Flying tourists

I think another f word is more appropriate to describe tourists most of the time, but that's beside the point.

American Gothic, tourist style, at Albany Airport.

Southern Tier

When I first bought my car, my grandma told me I need a way to remember the letters on my license plate. "DMC...," she said thoughtfully, "...Damn Mean Cat." And so it was that "Damn Mean Cat" and I rolled into a driveway off Main Street in Delhi, NY after a 6 hour drive (the last 2.5 hours of which were on country roads) yesterday evening.

Mowed grass, sweet ferns, and campfire. These are the smells of New York, both as I remember them, and as my schnoz discerned them from my open car window yesterday as I drove the prettiest NY road I've ever seen. This says a lot because I have driven on some very pretty NY roads. Route 10, however, takes the cake, especially with the late afternoon sun lighting up the foothills of the Catskills. I made a mental note to drive this road in the Fall once the trees start changing. I invite all of my blog readers to join me in this endeavor, especially if you are presently reading from Colorado. :-)

The only notable side trip I made yesterday was to the Barbara Fritichie house in Frederick, Maryland. I couldn't go in (it looks like a private residence), but I did read the plaque on the side of the house declaring that Winston Churchill and FDR visited it during their travels. I also paused a moment and read the poem. It's one of my Grandma's favorite poems and she had committed it to memory a long time ago.

"Touch not a hair upon yon gray head!"

I would be silly to think that my trip ends in Delhi. After touring the town today (and looking for a more permanent apartment), I'm going to head up to the Capital Region to visit my folks and grandparents and bring my sister and her friend to the races at Saratoga.

NY has a Governor, I promise.

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Listen along!:
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Country Roads - John Denver
Albany - We're About 9
I and Love and You - The Avett Brothers
New York - Frank Sinatra

...

Safe and sound in Delhi, NY, though without internet and a cafe to take advantage of. I'll post something much more interesting about the end of my trip tomorrow. I promise.

Silhouettes

D.C. is unlike any city I've been to so far on this trip. In a way, it's perfect that this is the last city I'll visit before arriving in NY. Yes, indeed, folks: tomorrow is my last day on the road. How surreal. I rather like traveling and I have a feeling it will be quite an adjustment to stay still.

Today marked Day 10 of the road trip, though I was quite stationary, continuing my visit with my aunt and cousins. We embarked on multiple adventures today: teaching my aunt how to add pictures to Facebook, navigating the metro system, and walking all around D.C.

The National Postal Museum lobby

My Philatelic friends were at the forefront of my mind today. Our first stop off the metro was the National Postal Museum where we perused several exhibits, the most notable of which were "Fire and Ice" (about mail on the Hindenburg and the RMS Titanic) and "Alphabetilately" (26 different ways to understand stamps and the hobby of stamp collecting!). I also saw a lovey cover (envelope) decorated with Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty, which was cancelled in good old Troy, NY. Go figure!

Cover featuring Uncle Sam, cancelled in Troy, NY

After the Postal Museum, we walked quite a ways, visiting the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial, the memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt, walking by the Lincoln Memorial, and, finally, visiting the Vietnam Veterans memorial. This was a pretty powerful experience, especially with my Aunt providing her memories and perspective on Vietnam. While walking along the wall, about to leave, I looked up and noticed the name Paul J. Baker, a resident of Troy, NY who attended my small Catholic high school and whose memorial scholarship I received. Out of all the names, I couldn't believe I looked up and saw that one...

I leave you with pictures, music, and the promise that my next post will be from Delhi, NY.

Dr. MLK, Jr. memorial

Lincoln Memorial

The Three Servicemen looking at the Wall

The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial

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Listen along:
Waist Deep in the Big Muddy - Richard Shindell
The Mail Train Blues - Sippy Wallace w/ Louis Armstrong
You Me and the Bourgeoisie - The Submarines
The District Sleeps Alone Tonight - The Postal Service

We Irish

I. Drove. On. The. Beltway. The Beltway, as in, the road just outside of Washington, D.C., the one that you hear horror stories about. Yes, indeed, my approach to Vienna, VA was exciting, though fortunately not too exciting as it wasn't quite rush hour yet.

Until now, this trip has involved strangers, friends, and more strangers. but there sure is nothing like family! This afternoon, I was greeted by my aunt, cousins, their cats, and a lovely, homemade sign welcoming me to the great state of Virginia!

The Welsh's love stories, especially around food and "ice keen," and tonight was no different from a family dinner at my grandparents' house in Schenectady. In fact, tonight was just another reminder of how I've felt the presence of my family, especially my Grandma, with me on the road. It helped to solidify that, although I'm going to miss Colorado, this move to Delhi, at this precise moment in time, is a good and necessary one. After unloading my car in Delhi, I'd like to drive to my grandparents' house, picking up sweet corn and hot dogs along the way, and raise my glass saying "La Famiglia!" from across the dinner table.

The cousins, together again, with ice cream!

Perfect end to the evening: my cousin, who has only received basic piano lessons years ago, playing some pieces he composed on the piano (see the link below and hopefully I will add more later).

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Listen along:
Song on the piano by M. Ruske

Full steam ahead!

This morning began with a lovely bike ride to a local coffee shop where my friend and I sat in the woods, under a string of lights, sipping on hot beverages and eating pastries. During one stint, walking up a steep incline, I had a revelation, completely understanding why Chapel Hill is called Chapel Hill. I realize that I need more practice biking, though I'm not sure if biking up the large, long, steep hill to the library in Delhi will be possible... not just yet, anyway.

Coffee House oasis in the woods!

The majority of our afternoon was spent touring two local breweries: Fullsteam and Bull City. As soon as we approached Fullsteam, it felt like we were back in Colorado! There were darts, pinball, Ms. Pac-Man, lovely wooden tables, a juke box, a live band, and even a recurring hipster who sought us out for conversation on multiple occasions. Best of all, we found some quality beer.

Bull City had a different vibe entirely. The beer menu listed stories behind the names of each beer and a list of quotes about beer consumed the entire backside, but it was a much structured environment, functioning like a well-oiled machine. This was in direct contrast to the laid back environment at Fullsteam.

Pretty flights of beer at Bull City

The day ended with a first ever trip to Trader Joe's, good food, good conversation, and The Legend of Bagger Vance. North Carolina has been so extremely relaxing and Chapel Hill is an oasis in the middle of my lengthy road trip. Tomorrow, I hit the road again, and for the first time since New Mexico, I'll be veering off of Highway 40.


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Listen along:
Sugar Mountain - Neil Young
This'll Be My Year - Train
Leaving on a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul, and Mary
Music by Jordan & the Sphinx

Preacher's Daughter

My tour of the South has taken a very personal, introspective turn. Up until Chapel Hill, I was immersed in exploring my surroundings and absorbing as much history as possible. The theme of my time here, however, appears to be self-reflection and "growing up."


Yesterday began with a visit to the UNC Chapel Hill Planetarium and the purchase of glow in the dark stars, which I fully intend to decorate the ceiling of my future bedroom with in Delhi. Next came a visit to the goat pastures at the outskirts of Fearrington Village. The goats were so happy to see us, especially with our hands full of Cheerios!

Goats (though the one in the foreground looked a lot like a pig or miniature cow...)!

After visiting the goats, I made a very "grown up" decision to walk into Tar Heel Tattoo. The shop owner didn't make fun of me for asking silly questions. In fact, he warned the rest of the people in the shop to be careful of librarians; they are like "preacher's daughters who really know how to have a good time." The bottom line is that the shop and the artists exuded a great vibe. So after years of thoughtful consideration and my friend researching tattoo shops in Chapel Hill, I jumped on the opportunity and I got a tattoo of a heart behind my left ear (from a tattoo artist named Meghan, to boot!).

This was such an exciting process that my friend was squeezing my hand harder than I was squeezing hers!

My heart tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear...

Since I thought getting a tattoo might be like going to the doctor and getting a shot, I thought I would do as I did when I was younger, after getting shots, and get some ice cream.We relaxed on the porch, eating our ice cream, rocking in our rocking chairs, and watching the corn stalks sway back and forth. Perfection.

DU friend and her boyfriend enjoying some ice cream near Clown Willie and his balloon creations.

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Listen along:
Star Struck One - Smoking Popes
Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel