Thanks to Our Friends on the Road

As Max and I meander along the highways (and even gravel roads!) on our cross-country roadtrip, we are having fun with family and friends, new and old. Here are a few of them:


Kendyl Nitschke of Raleigh, NC


Gwen & Larry Brody of Freck, AR


Roger & Kay Branson of Edmond, OK


Katie, Chris & Lydia Stavinhoa of Houston, TX

We're off to Austin, now!

Going Country!

After binging on "the best chicken fried steak in the universe," Mexican food and burgers, I continued the journey back to my roots and bought some way cool cowgirl boots and shirts at Shepler's...Max, who is a native of Virginia, tried to relate.



I also bought some way cool shirts, two with western yokes and lovely enamel covered snaps (one gingham, the other sparkley party shirt), the other with lucky horseshoes...eat your heart out!



I can't wait to wear them under black suits :)

Lessons Learned on the Road (with a dog)

I've learned a couple of things traveling with Max that I felt the need to share:

1) Have a plan for pit stops that have bathrooms facing the outdoors v. having to go inside to the bathroom. This is because you can't leave the dog in the car on a hot day (or really cold one, I suppose, but I didn't have that problem)...and you can't bring a dog into a restaurant or convenience store that sells food (though I did BEG one man running a gas station that sold some food, and promised to clean up any messes, of course).

Answer: SONIC!

And you have the added bonus of having lots of people in their cars sitting around watching your stuff and they have shaded places to sit in your car to eat with your dog.

2) You will also need a way to FIND the Sonics!

Answer: iPhone...or more specifically the Around Me app for iPhone.

This locates your current coordinates and tells you what is closest to you in various categories from food to hospitals...or it will tell you where the nearest thing you ask for is (if it's within 100 miles), like Sonic.

3) When traveling on turnpikes or along long, windy country roads or unfamiliar territory with lots of tall trees AND your fuel gage is low, it's good to have a way to find out where the nearest gas station is. It's even better to know if cheaper gas is just around the corner, or a block or two off the highways.

Answer: iPhone...or Gas Bag app! Not only does it locate area gas stations, but it often has the prices listed (this is entered by users), so you know where cheaper gas is...it also has a function that helps you keep track of prices and mpg, etc.

4) Be careful of hot cars...did you know that cars with windows closed can get so hot that the air expands and the windows blow out? This from AAA books, and a Grand Canyon info site.

Answer: Crack the windows!

Tourist Branson and Writer's Camp

OK, so I didn't make it to a show, but Max and I walked up and down the Branson strip for a day or two, and spent the last day in historic downtown Branson, MO, as a bonafide tourist:



After Branson, MO, we headed to the roaring metropolis of Freck, AR, where Cloud Creek Institute for the Arts is located, home to TV Writer Larry Brody and his famous TV writing class...The town is soooo small that there are more residents here than in town:



Max had a great time chasing bunny rabbits, sniffing chickens and cowering from the world's largest dogs--called "horses."



We spent a night out in the deep, dark woods of Arkansas where there are NO GHOSTS, despite what everyone said and despite the fact that Max kept growling at something I couldn't see and followed it around the cabin we stayed in...

Thanks to the Brody's for their hospitality and large movie collection...I finally saw Doubt and Revolutionary Road, saving me about $10 at the video store...and for all of the encouragement and advice...Larry was smart enough to marry a woman from the big city of Ada, OK, so he can't be all bad - despite his long tenure in LA.

After a relaxing couple of days, it was off to OKC down the winding road of US Highway 412...

The Trek is On!

Yeah! My condo sale is DONE!!!

I am now free to move about the country, as the SW slogan goes. Tomorrow, I'm squeezing in a talk with a publishing & social networking consultant that my mom knows, then lunch with some long-time family friends before I hit the road -- first stop Asheville, NC!

My good friend in Laguna Beach has talked me into doing the Santa Barbara Triathlon Aug. 21-23 time frame (I'm slow, but not that slow...it's only one of those days)...of course, I'm doing the women-only sprint course and she's doing the coed military version.

Training has already started in Raleigh as I have been walking 2 miles a day with my mom...the sprint course requires running that far...baby steps...baby steps...

Each hotel along the way has been strategically chosen for its access to a swimming pool so I can ensure that I can at least dog paddle the required 500 yards...now all I need is to find a way to work up to the 6-mile bike ride...maybe I can find some stationary bikes in these places.

Anyone want to join us? It would at least be a fun trip to Santa Barbara :)

BTW: Here's the doggy Mother's Day card and inside it reads "I was just...uh...getting you something to drink for mother's day. yeah...that's it... :

Branson, MO

Ok, I have to stop in my family's namesake town of Branson, MO.

Any suggestions?

This is Max's suggestion...but I don't think he understands all that Branson has to offer...

Camping Tips for the Unitiated?

The trip planning continues and has been kicked up a notch. It seems that all of the full-time, perm jobs I was considering are delaying their decisions or tabling them completely with no decisions expected before late May or even early June. Sooo, any hesitation I had about taking a long time (3-4 weeks) to traverse the country from DC to LA is now gone.

Though if anything comes through, I can always speed up!

In the meantime, I've been talking to some people about some freelance work that can be done on the road. It's great to be in a business that I can do online and on the phone.

So back to planning: Has anyone out there ever camped at a KOA campground? Are they clean and safe? Anything Max and I should know about before we go? Who has camped/traveled with a dog? Any secrets, tips for things to bring? I have his dog bed, some toys, a coat, a couple of harnasses, collars and leashes (just in case one breaks), and YES I remembered food and water...yes, AND treats...calm down, Max.

I called Max's vet and they said to make sure I have extra food, extra water and a good supply of his meds (allergy and tummy calming)...sounds like good advice for the driver, too.

Max is clearly getting very excited about the trip...I'm starting to get nervous...

Adventure Planning

Every adventure needs a plan. A flexible, general overview of a plan. So far all Max and I have planned is to move out of our condo in Old Town Alexandria, VA (right outside DC) on the closing date -- current target is May 1, 2009. We're headed west to our other coast in The Maxinator, a 2006 Mercury Mariner.

If you have any recommendations or ideas of where we can stop for fun, food or shelter, please share!