Portland on Loan

The reality of moving across the country, is that you’re moving across the country. We’re talking over 3,000 miles. And just because you move your physical self, doesn’t mean that you move your home. Home is Portland. And so we bring a little of that Portland to NYC. Michelle’s granola/environmental/organic/beautiful/crunchy self and my ski crazy/chill/organic/environmental/freckled self. But what we can’t bring with us is friends and family. It’s a bit difficult. But if we’re lucky (and we know that we are) we’ll have those friends and family bring themselves to this big, crazy, interesting city, and while there here, give NYC a little more of the Portland spirit. We’ll use the Portland airport like a library, periodically and often checking out a great piece of the Northwest, sharing it with this city, and returning it to it’s rightful place after a week or two. And we can’t wait to have our first visitors from Glisan or Skidmore or Lakeshore or Stanton or 15th street or Macadam or any of the other places you (and we) call home. Unfortunately (and fortunately) Michelle and I are on extended lone to this metropolis. We’re excited and we’re also excited to share it with you. Here’s to Portland, to NYC, to family, to friends, to seeing you soon.

A Few Pictures and Thoughts for Tonight

I guess it’s my turn to write as we burn down the road. 10:45 at night. Michelle at the wheel. And I pound away at this keyboard. Mirah’s playing on the radio and Ohio’s draped in black. Next stop, Cleveland… maybe, if the caffeine holds up and the CD player keeps us company. The trip has been an exercise in newness, interesting places, endurance, bad food in a great I’m eating sushi in Idaho sort of way and gas stations.

Today we stopped in South Bend and saw Notre Dame. Beautiful town. Maybe the pope will come back as a football in this little football crazy town. That way, he could enjoy all the enthusiasm and greenery and good old fashion mid-American fanaticism, strong Catholicism, nice looking coeds (and fraternity brothers if he swings that way), without having to eat the food.

Cue camera. You see two locals out the side of the window.

Michelle: Hi. We’re not from around here. Is there anyplace you’d recommend to eat at?

Local 1 (late 20’s, slim woman): There’s a Denny’s down the road.

Caspian: Where do the college students eat?

Local 2 (late 20’s, portly woman): Between Two Buns. It a sports bar on campus. They’ve got great buns!

Local 1: Or you could go to Chili’s or Applebees.

Local 2: I love those places.

Failure. But it was a cultural experience. And we did end up eating Thai food in Indiana. Not great, but it was Indiana.

A few things I’ve learned on this trip. America is beautiful. There are many helpful and friendly souls in this country. Toll roads suck ass, unless you don’t have to pay for them. Chicago is big… I mean really big. Nothing taste better than time with a wonderful friend, a laugh and an experience that will be remembered for the rest of memory.

We drive on. Mirah keeps singing. We’ll talk again tomorrow.

Quick Update

Moonscape 2
Originally uploaded by Polish Carpetlayer.

Over 1,300 miles. We spent the night in Yellowstone on Tuesday, enjoyed the park on Wednesday and ended up in Deadwood South Dakota Wednesday night. We've got tons of pictures, but we only have time to put this one up. We've got to hit the road. We'll put up more, the next time we find an internet connection.

4 States, 550 miles and 2 Tired Drivers

The bus stops in Missoula Montana. We passed through a town with a weapon depot (Umatilla Oregon), purchased cherries from some roadside farmers (Washington border), ate some of the worst sushi either one of us has ever had (Coeur d'Alene Idaho) and found out that our car CD player is as temperamental as Cirrus. This trip has just begun.

The Copywriter Paints

Mural Friends
Originally uploaded by Polish Carpetlayer.

The whole office took the day off and put out time and talents to work at a youth center in Harlem. We painted 5 huge murals, built puppet stages and benches. It was hot, fun and amazing to see the kids faces after we were finished.