6.20.00 Hagerstown, MD

2AM and I'm awake. So the first day was rather uneventful. The drive was long, didn't hit much traffic. The usual traffic through the Bronx, and a little bit in Pennsylvania, which by the way, might just be the most boring state in the country.One "highlight" today was the NASCAR Caravan.There must have been a big race or something.Throughout PA there was a ton of those big NASCAR trucks.Along the highway there were people sitting there waiting for them to drive by.I took ksome photos from the moving car, who knows what that will be like. I think it's amazing how much people are into it. I feel almost the same though, here I am driving to Nashville from Boston to see Phish for the 59th time.

So after arriving in this town at 6:30 pm (after a 10AM departure) I went to the shopping mall to try and find some sneakers. That was unsuccessful, as was the Chinese food, and the movie Boys and Girls. Back here in the room though, I was struggling through a movie that had Mariel Hemingway, as well as David Carradine...then my phone rang after 1AM. I breathed a happy sigh when the display read "Heather". This was unexpected, and funny again, as I had just that second put some Elvis Costello on the CD player. The soundtrack of June 2000. It's strange how that sort of just happened.

So tomorrow I have another long-ass drive ahead of me, to Knoxville. My first time ever to that state. I love the anoynymity of travelling by myself. You see all these people and expect them to just know you're from out of town (aside from the license plates, and the Red Sox hat). I love the little private space you get for a night in the motel. I'm now getting high, listening to Bill Evans, and drinking lukewarm plastic water. What are the folks next to me doing though? They keep opening and closing doors, and there's lot's of big trucks pulling in and out. It's a big freakin mystery outside the door. I don't think I could actually point to the direction of Boston if I tried right now.

So as of 2:42 AM EST the best parts of the day so far, in order of goodness were: 1) That phonecall, 2) The NASCAR Caravan, 3) the 12.31.99 Down With Disease, 4) The LAkers won.

So I wore my Red Sox hat going through the Bronx today. 6 hours later the Yankees evidently went to Boston and destroyed us 22-1. Yikes.

6.21.00 Knoxville, TN

I learned a couple of valuable lessons yesterday: Never under estimate, never take the long way because "you have time", and the last lesson is what's the big deal, would you rather be at work?

I left Hagerstown at 9:45 AM, and arrived in Knoxville at 9:45 PM I decided to take the Skyline Drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains like last year. It runs alongside Rt 81, but I forgot that it takes 3 hours to get down 109 miles on this, as the speed limit is 35 mph, this added with photo opportunities all over the place, killed the better part of the afternoon. Once I got back on track I had what seemed like another 500 miles or so. I got off track at one point, as my directions were incorrect. Nashville is about 2 1/2 hours from here, so that should be easy with the 7 hours of sleep I just woke from. Unfortunately this styrofoam/non-dairy cremer business is not doing anything for me whatsoever. I have the first Phish show tomorrow, and another day or two to bum around Nashville before heading to North Carolina. Although I arrived in Tennessee as the sun was going down, I saw some great stuff, the sky was this amazing strawberry color. I'm outside of the city itself on a highway (Rt 40) that looks like Rt 1 in Massachusetts. Tons of restaurants, and stores, and gas stations, etc. So I have no clue what Knoxville actually looks like. I look forwars to music shopping this afternoon. I took a photo of the odometer when it read 999.9 that I was going to give to Heather. She'll get it : )

Last nights horrendous movie starred Vincent Gallo, and Ellen Degeneres.

Last night I didn't miss home that much, as hellish as that long ride was. I thought of some of the reasons I travel alone and how I'd like to change certain things about myself. Nothing like hours by yourself in unfamiliar territory to get introspective. I know I'm going to change for the better as I want to. I am generally very happy, I just need to remind people I am, otherwise I come across like a doody head. I feel line I'm taking a big mental shower right now. I should dress now, I need to get to Nashville.

6.21.00 Nashville

Sitting in this Kinko's as more of a relief from the god awful heat out there. I arrived in this nice city a few hours ago. My motel is outside of the city by about 15-20 minutes. In my parking lot is a Waffle House, strip club, and Hooters restaurant. I ate lunch at Hooters for the first time ever. What a trip that place is. The food sucked pretty much. But I guess people don't go there for the food really. At the end of the meal when the waitress asked "Would you like to take anything home?" I replied "Not on this table anyway". No I didn't say that...Okay, I'm in downtown Nashville right now, I should not be on a computer. More reporting to come.

out-

before & after