May 31st: Day 10 (an odd place to begin a story)

I knew this day would come. We unplugged Martha, our approapriately named GPS (sorry all you Martha's out there whom I'm sure are not reading my blog), since it is so satisfying to yell "Damn you Martha!" when she leads us astray. Since we have driven 2800 miles from St. Michaels, she has hardly been given a vacation. Granite, we only took I-40 west from the Grand Canyon, making no turns, to Barstow, CA. But, the entire leg was completed entirely old school with one of the many free atlases we had lying around my house predeparture, thanks State Farm Insurance.

I guess for your sake, I should back my story up since I am beginning this blog at what may seem like the end of a cross country road trip (since I am from MD and already in CA). Some quick fun facts that I deem are either vital to this story of just too good to leave out:

1. I have been "planning" (wanting to go) on this adventure since last summer's family vacation to northern california.

2. My partner in crime is Georgia aka "bluebird" and she is AWESOME.

3. Our plan is loose. So far I have hiked 21 miles on the AT from Pearisburg, VA (and still have the blisters to prove it); stopped in New Orleans; visited a couple state parks in TX and AZ; and just left the Grand Canyon, LA bound. We are staying there tonight then heading up the coast to San Fran and possibly Portland but, have no firm plans.

4. The trip is being completed in my family's old purple 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan. He has been renamed Marvin (sorry Zoe), and been refurbished. We removed his center seat, put down some recycled wool carpet (very comfy to sleep on), gave him some lace curtains ($1 find at a 2nd hand shop in Williams, AZ).

5. Georgia, Martha, Marvin and I have been rondezvouzing with my frind Stacey Lou who is also from MD and three of her friends: Marcus, Scott, and Ben.

Dang, my computer time is running out...more to come.