Winter 2011 (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2012 (Mar-May) /
''Long-Vacation'' 2012* (Jun-Jul) /
''Lost-Summer'' 2012* (Jul-Aug) /
''Lost-Autumn'' 2012* (Sep-Nov) /
''Lost-Winter'' 2012* (Dec-Feb) /
''Lost-Spring'' 2013* (Mar-May) /
''Lost-Summer'' 2013* (Jun-Aug) /
''Lost-Autumn'' 2013* (Sep-Nov) /
''Lost-Winter'' 2013* (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2014 (Mar-May) /
Summer 2014 (Jun-Aug) /
Autumn 2014 (Sep-Nov) /
Winter 2014 (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2015 (Mar-May) /
Summer 2015 (Jun-Aug) /
Autumn 2015 (Sep-Nov) /
Winter 2015 (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2016 (Mar-May) /
Summer 2016 (Jun-Aug) /
Autumn 2016 (Sep-Nov) /
Winter 2016 (Dec-Feb)
Following the journal entry dated 18-24 June 2012, the subsequent entries recorded in these ''Lost Seasons'' segments are reflective of events which took place when ''routine'' journal entries were not being kept-up with.
The time-gap was initially the result of what I'd referred to as my period of ''Radio Silence''... whereby I'd unintentionally fell behind on posting regular updates due to the circumstances mentioned from thence forward, namely, the result of having to shut down my computer system out of unavoidable necessity as part of my period of departure from the ''State of Hawaii'' to my subsequent ''transitional'' re-establishment in the ''Commonwealth of Virginia.''
This ''black-out'' period would regrettably extend into a much longer period of lost time, as I had allowed numerous other developments and circumstances to interfere with and hinder my commitment to update & maintain my personal records of activity (as will come to light as everything unfolds during this ''reclamation'' phase), which led me to adopt ''alternative'' methods of continuing to keep track of my experiences and exploits. Although the original intent for these alternate methods had simply been as a way of ''keeping current'' until the computer equipment I'd shipped ahead of my departure had arrived and had gotten ''established'' & ''connected,'' because of all of my misestimations and needless delays, I kept progressively getting bogged down further-and-deeper into backlog.
So what follows after the last dated entry of June 2012 are first the ''detailed'' record of what I'd originally planned on posting once I'd found myself in a situation where I could again focus time & attention to this activity -- then once those inclusions have been completed, all subsequent entries from thenceforth will be indicative of where various ''physical records'' (primarily in the form of calendar notations, as well as other types of loose ''jotted notes,'' ''sales/service receipts'' of various types, and ''dated photographs'') were resorted to in order to refresh cloudy memories and to compile the most accurate chain of events as they occurred.
In each instance, up until the point where the backlogged information has all been brought completely up-to-date, the day during which the actual typing of the new ''old'' entry is taking place during this ''catch-up'' phase will be plainly noted. Also, since a considerable amount of explanatory ''exposition'' is also necessary and unavoidable due to the loss of normal structure (as a result of not having maintained this journal with regular & timely updates), there will likewise occasionally be such disruptions in the normal flow of each dated entry for the purpose of supplying ''back story'' and additional insights (past or subsequent): such notations/inclusions will be indicated ((in this manner, i.e. enclosed within ''double parentheticals)).
~ (November 22, 2013 - Friday)
Unmentioned Highlights From Previous Quarter
Was in such a rush to try to get caught up from such a long stretch of silence that there were several events I'd failed to mention. Don't really know how important they are in retrospect, now that they hardly seem to matter to me anymore, except for the purposes of trying to stay committed to preserving the timeline of significant events...
...But one of the things I'd failed to mention from the month of May was the amount of work which was required to be done on my teeth. It had gone well beyond just getting the bad wisdom tooth with the large bore hole removed, but the dental surgeon had recommended that all of my remaining ''wisdoms'' be removed, which upon closer examination of their rate of deterioration I was subsequently inclined to agree, even though I still would've loved to have kept them, and I'm ever blatantly aware of their absence since their extraction.
Also required was a new set of drilling & filling of my molars so that they are now all packed with silver amalgam.
Also, after the extractions-- and this time actually requesting the retention of the removed teeth, which I've since regretted not accepting with the first tooth removal years ago --I'd become further convinced that a determined ''hydrogen peroxide'' regimen for both tooth care and ''whitening'' would eventually yield positive results, which the removed teeth helped convince me of when it was verified before my eyes that the hydrogen peroxide solution, even in such small concentrations, does indeed have the ability to ''whiten'' stained teeth, though in practical usage it would require significant time & effort, since we do not have the convenience of allowing the liquid solution to sit undisturbed inside of our faces for days or weeks at a time.
But I'd used my ''family situation'' and the curtailing of my work hours to request the cancellation of my ''dental plan,'' less because of the fact that all of the major work I'd needed done got done, but mainly because for the work I had done it *STILL* kept taking huge chunks from my ''contribution'' portion! -- So I'd determined that those ''out of pocket '' expenses were just too much to be shelling out $30 every month for, even though, as far as a ''membership fee'' goes, $30 a month is not so terrible a request, and I'd actually expected it to be about twice as much than I later learned that it was.
Also one other significant thing to have occurred earlier in May was the retrieving of what turned out to be a legitimate $100 bill on the freeway one early Saturday morning on my way to work, blowing along the freeway wall portion about two miles east of ''Exit 10.'' And while ''normally'' it might have been a cause to feel as though it were a fortuitous windfall from the heavens, while appreciative and for having been the one who was fortunate enough to have come across it when I did, it did not really feel like anything worth ''celebrating''... it was more like I'd appreciated what it represented in ''value'' as an exchange medium, viewing it more in the light of all of the expenses I'd racked up which kept draining my cash reserves, so I viewed the find more as a ''buffer'' that helped to ''offset'' some of the ''outflow'' of money that I was hemorrhaging as a result of all of these advanced preparations I'd been required to make with my health and motorcycle upkeep, etc.)
And again... as if to yet again keep adding insult to injury, the insectoid invasion is coming in another wave, primarily of course with the ''cockroaches'' (huge and small), but also the ghost ants have been making a bold attempt to re-establish their presence in my dwelling quarters yet again, being (so-far) confined to the washroom, but knowing their nature, they could just as easily be hiding out among all of this clutter I've got strewn about the place.
Re: the 1.5 Year Time-Gap...
June 1 - 3, 2012 (Friday-Sunday)
Lost out on cheap airfare over the weekend, unaware that postponing purchase for even such a short period of time (just 2 days) would be enough to burn an even larger hole in my wallet! (...So now I'll be considering using that ''Let's support Conservative hate-speech radio programming and piss on 'Liberal' radio audiences'' ''Priceline'' garbage (...no, I've still not forgotten about their ''Don't run our ads on ''Air America Radio'' programs'' major diss of half of the population) to see if I can get back close to the $246 I'd highlighted on Friday (especially since I'd discovered after later learning about the bump in fare that airlines now charge a $25 ''checked-baggage'' racket, which now makes all the difference).
Friday was also the moment which helped me to convince me to trash this collection of temperamental disagreeable electronic ''gidgets & gazmos'' which have all caused me nothing but problems ever since I've come into possession of them and tried to get some sort of positive use out of them. This realization came when what is was my third, and now to be considered my final ever, CD player ''boom box'' decided to show it's ass and I banged it up to where the entire unit would no longer operate. As a result, I was convinced that it would be wasted effort to try to ''sell'' any of this remaining stuff... even if I'd planned on asking barely anything at all of any of it, just enough for a little ''pocket change,'' quite literally.
So I'd already began clearing some of the stuff out of the apartment after the end of my work weekend, setting a few items aside which I intended to offer on the ''Freecycle'' ''Yahoo! Group'' and just a couple of items which I cannot in good conscience toss or just 'give away' entirely... but the ''electronic'' garbage is just that (and what it's always been whenever I've tried dealing with any of it) -- ''GARBAGE!''
...And on Saturday evening, just as I was trying to leave after the work day, some latch broke off on my ''dash compartment'' door on the motorcycle, which I would not have fretted about so much except for the fact that if I should ever need to get to the battery I'm now locked completely out unless I resort to breaking into it and thereby destroying the cover. Which means that's even more money that I'm going to have to shell out in order to get that fixed too! (...And I've already decided to hold-off on the old girl's next & current ''scheduled maintenance'' appointment until after I've completed my planned ''across country'' run strictly as an expenses-saving measure.)
''Weekend in Review''
June 4 - 10, 2012 (Monday-Sunday)
Monday found me running around all over the place... first to the bank to withdraw some cash (mainly for gasoline after I'd run completely out about three blocks before reaching the first fueling station en route to ''Downtown Kapolei'' and pumped in just enough to get me back into the City) and to inquire more about how to retain & maintain my checking account here at ''Bank of Hawaii,'' as well as look over their ''check designs'' offered; stopping next at the post office and trying to get as much information I could from them about establishing a new P.O. Box out-of-state, as well as some added information regarding the various shipping alternatives and what qualifies for which option (particularly concerned about what can be sent via the ''Media Mail'' option); then it was off to pick up my readjusted eyeglasses and noting that there was only slight improvement over the last time (later confirmed by testing out some older lenses that I still had on-hand that the strength of my latest prescription is such that I can no longer expect to escape ''dual-vision'' lenses if I'm ever to desire clear ''close reading'' ability in the future; finally it was to the motorcycle mechanic to learn that it would be close to another $200 in order to replace the latch on my dash compartment door, and to inquire about what they would recommend for ''polish-&-protection'' products for my machine before shipping her out on the high seas.
Unfortunately, for all that I'd received which helped fill my inquiry quiver on that day, the following two days found me trapped inside: Monday was as a result of another round of digestive track problems; Wednesday was just rundown & lazy, devoting more time to working on computer files & internet projects than anything else; Thursday was a total blank, but it was equally uneventful; Friday had me feeling so rundown & depressed that I'd had ''Gracie'' call me around 1:00 AM her time on the East Coast and neither of us got any sleep, having her on the line up until about two hours before it would've been time for me to leave for work Saturday morning, in what would then be a still partially wet work uniform which I'd hung to dry in the fan breeze only a few minutes before we terminated the call.
I'd expected to be terrifically tired at work Saturday, naturally attributing it to the fact that I'd been up since about 8:00 AM the previous (Friday) morning... but as the day progressed it became evident that I was coming down with another one of my classic illnesses, so much so this time around that I was well aware that there was no way I'd be up to coming back in for a second 12-hour shift right after that one, so I'd asked the scheduling office to try to have someone cover for me Sunday. I was actually able to eat something during that time off, but I still felt very heavy & lethargic and was still sporting a somewhat dizzying headache centered mostly around my eyes & sinuses.
''Full Week in Review''
June 11 - 15, 2012 (Monday-Friday)
Any motivation I could find to get myself out of the apartment to try to take care of any necessary preparations were not forthcoming until late Thursday morning after I'd received a call from the mechanics Wednesday, informing me that the parts to repair my dash compartment had arrived and they could begin work: which had by this time put me in ''rush'' mode, after I'd learned that I'd misread/misinterpreted earlier information regarding the shipping schedule for vehicles across the ocean, and I only had until Monday to beat the deadline with the service I'd planned on using (the ''Pasha Group'').
So Thursday, after I'd had my repairs done, had me in a mad ''information-seeking'' campaign mode to help me get my bearings and become somewhat organized in hopefully a timely fashion. I'd learned that acquiring an out-of-state P.O. Box ahead of time is probably a lesson in futility, as the website suggests that the actual assignment of a box number would not happen until the person reserving the box appeared in person with the necessary documentation. (The P.O. Box search was further complicated when, upon trying to follow the advice of my local post office staff, I'd tried to contact the postal service in the city I'll be [with all intents, ''temporarily''] relocating to: continually throwing a ''voicemail'' messaging recording in my face, rather than connecting me with a live person: in response, I'd instead called someone at the national toll-free number and got whatever information I could from them before registering online with every intent to make the purchase right then & there.)
The inability to procure a mailing address of my own ahead of time likewise interfered with my plan to inform ''Bank of Hawaii'' of the address change and to request a new set of personal checks from their catalog.
In the meantime however, I did sign up online to register with the ''Do Not Send'' anti-spam mailing list, in order to (hopefully) get these credit card monsters to stop flooding my soon-to-be-empty/reassigned P.O. Box here locally with all sorts of ''pre-approved'' credit card applications (and other stuffs with my name on them arriving in my absence).
I'd also finished working on washing, polishing and waxing the motorcycle with the ''Turtle Wax'' brand products I'd purchased from the ''KMart'' right across the street from the cycle shop while my motorcycle was being repaired, and was not entirely impressed with the results of any of it except the expensive-ass ''plastic-restoration'' substance which seems to be little other than baby oil which while granted doing a bang-up job of making the molded plastic fittings & vinyl seats look impressively fresh & appealing leaves absolutely everything covered in this slippery-slick greasy-feeling substance which is anything but appreciated.
Made my airline purchase Friday morning, right after nearly causing ''Pasha'' freight shipping company to lose my business over the fact that their customer service number call center would repeatedly shut-off any attempts to wait on the line ''for the next available representative,'' yada-yada, and slam us directly into voice mailbox (again with this bullshit!!!!). So, being extremely pissed off with this horseblast, after having been forced to endure it close to something like a dozen times consecutively, despite any attempts to circumvent the process or jump through to connect with a live person, I began looking at some of the other websites and calling some of their numbers... but I kept coming back to Pasha for the simple fact that theirs was the only site which would quote me an actual price for the type of vehicle I was planning to ship out BEFORE asking me upfront for EVERY SINGLE BIT of both my ''vehicle'' information AND my ''PERSONAL'' information!!! (Damn-It! Give me a phukkin *IDEA* of what I can expect ''BEFORE'' you try to get me to ''commit'', assholes!) So I'd managed to track down another number of one of their calling centers and explained why they had come VERY close to missing out on a paying customer, then she helped walk me through the process of setting up the ''drop-off'' appointment -- only to learn later after I'd called the ''local'' number later that morning that I'd still received certain bits of misinformation which would've complicated matters more than they needed to be had I followed her advice blindly without double-checking with the local representative.
I had planned on going in later Friday afternoon to get my internet/phone bill taken care of, but wound up oversleeping well past closing time for them, barely even recalling having shut the alarm off and unintentionally slipping back to sleep.
''Week in Review''
June 18 - 24, 2012 (Monday-Sunday)
If there was anything that was to ever convince me that the existence of the devil was a real & genuine thing, it would have to surround everything that has been occurring that has centered around this motorcycle, given everything which has seemingly been making it apparent that getting it to the Mainland was being ''interfered'' with relentlessly -- everything from the out-of-nowhere extra expenses repair broken parts to all of the ''curious'' attempts to further physically damage and/or incapacitate the cycle to the battery drain that had occurred right after my final workshift had ended Sunday evening.
This paranoia of feeling as though I was being a deliberate target of the metaphysical realm was only further solidified Monday morning when despite having set the alarm for an early last-minute run of some areas on the east side of the Island followed by an intention to stop by the office to inform them of my resignation, then to pay my telephone/internet bill, my alarm never set off (I am ABSOLUTELY certain that this was not another instance of waking, shutting of the alarm and ''snoozing," as was the case the last time), and I found myself with less than a half-hour to gather all of my necessary documents and rush the cycle to the docks to keep the appointment for drop-off. During the rush, I could locate everything I'd needed in order the get the machine accepted for loading... except my current vehicle registration -- so in a frantic panic I'd tried to call in order to inform them of the situation and request what my next course of action should be in hopes of not having to ''reschedule'' (which would've resulted in a missed pre-paid flight and possibly a loss of the also pre-paid ''shipping fee'' for the vehicle), but once again I kept getting slapped with that cursed voicemail bullshark which kept insisting that I record my phone number and ''wait'' for a call-back! So with barely 10-minutes left to get down to the dock to at least ''be there on-site'' at the scheduled time, I simply took what I had and hoped that they would still accept the vehicle with the information I was able to bring with me. After getting there and explaining what had happened and what I had with me, asking if it would still hinder me in any way of having them to at least ''take possession'' of the machine until the final document that was required could be tracked down or replaced, it was revealed that I'd had the current registration with me all along, and that I'd been confused by a misreading of the date stamp and by the fact that the City/County had done a radical ''redesign'' of the documentation... so both of these things threw me off and into a panic.
After the drop-off, I came back to the apartment to gather the next ''care package'' I'd decided to send to my Girl back east (my spare PC speaker set, a few more Hawaii/Asia themed snacks, the ''final lock'' of my hair-- the thing that had degraded into a 24 cm. long ''rat tail'' that I'd lopped off and documented on-camera which I'd posted online --and a Hawaii-themed calendar for her grandmother whom she lives with) and rode with great difficulty to the post office and other close-by areas about the downtown area on the bicycle I'd had sitting inside ever since one of the bearing rings stripped, trying to see if it could still be possible to operate it in such a way that could still allow me to get around somewhat reasonably. During this excursion I'd used the opportunity to snap some additional photos of some of the more interesting spots about town, including a ''return engagement'' to ''Aloha Tower Marketplace,'' which this time included an actual trip to the ''observation deck'' to record a panorama view of the city.
The rest of the week was, again, uneventful, save for the call I'd made to the office on Wednesday, informing them of my resignation and intention on leaving the Island State.
Once again found myself overwhelmed & unmotivated throughout the remainder of the week since Monday, still mainly messing with computer/online related activities, but even those have not been all that ''involved'' and my focus not all that intense. Had a bit of a scare Saturday when I'd received an email message from the shipping company mentioning a change in shipping schedule, but it seemed that my dispatch would not be affected in any way, and that all still looks to be going according to schedule.
*[[Concludes the ''Officially Posted'' entries]]*
It should be noted at this time that what follows as being identified as having been derived from its ''pre-formatted'' presentation is being transcribed from ''digital photographs'' of what was then viewable on a ''cathode ray tube'' computer monitor. This was because until I'd again had access to my own system several days later, the PC that had only been available to me during this period was an old ''Gateway'' running ''Windows 98'', which was not bad in and of itself necessarily, but the situation was further complicated by the fact that the system had neither ''internet'' capability outside of 56k ''dial-up'' (so not only could I not ''post'' updates onto the online journal page even after I did eventually get internet access, but I could likewise not ''email'' the formatted texts to myself for later access) nor ''software burning'' capability (so I could not save anything to a media disk). I therefore saw my only option as taking photographic snapshots of the computer screen, but as a result, due to the ''flickering'' of a CRT monitor which is undetectable to the human eye but regularly picked-up by the camera's eye, much of the original text has become shrouded in darkness and difficult to decipher even after photo-editing manipulation, so in some instances there may actually be a need to ''guess'' what was actually being said or intended based on the surrounding context -- such instances will be indicated [[in this manner (i.e. double-bracketed italics)]].
''Full Week in Review''
~ (November 22, 2013 - Friday)
*[[Begins ''Backlog'' Recovery (pre-formatted)]]*
July 4 - 15, 2012 (Wednesday-Wednesday-Saturday)
The time preparing for and actually venturing out on the (poorly planned) air flight off of the Island and the subsequent cross-country road trip was regrettably shrouded in ''Radio Silence," as it were, leaving a huge gap not only in the time off from recording/documenting the events prior to & leading up to & ultimately involving this sacrificial indefinite relocation. So due to the nature of all that had taken place prior to and up to the date of this actual typing session (Sunday, July 15, 2012 - near Midnight, and a full day after my final destination arrival in the city of Roanoke, Virginia) I am required to try to ''recall'' past events as thoroughly as possible to give the best overall picture of all that had led up to this moment, as well as what challenges remain... this will also require that I repeatedly ''come back'' to relating the series of events periodically throughout the coming days, as I'll of necessity be here still having to cover new territory in trying to get myself settled in and established in these ''old'' new surroundings. So with this one exception, I'll be ''revisiting'' items from the previous past-plus week until I'm sufficiently ''caught-up'' on the retelling of these events. In the meantime, I'll be trying to keep posting ''up-to-date'' information of the daily events as they transpire from here on out.
''Extended Week in Review''
For the past couple of days prior to my departure date I'd found myself running ragged trying to get all of my stuff organized in order to ship ahead of me. So on Friday (June 29) I ran all around ''Iwilei'' (the ''business district'' across from ''Chinatown''-- or ''Asiatown,'' as I personally call it --where my apartment complex is located) [[searching around in trash and inquiring of anyone]] who may have had any large empty boxes I could utilize to pack everything I'd planned on taking with me (although it would turn out eventually that all that I'd hoped to pack & ship would not be able to make the long trip ahead of me.
Monday and Tuesday (July 2-3) had me packing with a frenzy and taking the stuffed boxes to the downtown post office on the metal wire catering cart I'd offered on ''Craig's List'' (along with the other items I'd hoped to sell and get a bit of ''pocket money'' for) -- Monday having me arrive at the location just shy of closing time and with me so exhausted that I was literally feeling dizzy & sick and eventually had to sit myself on the floor to regain my strength; Tuesday having me go into panic mode trying to get the remaining items packed and submitted, only to be told that one of the boxes could not be accepted because it had exceeded the ''70 pound'' weight limit.
By the time I was ready to pack my computer system Tuesday, I was all too aware of the time and realized that there was no way on earth that I'd be able to get it all packed and carted back to the post office in time. So as I was lamenting over this gut-wrenching fact, I was informed that it might still be possible to ship it out at the main post office branch at the airport, which again had me believing that it was still going to be possible for me to finish packing the unit and ''cart'' it out to the shipping destination in time -- but upon actually getting the cart with the system loaded onto out on the road and realizing again that there would be absolutely no way for me to make the entire journey to the airport and arrive there on time, in desperation I first tried to hitch-hike (knowing full well that it was an unrealistic expectation), then crossed over to the parking lot of ''Sam Choy's'' restaurant and asked the valets there to call a taxi for me, telling them that since this was my final load and there'd be no way to take it with me and that I would not be needing it for anything anymore anyway (especially since everyone who had expressed interest in it from my ''Craig's List'' ad had either backed-out or their contact information had been inadvertently expunged because of my carelessness & negligence) that I'd be willing to leave the item with the restaurant if they thought they might be able to garner some usage out of it. I ended up with a $20+ cab fare & tip with barely minutes to spare to get my equipment shipped off (still with the worry that one of the packages might have again exceeded the maximum shipping limit), then wound up having to walk back to the apartment.
July 4, 2012 - Wednesday
Although I was unable to push anything off on anybody from what I'd posted on ''Craig's List,'' either due to ''disinterest'' in the items (shelves; bookcases), ''backpeddling'' (G3 iMac with original software packages; Sony portable CD/cassette/AM-FM combo boom box; dining cart), ''lack of follow-up'' (mini-fridge), as well as ''my own carelessness'' (accidentally deleting answering machine messages of interest), I gave it one last shot with the stack of ''horror'' and ''etchi'' anime DVD movies (about a dozen in all) that I'd withdrawn from my permanent collection and had also tried to offer in the online personal ads and which had likewise garnered no interest. So knowing that the shop downstairs right next door to our apartment complex sold old used DVD movies, and only learning just the previous day that it was in fact a pawn shop, I presented the DVDs to the shop owner as a last-ditch attempt to get a little something for them just so they would not have to be left behind for someone else to have a free windfall with, especially since I'd still be leaving behind not only all of the other aforementioned items but also my telephone systems (which included the very first telephone I'd ever owned, called the AT&T ''Small Talk'' -- a single-piece unit I'd purchased with my first ever service hook-up when I was living in Lawrence, Kansas; the combo telephone/answering unit which always had a habit of quirking-out on me anyway; and the ''caller ID'' unit which failed to work once I'd switched over to ''cable'' telephone service), the new locks that I'd purchased for my apartment door, and my 18-speed bicycle which still needed the bearing ring in the crankshaft to be replaced but which I'd still tried to interest the Filipino maintenance supervisor at ''Chinatown Cultural Plaza'' into buying for just a few bucks but who stated that he was no longer shipping bicycles to Philippines because it had become too expensive for him to continue doing so. At first, the shop owner was not interested, but after I'd explained my situation about how I would be permanently leaving the Islands later in the day he agreed to offer me $9.00 for the set, for which I was happy to receive anything at all for them.
The hugest scare of the entire planning session came later in the evening, just as I was reaching the ''last minute'' to get myself processed for the flight, when the driver of the municipal bus which was heading directly to the airport refused me entry because of my army duffel bag, regardless of my desperation and concern about missing my flight... and since the busses were operating on a ''holiday schedule,'' the asshole had me in both anger and panic
modes, so I moved over to the Beretania Street bus stop in hopes of catching any other bus that traveled down Nimitz Highway so I could (would have to) walk the rest of the way to the airport. While at the bus stop, an older Asian lady became the sounding board of my emotional frustrations regarding the previous driver abandoning me, and she offered to call me a taxi on her cell phone, which was something I was not wishing to pay for all-over again but clearly had no other alternative: it was shortly after the taxi dropped me off at our destination that I'd learned that I'd actually arrived about an hour early, so that became one less worry scratched off of my list.
But of course the trip-threatening disruptions did not stop there. I was next given grief over the weight of my duffel bag, saying that it was four pounds over the 50-pound limit, and telling me that in order for them to accept it as ''checked'' I'd have to pay an additional fee of over $90, so we tried to remove items and transfer them to the ''carry-on'' back-pack, but still only managing to low the bag's weight down to 52 pounds, which the baggage checker graciously allowed through, which was followed by another wave of relief that they did not consider my motorcycle's cable lock inside the duffel bag to anything be anything of concern or further hassle.
Next, I had to bite my tongue really hard so as to not gripe & complain about the bullshark security measures which made me absolutely determined to NEVER EVER AGAIN for as long as I remain alive (or for as long as these B.S. ''Bushified'' policies remain in effect) fly commercial aircraft -- if I cannot get there on the ground, then I'm just not going! (Me and Gov. Jesse Ventura)
During the departure it was almost as if I was being given the ''farewell'' fanfare with all of the fireworks going off in the distance, which I'd surreptitiously recorded during the take-off process.
~ ''catch-up'' entry date: (November 24, 2013 - Sunday)
July 5, 2012 - Thursday
After landing in ''Los Angeles, California'' we had to wait around to get to the connecting flight to ''San Diego,'' but the plane was some tiny cramped thing we had to board out on the tarmac.
Upon my arrival in San Diego I was able to take their bus from the airport to the trolley station Downtown ((with my bags!)) [[whereupon I purchased my fare ((from an outdoor vending machine!)) and]] took the ''Blue Line'' trolley ((again with my bags!)) to ''Miles-of-Cars Way'' in ''National City,'' having to ask a couple of Mexican ladies sitting across from me (I'd assumed mother and daughter) which would be my correct stop, [[then walked]] the length of the road with those insanely heavy bags (duffel bag strapped to my back, backpack strapped to my chest) to pick up my motorcycle, only to be told that I had to go several blocks back up to the way I'd just come from and turn into a huge-ass parking/warehouse in order to get to where I actually needed to be. During this return trip I fell off of one of the curbs and could not avoid tumbling onto the street, resulting in injuries to the fingers on my one of my hands ((I believe it was my right hand, but so much time has passed and the ''itching'' symptoms have long since ceased that I can honestly no longer recall which was the affected hand)) -- which would be the beginning of more hand injuries to follow.
At the warehouse they took my information (even though I'd not set up any appointment with them) and allowed me to rest myself in their break room, and I tried to patch myself up with their First Aid kit as best as I could. After reclaiming the motorcycle it was acting as though it did not want to start, so I let it sit for a while as I tried to figure out how to situate my backpack and notebook under the seat compartment while trying to strap down the duffel bag to the rear seat.
From the motorcycle pick-up point I rode out searching for the nearest fueling station, since I'd already been running on near-fumes when I dropped her off in Hawaii. The first thing that disturbed me and infuriated me was that after a visit to two different fueling stations I could not understand why the pumps would dispense fuel very sporadically. After trying two separate pumps at the first location, it was not until trying the third pump at the at the second station that I'd finally figured out that the pumps in California are configured in such a way that it requires the depression of an ''on-nozzle'' mechanism in order to allow the fluid to flow into the tank (not a ''happy camper,'' to say the least... which carried over into Nevada).
After getting my gas, I got lost trying to find my way back to the highway that would connect me to ''Interstate 15,'' so I ended up putting about eleven extra miles on my motorcycle and my journey had not yet even begun! By the time I'd found my way back, I went to the ''In & Out Burger'' near the pick-up point (which had actually been a part of my originally intended itinerary when I was planning the trip online), but I'd initially gotten put off by how crowded & busy the place was, but then the actual menu items ultimately did not appeal to me, so I started [[out on my journey.]] En route I was introduced to the infamous highway congestion California is so recognized for but which I personally found not so problematic; then I tried to adapt to California's unique allowance to motorcycles which permits motorcycles to ''cut between'' lanes of traffic, which I found convenient in some respects but ultimately proved too paranoia-inducing for my own sensibilities.
It should be noted that at this point there was an unformatted ''gap'' in events as it related to the specific breakdown of daily events during my long roadtrip, so what follows from here up until the ''July 15'' date will be completely ''newly entered'' material that will be retelling from memory and from physical documents those key events which transpired or received especial attention throughout the cross-country journey.
~ ''catch-up'' entry date: (November 26, 2013 - Tuesday)
A number of general observations in advance of the following entries would be in good order, as they involve certain events & experiences which cannot easily be structured into a specific day-to-day format. For instance, of first note would be the fact that throughout the entire road trip I'd broken with my somewhat strict pescetarianism and began eating large quantities of especially beef: related to this was the fact that despite the massive amount of food I'd been intaking throughout the journey, I'd only needed to move my bowels TWICE by the time I'd arrived in New Jersey... and without any feelings of illness or constipation. Also, ironically, I'd received not a single headache nor mosquito bite from the time I'd departed Hawaii to the time I'd arrived at my final destination.
(''Day Two'' - cont'd)
Stopped for my first refueling since leaving ''National City,'' at a place called ''Sylmar'' a little after 18:15 (PDT), then continued on for about another hour and a half before pulling into a shopping center in a place called ''Castaic'' by the time I'd realized that I'd overshot my turn-off to connect me with ''Interstate 15'' where I'd ordered something from the ''Pizza Hut'' there that they called a ''P'Zone,'' which I'd never heard of before, ordering one ''Buffalo Chicken'' and one ''Italian Steak'' and had enjoyed them both.
After eating I found my way back to the main highway and continued on until around 23:00-ish when I felt I needed to rest for the night, and gave consideration to checking in at a hotel on the opposite side of the freeway, even though it was my intent was not to spend any money needlessly on rooms along the way, but as I was turning off from the freeway to look for a road that would get me to the other side I took interest in the large empty field along the lonely stretch of the secondary road leading to I didn't know where and decided instead to pull off into the sandy area and lie down among the tall rough ''sappy'' grass-like plants that were growing in the area (my first indication that I was nearing or entering ''desert'' territory): it wasn't a very comfortable rest, but I did manage to remain undetected for the next few hours before I'd decided to brush off and continue on.
July 6, 2012 - Friday
Laid my motorcycle down upon trying to leave the sandy field where I'd tried to get some rest (which most likely would have had to have been somewhere between ''Victorville'' and ''Barstow,'' the latter of which being where I'd pulled in at just past 2:00 in the morning for my next refueling), barely managing to summon up the strength to lift her aright and continue on my way. My next stop was at the ''Valley Wells'' rest area at the ''Mojave National Preserve,'' where I tried to get rested up again until a spectacular daybreak.
After taking a few snapshots of the area at dawn, and after claiming a raven feather I'd found lying in the parking lot, I continued on, crossing the southwestern ''Nevada'' border (approximately 20 miles from the rest stop where I'd spent the night) and regretting having not stopped briefly to snap a picture of ''Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino'' just right over the border... in what seemed to be quite literally the middle of NOWHERE!
Tootled around a short while in ''Las Vegas'' before getting a bit more gas, and marveled at how the city just seemed so lifeless, impersonal, claustrophobic, and just plain ugly -- I was also amazed to see slot machines inside gas station convenience stores made available as nonchalantly as other places sell lottery tickets: I simply could not imagine the appeal such a miserable looking/feeling place might have for so many Hawaii expatriates.
~ ''catch-up'' entry date: (November 28, 2013 - Thursday)
(''Day Three'' - cont'd)
((I believe it was at some point after I'd left Las Vegas and arrived in Utah that I'd veered off of the freeway onto some road that led off into the far distance to some commercial recreation area, with the intent of finding a somewhat ''shady'' area off of the roadside where I could again conceal my motorcycle and try to get a little bit of sleep in the overbearing heat. My gut wants to tell me that it was possibly somewhere around the northern end of ''Lake Mead,'' since I do seem to recall ''water-related'' activity being associated with it based on roadside announcements, and there was a truck stop there right off of the Interstate, if again my recollection is correct -- but judging from the ''timeline'' as presented on my gasoline receipts, there is a 4.5 hour gap between the time I'd left ''St. George'' and arrived in ''Beaver,'' suggesting that it had to have been somewhere between those two points. But then again, my ''gut'' assessment could still be the correct one, given the fact that I do not have access to the fueling receipt from the gas pump I'd used while in Vegas, so I'm incapable of comparing timelines.))
The first and most annoying thing I'd learned when I'd stopped for refueling in ''Utah'' was their sneaky way of cutting back the ''octane'' levels of their gasoline, so that now what was considered ''regular'' grade everywhere else was considered ''mid-grade.''
The ride through the canyon passing by the town of ''Hurricane'' was both beautiful and seemed to live up to its unusual name.
After my next fueling stop at ''Beaver'' I then branched off of the ''Interstate 15'' onto ''Interstate 70,'' which according to my pre-trip planning would take me directly through to ''Lawrence, Kansas.''
I again regretted not stopping to take another picture: one of a roadside billboard ahead of the town of ''Salina'' declaring (as my memory had served me), ''No Bull: No Gas for the Next 108 miles'' ((...which, as reality would have it however (by the time I'd finally uncovered someone else's mention of it), the sign had said in actuality, ''No Bull: No Service for the Next 110 Miles'' -- and by the time I was actually able to find somebody else's photograph of the same road sign I had the greatest difficulty remembering it being that design.))
By approximately 19:45 (MDT) I'd pulled off into a rest area overlooking ''Devils Canyon'' and took a few video and photographic records of the area before continuing on as the sun was setting.
July 7, 2012 - Saturday
Shortly after crossing the Utah border into ''Colorado'' at roughly 7:00 (MDT) I stopped into a gas station in ''Fruita'' where I was yet again confronted with the scam of a state in the Union calling ''regular'' grade (87 octane) gasoline ''mid-grade,'' while offering some ''watered-down'' nonsense (85 octane) in its place. A short 10-minute or so ride later I beheld with awe and stopped to take a photo of what I was later able to identify as ''Mount Garfield.''
By the time I'd arrived at another fueling station in just a little over 4.75 hours later, the signs that I was finally coming out on the other side of the desert were becoming evident. While stopped in ''Eagle'' my hands were in such a miserable state that I was inspired to take several photographs of their sore & damaged condition, which had progressively gotten rough & banged-up due to a combination of repeatedly smacking myself by poorly gripping the bungee cords that were strapping my duffel bag to the rear seat and by riding through the desert expanse without any sort of protection from the blazing sun.
Although the first signs of any sort of wet weather were not experienced until passing through ''Vail'' and surrounding areas, inclement weather of any sort would not be encountered until I began passing through the ''Denver'' area, where the dark clouds brewing about indicated a real storm of sorts were in the developing stages -- I would not realize just how serious a storm it would be until I'd neared the town of ''Strasburg,'' where I was greeted with winds so strong that I had to keep leaning the motorcycle at virtually a 45˚ angle just to counter it and stay balanced.
~ ''catch-up'' entry date: (November 29, 2013 - Friday)
(''Day Four'' - cont'd)
In trying to escape the dangerously strong winds, I turned off onto the ''Strasburg'' exit, intent on getting a sandwich and waiting-out the threat at the ''Subway'' restaurant which a freeway road sign had indicated was in the area. Unfortunately, after searching up & down the stretch of road (''E. Colfax Ave.'') several times, I was unable to locate the sandwich shop before a hard brutal rain mixed with small but painful hail began sweeping in without warning (indicating that there had to have been some tornado activity somewhere in the general vicinity). The best shelter I could find at the time was really no shelter at all: I'd pulled into the small parking lot area on the side of small auto repair garage, immediately abandoned the motorcycle about halfway into the area-- engine still running --and pressed up against the side of the building as I continued to get pummeled with rain and hailstones all while watching helplessly as my travel bag and makeshift seat mat I'd made from a block of carpeting got completely drenched, and watching the water fast rising all around me. During this time I took out my camera and started to shoot video of the event, but by the time I was just getting the thing to record, the hail portion was already winding down but the rain was still falling quite heavily, and my violent shivering in the cold downpour was evident. It was shortly after I'd shut the camera off that an automobile pulled into the lot where I was standing: it turned out to be the son of the shop owner-- a young man in about his mid-20s --who opened the office and invited me inside the building (which was right next door to their house) to get out of the weather. We stayed & chatted for approximately 20-30 minutes until the rain had let up enough for me to safely continue on, and even on my way out to get back to the Interstate I still could not locate the sandwich shop I'd been searching for which led me to that area.
The air blowing against me from riding did much to ''dry me out,'' and I wanted to keep it that way, but I kept hitting spots where there were constant (though no longer ''heavy'') rains, and during these times I'd pull off underneath the next upcoming overpass, park off onto the shoulder, climb up the underpass, and try to catch a little sleep while trying to wait out the rain -- but it was virtually impossible to get comfortable as the area graded areas underneath the bridges were not smooth but covered with large rocks, and it was chilly cold: I would spend much of evening this way before reaching the ''Kansas'' border a little before 22:30 (MDT).
Upon crossing into Kansas, I naturally stopped to photo-document the event, then continued on to pull into the ''Welcome Center'' to get freshened up both hygienically and rest-wise, although I seem to remember it being somewhat difficult for me to get comfortably rested.
July 8, 2012 - Sunday
Rode into ''Salina'' sometime around 9:30 (CDT), got some gas, and decided to park just outside of ''Long John Silver's'' to wait for them to open for business around 10:00. After dining in an overly cold setting, I decided to explore the city some, getting halfway ''lost'' a couple of times, until a few minutes before Noon, when I pumped a couple of additional dollars of fuel into my tank before heading back out -- once again regretting my decision not to snap a few pictures.
I continued my journey undisturbed (except for one brief stop outside of ''Maple Hill'' for refueling) until I'd reached the ''Topeka'' city limits. When I'd turned off from the freeway I literally had no idea which section of town I was in, but found that as long as I stayed on the route I'd gotten onto (which was ''10th Ave.,'' as it turned out), it would take me directly to the very places I'd wanted to go/see: my old high school (''Topeka High''), the former house where I'd lived with my sister before we left the city altogether (which had since been demolished along with the surrounding houses & sheds and converted into a tacky and tiny parking lot), and the ''Capital District.''
After snapping the few pictures I'd wanted of Topeka, since I still hated the place enough to want to get the ''L'' out of there as quickly as I'd arrived, I rode back out onto the Interstate only as far as it reached until it changed into a ''toll'' road (...how an individual state can get away with charging a toll on a ''NATIONAL'' interstate freeway is beyond my comprehension), then continued on into ''Lawrence'' via ''US-40'' Highway (a.k.a. ''6th Street'' in Lawrence).
Although I still knew my way around (except for the major changes that had taken place with the development of shopping centers & such on the far west end of town as I was riding in), the whole city looked & felt very different, and not just because of the more noticeable changes that had taken place, such as the major restructuring of the ''Bowersock Dam'' (which I've constantly had some of the most bizarre dreams about, especially within the past few years, never imagining that they might be somewhat ''precognitive'' in nature) or the new structures & redesigns in and around the north end of the Downtown area. The biggest shock was when I'd tried to ramble around in the ''Riverfront Plaza'' (Lawrence's controversial ''downtown mall'') and discovered that it had long since imploded under its lack of success and had been transformed into a high-class ''Marriott'' hotel! -- (but I guess that's the price they had to pay for ignoring the ''will of the voters'' who kept trying to tell the city council that we didn't want a ''downtown mall'' and surreptitiously & arrogantly weaseling it in ANYWAY through the use of ''semantic language'' by referring to it as a ''plaza''). My old comic book shop was also gone, and when I asked some people about it I was informed that the owners had sold their interest in it and the name was ''carried over'' and the new operation was established in one of the new downtown buildings (it was Sunday and late, so I never bothered to try to check them out).
While re-scouting the city I naturally decided to check out some of my old haunts and was amazed at how changed & ''unfamiliar'' everything looked & felt, particularly on ''Vermont St.,'' with all of the trees that had not been there before which were now shading over everything, as well as some unexpected renovations & improvements to some of the houses on the block, especially the first of the pair on that block where I'd lived for a time. And of course I had to see what was going on with the very first location where I'd had settled into when made to get established on my own (on the southeast corner of ''7th & New York'' Streets, across from the ''Amtrak'' train depot), and was not at all surprised that the structure had been demolished long ago... what did come as somewhat of a surprise was that no one had ''rebuilt'' on the site.
After it had gotten dark, I'd decided to do the one thing I'd emphatically insisted on doing before I dared leave the city... eat at ''Taco John's'' and remember exactly why I had always been such a huge fan of their menu (...and yes, I was finally able to confirm that their ''hot sauce'' adds much to the overall appeal) -- my only disappointment was that they discontinued their ''Apple Amigo'' dessert item (a deep-fried tostada coated in cinnamon-sugar with a smear of apple-cubelet glaze, sprinkled with fine-shred cheddar cheese, then garnished with crushed cinnamon imperials!) in favor of those nasty-ass ''churritos'' which ''EVERYBODY'' does.
And as far as ''food-related'' things go, it was sad to learn that an old city icon, ''Joe's Bakery,'' had given up the ghost. Also was no more, but they had always been of such shoddy quality anyway that it should've come as no huge surprise to anyone. I admit that I was surprised however to see that ''Village Inn'' (noted for their ''pancakes anytime'' shtick) was no longer around. That ''Bucky's Hamburgers,'' at the corner of ''9th & Iowa Streets,'' just about a quarter-block south of ''Village Inn,'' had closed up shop was really no huge surprise to me (their food was the definition of ''awful''... at least while I lived there), but I was somewhat surprised that no one else had chosen to move into their location.
The only other somewhat ''surprisey'' thing I'd taken note of (beyond the ''plaza'' repurposing and the dam renovations) was seeing that the bowling alley in the ''9th & Iowa'' area was still alive & kicking.
But considering how tiny and ''strange'' the place now felt to me, I simply could not ever see myself ever wanting to live there again.
July 9, 2012 - Monday
Had it not been so late at night when I'd departed Lawrence (around 23:00 CDT), and had there not been any confusion over the address I'd been given, I would have considered dropping in for a visit-- and perhaps even trying to negotiate a good night's rest --at my older sister's place of residence in ''Kansas City, Missouri.'' ((She would later accuse me of having deliberately bypassed her out of some sort of ill will on my part.)) I'd left Lawrence via ''Kansas Highway 10'' (''23rd Street'') and followed along until I could veer back onto ''Interstate 70'' on the outskirts of ''Independence, Missouri.''
I'd arrived at ''St. Louis'' not too long after 12:00 noon, and expressed less ''regret'' than ''disappointment'' that I did not try to take at least one snapshot of the ''Arch,'' but I'd determined that it was neither safe nor convenient to try to do so, placing greater priority on trying to reach my destination in a timely fashion.
By the time I'd passed through ''Illinois'' and arrived west of ''Indianapolis, Indiana'' it was somewhere around 23:00 (EDT). I cannot recall everything I'd done or how much time I'd spent at each diversion, but I was amazed at how ''countryfied'' what I'd always imagined as Northern-ish ''industrialized'' states were -- ''Country Music'' and ''farmer swag'' seemed to be King in these states!
During my ''Greenville (Indianapolis)'' stopover I did manage to snap just one photo of interest... when I'd stopped into a ''White Castle'' to try to remember why I'd thought their burgers were the ''hot schitt'' when I was a pre-teen, and trying to understand the current hype surrounding them, only to be VERY disappointed (and 'disgusted'), and I noticed the ''contradiction'' on their burger-holder boxes which make the following declaration: ''100% BEEF / made with all white meat chicken'' -- *FAIL*
July 10, 2012 - Tuesday
The only time-check I have record of relating to my time passing through the state of ''Ohio'' was at 10:50 (EDT) from a refueling station in ''Columbus''; my next checkpoint came at ''Breezewood, Pennsylvania'' about 11.5 hours later ((...so it may have been during this portion of the long trip where I literally ''blacked out'' from ''sleepiness'' some time during the middle part of the day, and the only saving grace was that I'd fortunately run across the ''rumble strips'' along the shoulder that jarred me back awake, after which I'd used that as my incentive-- and as my ''wake-up'' call... really, no pun intended --to pull off to the side of the freeway and lie down along the embankment below the road shoulder to try to re-energize -- again, this is only ''guestimation'' on my part, as I'd paid no real attention as to the exact or general location where this had occurred, knowing only for certain that I'd been well outside of the desert areas of the country when it happened, that it did not occur while in Kansas, and I'm almost certain that it did not occur while I was in Colorado or Missouri)); from there, my journey continued on then onto (which would also be the route that was to take me directly to my final destination) before continuing the remainder of the way bound for ''New Jersey'' on ''Interstate 78.'' En route, in trying to avoid paying a toll, I'd found myself driving through the ''Allegheny Mountains'' on ''US-30'' (''Lincoln Highway'') and felt fortunate that I'd taken that unplanned detour so that I could enjoy the scenic surroundings & peaceful ride, although it was getting to a point where I was becoming concerned about my dwindling fuel tank and the impending darkness... and once I'd come out of it I still ended up paying a toll anyway.
July 11, 2012 - Wednesday
A refueling stop was made in ''New Smithville, Pennsylvania'' at about 5:50 (EDT) before continuing on into New Jersey, bound for to get myself proper lodging arrangement for the very first time since leaving ''O'ahu,'' so that I could pay a ''proper visit'' to ''my girl'' -- ''Gracie'' during my brief stopover.
I'd never encountered a city so insanely laid-out and conducive to getting lost for miles at any unfortunate turn in the wrong direction as Newark, NJ -- despite the fact that the city is patterned on a ''grid'' system!
By the time I'd found a ''cheap'' motel (if one could call the sorry & depressing conditions I'd settled into for $52/night-- some semi-dump called, ''Garden State Motor-Lodge'' -- ''cheap''), I'd tried to locate ''Gracie's'' home address and pay her a visit.
~ ''catch-up'' entry date: (December 1, 2013 - Sunday)
(''Day Eight'' - cont'd)
After unloading my motorcycle and getting myself a bona fide shower (though the experience was anything but pleasant, given the conditions) I figured my way around enough to where I'd eventually located ''Gracie's'' address, but by the time I'd arrived everyone had gone out. Not having their phone number on hand, nor anything with which to write any sort of a note, I left my Hawaii Public Library card in the door, knowing that would be an obvious indication that I'd been by to visit.
Trying to find my way back to the motel was a most harrowing experience, finding ever more creative ways to get lost or misconnected, so that by the time I'd finally reached my destination I'd abandoned all plans to try to meet-up with her later in the evening, so I chose instead to sleep-in.
July 12, 2012 - Thursday
After reloading everything for the next leg of the trip I stopped by ''Gracie's'' house again, thinking I'd have better luck finding someone home this time around. Truth be told, I was not impressed with how she was presenting herself at the door (especially given the fact that I'd made it discernible that I was very likely still in town and would reasonably try again to stop by to try to pay another visit), and even her grandmother whom she resided with had tried to tell her repeatedly to change her attire for the benefit of entertaining a guest, but I did not concern myself about it all that much, given the fact that she was operating within her own dwelling space.
We did not go anywhere, as I'd wanted to do as an ''on-a-date'' sort of thing, staying in and just outside of the house the entire time. During the visit I ''gifted'' her with something that was a bizarre gesture even for myself -- the unchanged t-shirt that I'd been wearing during that entire road trip across all of those states, through all of those climates, after all those unbroken days up until I stopped in to the motel, just as a show of how I was amazed at how remarkable it was that after enduring all of that I should have been smelling like a skunk manufacturing facility, but to my shock & incomprehension there was barely any sort of ''negative'' odor at all!
July 13, 2012 - Friday
It was sometime around or after 1:00 (EDT) that I was preparing to leave ''Gracie's'' home and continue on for the next stop at ''New Brunswick,'' but her live-in uncle had completely blocked the driveway so that there was no way possible for me to depart the property. Because of this, when I'd inquired if it would be alright with her grandmother to allow me to spend the night downstairs on one of the couches and the suggestion was rejected, I decided to spend the night on their porch swing until the uncle departed for work around 6:00 (''Gracie'' had supplied me with a blanket to wrap-up in). I'd confronted the uncle on his way out, explaining the situation and hoping no one would misinterpret what I'd done, whereupon he claimed that he would've pulled out for me had someone awoken him (but such was not the impression ''Gracie'' gave about him with regards to anything disturbing his sleep): I'd also written an explanatory note for her grandmother based on the fact that I'd been informed that the uncle had told her what had happened and that it had resulted in an argument between the two women.
It was late in the morning by the time I'd stopped getting lost all around either end of the city of ''New Brunswick'' (the place looking almost entirely ''foreign'' to me from what I remembered of it as a child growing up) before I was able to find my father's house in ''Somerset.'' He and his 2nd wife offered to allow me to spend the night, but told them that I wanted to leave while it was still daylight and I was determined to complete the full length of the trip in whatever timely fashion I could, saying that I'd be back to pay him a visit after I'd gotten settled into my new routine.
Trying to escape ''New Jersey'' into ''Pennsylvania'' without paying a toll seemed like an impossible feat at best, as if ''The Keystone State'' holds anyone east of their border for ransom.
July 14, 2012 - Saturday
Sometime between refueling points in ''Bethel, Pennsylvania'' at 18:25 (EDT) the previous night and ''Martinsburg, West Virginia'' at 8:20 (EDT) this morning I'd pulled over for what I'd hoped would be a final night of sleeping on rest area benches in the wide-open -- from there I'd crossed the border into ''Virginia'' at around ten minutes 'til 9:00 (EDT), stopping periodically to take snapshots of the ''Welcome'' sign, some impending cloudy weather, and some video of a gang of circling birds which I'd assumed to be hawks but which may in fact have been vultures.
I finally arrived in ''Roanoke'' (sometime during the evening while it was still light outside) through one of the ''Peter's Creek Road'' exit ramps, which took me past the ''Star City Powersports'' motorcycle dealership -- which I'd made a quick mental note of, given the fact that I had already been overdue for my next service date and because I was determined to get everything looked-over after such a long & testing journey.
It turned out that my ''surprise arrival'' at my mother's house was not so much of a surprise at all, as my sister had spoken with my Dad earlier and had called my mother to confirm my arrival.
It did not take long after my arrival for me to begin setting up my mother's ratty-old ''Gateway'' computer which I'd intended on using to work on & maintain my journal pages until the arrival of my own system, which was still in transit along with all of my other personal effects that I'd shipped ahead of me.
(Day One: Day of Departure)
(Day Two: Landing Date)
~ ''catch-up'' entry date: (November 25, 2013 - Monday)
*[[Begins ''Travel-Log Time-Gap'' Recollection]]*
(Day Three)
(Day Four)
(Day Five)
(Day Six)
(Day Seven)
~ ''catch-up'' entry date: (November 30, 2013 - Saturday)
(Day Eight)
(Day Nine)
(Day Ten)
(Final Day: Arrival)
*[[Ends ''Travel-Log Time-Gap'' Recollection]]*
Winter 2011 (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2012 (Mar-May) /
''Long-Vacation'' 2012* (Jun-Jul) /
''Lost-Summer'' 2012* (Jul-Aug) /
''Lost-Autumn'' 2012* (Sep-Nov) /
''Lost-Winter'' 2012* (Dec-Feb) /
''Lost-Spring'' 2013* (Mar-May) /
''Lost-Summer'' 2013* (Jun-Aug) /
''Lost-Autumn'' 2013* (Sep-Nov) /
''Lost-Winter'' 2013* (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2014 (Mar-May) /
Summer 2014 (Jun-Aug) /
Autumn 2014 (Sep-Nov) /
Winter 2014 (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2015 (Mar-May) /
Summer 2015 (Jun-Aug) /
Autumn 2015 (Sep-Nov) /
Winter 2015 (Dec-Feb) /
Spring 2016 (Mar-May) /
Summer 2016 (Jun-Aug) /
Autumn 2016 (Sep-Nov) /
Winter 2016 (Dec-Feb)
