop?" with "Cleveland." We did the shoot when his son got home from school and then we went to a local hot dog joint for dinner. It was a perfect local joint that was just so ‘Americana’.
Good: The friend I’m staying with is someone I met in line at San Diego Comic Con 6 or 7 years ago! We’ve kept in touch and crossed paths a few times since, and now he’s putting me up for a couple nights. I love that I’ve accumulated friends from random places all over, stayed in touch, and who are now are becoming part of this vanlife tapestry.
Bad: My vans' battery wasn’t charging while plugged into the outside garage outlet and I got very worried something was wrong! Turns out it was user error, I tripped the fuse because the van draws a lot of power. Reset the fuse and got a full charge.
Unexpected: For the photo shoot, his son suggested an abandoned warehouse. It was an awesome suggestion and we were all excited for how the photos came out! I’d wanted to do Urbex (urban exploration) on this trip, and certainly didn’t expect it to happen on day 2 of the trip!
Wednesday May 7, day 3 - I’m Leaving Ohio
In the morning my buddy and I went back to this coffee joint with fantastic bagel sandwiches and great coffee. He introduced me to something called siphon coffee, which is made with a vacuum process. It was good, had a noticeable different flavor profile. I’m still going to stick with my Moka Pot in the van, though.
We hung out a bit more in the morning and then he had to get back to his business and I had to get on the road. First, though, I had to adjust some of the configurations with the van’s charging components. Huge shout out to Jessie, without whom I’m pretty sure I couldn’t do this trip at all. She’s been invaluable with RV knowledge at every step of the way!
Finally on the road, I made a quick jaunt over to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, just outside Cleveland. Did a short hike and saw waterfalls!
Leaving the park and merging onto I-71 south headed to my next destination - The GPS said “stay on this road for 130 miles.” And it occurred to me that this is my life now.
The daily listen: Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals.’
I think this album lives in the shadows of Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon, but it absolutely stands on its own as outstanding prog rock.
By the way, I do a bunch of speech to text while I’m driving and it kept writing ‘prog’ rock as Prague rock. So it occurred to me to ask my friend in Prague for some actual ‘Prague Rock’ recommendations!
Back to ‘Animals’, even though I’ve been listening to the album for decades, it occurred to me I didn’t know most of the lyrics. I put them up on the screen while the songs played, and… they are all sorts of messed up! ‘Pigs: Three Different Kinds’ hits a lot differently if you can follow the lyrics! Though I have always liked the line “you radiate cold shafts of broken light.”
Good: Got to get out into nature, do a short hike, and take some pictures! Plus I had a reason to break out a niche panoramic film camera.
Bad: the dealership I bought my RV from did me dirty by telling me the RV had a lithium battery setup when it didn’t. They “rectified” this by finally putting in the lithium battery it was supposed to have from the get-go. Unfortunately their original misrepresentation is the gift that keeps on giving and I’m going to have to swap out a bunch of electronics components on the road that are not configured for a lithium battery.
Unexpected: As far as unexpected things go, I definitely did not think I was going to be hitting my first national park on day three of the trip, in Ohio!
Since the Cleveland area wasn’t on my original travel plan, I hadn’t done a lot of scouting in the area and only just realized in the morning that I was an hour away from Cayuga Valley National Park! By the time I got going in the afternoon I didn’t have much time to explore, but I’m glad I was able to swing by and see it at all!
Thursday May 8, Day 4 - Visit Beautiful Kentucky
Woke up around 8:00 and got right on the road. There was a little bit of traffic going through Cincinnati into Kentucky, but not too much for the morning rush.
As I was driving through Kentucky it occurred to me that 11 years ago this month I rode my bike across Kentucky. Or as I said in my video blog “I actually rode across the country, Kentucky was just in the way.”
It was a nice morning and I appreciated that Kentucky was easier to appreciate by car.
As heading to Mammoth Cave National Park I was chatting on the phone with a friend. She asked where I was and I told her I was driving south on I-65. She pondered for a moment and then exclaimed “OH! You should to go see ‘Kentucky Stonehenge!’” Kentucky Stonehenge!? Yup.
She looked up the address and texted it to me. I pulled off at the next exit to put it in my GPS and it turned out that was the exit and I was only 1.5 miles away! So of course I swung by for a visit and took a bunch of pictures.
She also suggested I check out “wigwam village #2.” When I put that in my GPS it was perfectly on the way to Mammoth Cave. So I swung by there as well and shot a roll of these cheesy concrete tee-pee replicas from early last century.
When I finally made it to Mammoth caves, it was eight minutes before the final tour of the day and I managed to get in just in time!
Daily Listen. ‘Drone Logic’, EDM by Daniel Avery
Recommended by a woman I went on one date with. She was 45 minutes late, and was as interesting as she was punctual. But her music recommendation was solid.
Good: For what was supposed to be just a travel day, I got to see and do a lot! Kentucky Stonehenge and WigWam Village #2 were super fun side quests and exactly the kinds of things I'm hoping to experience more of along the way!
Bad: I’m spending far more miles on highways than I’d prefer. I wanted to take more back roads, but I have places to be and people to see. Sure, its supposed to be about the journey, not the destination. Although the destinations are pretty cool too.
Unexpected: Today’s unexpected thing easily could have been Kentucky Stonehenge, and/or the wonderfully coincidental timing of my friend mentioning it. However I’m actually going with how much I enjoyed the mammoth cave tour!
As a landscape photographer I was not overly excited about caves. To my delight Mammoth Caves was amazing, astonishing even! If I could, I'd have gotten right back in line for another tour.
Friday, May 9, day 5 - The Long, Wet Drive to New Orleans
I don’t think I’ve been to Alabama before. At least I can’t recall having been there. Although it’s not like I got to visit much of the state, I-65 is nice, I guess. My criteria for having visited a state is either having actually visited something intentional there or spending the night. Since I slept overnight in a truckstop parking lot, I can check Alabama off the list.
What is your criteria for having visited a place?
This was entirely a travel day. I did randomly stop in some town for an extended lunch and managed to catch a break in the rain at that time. Had a down-home southern fried chicken lunch and took a bunch of pictures of the cute small town Main St. around the diner. (Mostly film, so I don’t have a lot to show for it yet.)
A few hours later I finally rolled into a wet and mostly flooded New Orleans, which feels very on-brand for New Orleans.
Daily Listen: Depeche Mode, ‘Songs of Faith and Devotion’
I saw the tour for this album twice in early 90’s, I think.
Good: Arrived in NOLA! This was the original first destination and arriving here felt like the trip has really started.
Bad: Drove 4 hours in heavy rain. The van handled wonderfully, but driving in the rain is never enjoyable. Driving the van into a flooded New Orleans during rush hour was extra stressful.
Unexpected: Went out to see some live music after dinner! Seeing live music in New Orleans is not unexpected, the unexpected part was that I had energy to go out and hang! The band was amazing, I think there 5 brass pieces, including 2 trombones!
Saturday May 10, day 6 - who you callin’ a po’boy?
I have arrived in New Orleans!
My friends are amazing and have a beautiful home near the levy and the Mississippi.
I am literally in a van down by the river!
In the morning I made Aaron’s Famous Cheesy Scrambled Eggs for my hosts.*
They asked what I wanted to do and I replied ‘get po’boys’, so we had a lazy morning and then went into the city for sandwiches; I got 1/2 fried shrimp and 1/2 fried catfish. Mmmm. Perfect!
We walked a bit, I took a stroll along a street lined with old-growth oak trees that was just magical. And then on to the next meal! They recommended a place nearby called Jaques-Imo’s. It was an offbeat place well known in the area. The food was exceptional!
After dinner we went down to Frenchman Street in search of more live music and found a hole in the wall jazz joint with four 70-something guys busting out amazing tunes!
*The secret to great scrambled eggs is: more butter than you think you need, low heat, keep moving it around.
Daily listen: European operatic metal videos!
The one playing now as I type this is the song ‘Master Illusion’, on the album Circus of Doom, by Finnish band Battle Beast. These videos are something else!
Good: Shrimp & catfish po’boy! The secret is the bread, crunchy outside and chewy inside.
Bad: It’s a good day when I struggle to find a bad thing to write. Today’s ’bad’ is we waited in line for a half hour for po’boys. Totally worth it.
Unexpected: At dinner we had ‘alligator cheesecake’ as an appetizer. A savory cheesecake with alligator sausage. 'Alligator' and 'cheesecake' are not two words I ever thought would be together. But it was delicious - 10/10 would eat weird savory reptile-based dessert type thing again!
Thanks for reading. Come back soon, this is just the beginning!
