the pre-game warm-up

i wish everyone could see the sketch i drew of the united states. it's endearing, if i do say so myself. i circled the places i've always wanted to visit and the places where people i adore now live. so on friday night i am boarding the amtrak here in sacramento with my new beautiful bicycle and my big orange bag.

i won't be taking my computer with me because i have an iphone. the iphone is capable of doing a lot and is much more compact. it's unbelievable how incredbile blogger is. i have set up an email address to which i can write and the content will be posted here as a blog entry! AND i can do the same by sending a text message! incredible, i say. heads up to everyone: i don't like capital letters.

also, kalman and i are together again. the whiplash is incredible, let me tell you. we are in a relationship, though not engaged; we were certainly broken up for those 5 and a half weeks and time doesn't stand still. but we've both recommitted ourselves and we feel hopeful and inspired.

in more recent news, i got hit by a car on friday afternoon. it was a minor accident as far as my body is concerned. i have a smattering of bruises on my legs and arms but i haven't yet developed any suspicious aches and pains in my neck. however, it was a major accident for my bike. she's in pieces on our deck and has since been replaced by a beauty named Scott. Kalman joined me at the accident site and we began discussing my next steps. what bad timing to be without a bike just as i'm about to embark on a big trip with my bike! so he suggested i call around to the bike shops in sf and see who had what in stock. before i could even get to the more promising shops in person, he had already stopped at Pacific Cyclery on 4th Street and noticed a stunning road bike in my size (harder to come by than you'd think) with nice components and handlebars and levers designed for a little person! it was meant to be! oh, and did i mention it was on sale? so the yellow beauty has been replaced by Scott and i feel all fancy.

1. once i've used up my welcome in portland on my cousin leeann's couch (or floor or balcony or wherever she can stand to put me up). her and her husband are going to take me camping!

2. i'll rent a car to get to SLC to visit my other cousin (her sister) carrie in her new pad!

3. from there i'll get back on the glorious amtrak and visit suji in denver.

4. then it's another long ride to Chicago! i can't wait to see chicago. If anyone has any tips or suggestions of what i should see and how i should get there in chicago then let me know!

5. i'll get back on the train and see new york again. i'm very excited to ride my bike in new york! hey jessica, maybe we can meet up for a cup of coffee?

6. then i'll be off to philadelphia, another place i've been wanting to visit for sometime. again, let me know if you have any suggestions of what i should go out of my way to experience in philly.

7. i was thinking of stopping in DC. i've already spent a bit of time in DC in a past life but i always liked it there and i've never ridden my bike there, so i've been considering it. what do you think, maro? noah, maybe we can get a cup of tea?

8. after the train ride from the northeast to orlando, i get to see charla for the first time in years! so excited to see her new house and her plans for keeping me from melting in the florida-humid-grossness.

9. oh man, here's the part where i rent another car and meet james and ellen in New Orleans. i don't think i need to state explicitly that i am looking forward to exploring everything down there. we'll spend a few days and do it all!

10. next is a spin through texas. i never thought i'd spend any time in texas much less "quite a bit". but with natalie in the suburbs of houston, i gotta check it out.

11. austin, i am told, will treat me well. there they have bike lanes and fewer crazy republicans who might try to run me off the road. i will watch james and ellen reengage in graduate school life while i wreak havoc in their college town streets. suckers will never know what hit 'em.

12. angela promises me tasty spicy chili in santa fe. i am very much looking forward to being hung out to dry (literally) in the beautiful nature of the hot dusty death-like summer of the southwest. promise me i won't whither away, angela.

13. back on the road and headed to the greater los angeles area. i'm considering renting another car for this leg instead of doing amtrak because i'd like to swing by the grand canyon. we'll see what i'm in the mood for by the time angela is done with me. but once i'm in southern california, i'll go straight to see hoda and check out her awesome bastard-child room. i also intend to see adam and hopefully a live show, eh? eh? yeah! also, melissa and her friend nora might be around for some serious quality girl bonding time. maybe even nicolette will be in the area and we can get a beverage that is NOT caffeinated.

14. i thought a stop in SLO would be cool. visit some family there, riding my bike out there will be nice, etc.

15. i'll wrap it all up by amtraking it back up to sacramento with my beautiful bike and full orange bag. scott, orange rickshaw bag, and i will have a completely different perspective of the world.


i think i'm about wrapped up with my first installment of the Big Trip Blog. leaving soon, whoooo!