Mar 16, 2017

I worked what I thought could be my last day at Memorial in a computer class. It was an easy day and I thought I'd have off last block and be able to leave early for Vermont. What actually ended up happening was I had to cover the full last block with another new teacher who was pretty awkward. Ryan and I packed up my car and got on the road around 3 headed north. The drive up wasn't bad at all. It couldn't be worse than the last time we went up in January through a horrible snowstorm and the 5.5 hour drive took about 10 hours. I didn't take any photos as I was driving in the dark most of the time, but we made decent time with only a few rest stops and got to our Super 8 in Brattleboro to check in over the icy sidewalks and chunky parking lot.

Dec 25, 2016

I came back to my grandmom's on Christmas morning to finish putting everything together for the trip and charging things and taking photos off cards-- the usual. When Sarah, Ken, Isabel, and Aiden showed up I went out to give them their gifts. Aiden seemed happy with the Tsum Tsums and moved quickly on to the next gifts of course. That all went quickly. I opened my envelopes of cash and gift cards and it was all over.

Becca and I hopped in the car, got gas at Wawa, and then asked, "How the hell do we get to Maine?" We started by driving north and stopped 3 hours in to play the animal course at Warwick. It was a great break in the drive and we played a good game. Becca had some really great putts and I threw one of my discs in the water. I forgot how beautiful parts of the course are with a stream running through it and a nice foot bridge.

After our round we got right back on the road, eating quinoa and brussel sprouts on the go. It was a smooth drive with no traffic; the only snag came when we got off the exit for gas we realized everything was closed. The Shell that we were heading for had all the pumps roped off and only the inside was open. We had to improvise to find a place to pee, and then we drove a little farther to get to an open gas station.

We decided we would stop in Portsmouth for the night and we found a hotel right off the highway. It was nice to stop and get to sleep at a good time after a day of driving.

Mar 10, 2014

We decided we wanted to get the most out of our last day before we headed home, so the plan was the get up early and get right on the slopes. Well, it took a little longer to get out of bed at first, and then once we got to Attitash and I was putting on my ski boots... well, I only got one on. It's always a pain in the ass getting them on, but not like this. I ended up walking to the lodge with one shoe on.

I took my boot to the rental shop where a nice guy asked me if I had left them in the car overnight. Yes, I had. And the cold shrinks them. He offered me a hairdryer to warm up the plastic. Sure enough, as soon as it had warmed up a bit it slipped right on. Amazing. A good trick for the future.

We finally got up out on the mountain and there was almost no one there! Mondays are great! We didn't wait in line for the lift all day. We did a bunch of trails on Attitash and then gave Bear Mountain another shot. We even found a little downhill trail to get to a lift so we avoided the long flat section. It was definitely less icy than on Saturday, so we did the bigger trails on that side before heading back.

We were basically able to do all of the trails at the resort over the course of the day and then a couple that we liked a second time. It was great. There were times on the lifts with no one in front of or behind us, and there were places where I stopped on the trail and it was just silent. I loved it. The weather was really nice again despite it being overcast all day. Brenda got a free lunch for some ladies only deal so we split the $10 and got grilled cheeses before leaving.

We walked around North Conway a bit when we got back, looking in some of the souvenir shops and gear stores for deals. I ended up finding a really cheap helmet on clearance so I'll finally have one of those! We went back to the hotel to shower and pack up our stuff before meeting up with Ryan and Bree to bid the Eastern Slope Inn adieu one last time before pointing the car toward home.

On the way home we stopped at Cracker Barrel for an awesome dinner of country foods. Brenda and I got into a pretty serious game of checkers. It had been so long since I played I didn't remember some of the basics. Once we got into it it was a battle to the death. We took a break to eat and then went back to our table, untouched. It was basically a draw, but Brenda gave in and let me win just so it could end. The rest of the drive home was long, long, long. Everyone was zoned out or sleeping most of the ride so I was listening to music or staring at the road in a hypnotized state. We finally made it home and I dropped everyone off before heading home myself.

Mar 7, 2014

After getting home late last night I decided to sleep in a little and take an afternoon job at Vineland Memorial. It ended up being only one double period math class so I was in and out. I was able to get all my laundry done in the morning so I just had to pack up my stuff and decide what to bring with me once I got home. I picked up Brenda then got Ryan and Bree and we were on our way after a stop at Shop Rite and Taco Bell. To New Hampshire!

It was a really long ride, taking us about 9 hours with stops included. We stopped a few time for gas, snacks, and bathroom stops. During our late delirium Brenda and I got chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches. They were wonderful. The final part of the drive was a series of winding back roads in the woods that eventually led us to North Conway and the Eastern Slope Inn. We headed to our respective rooms and were quickly ready for bed. After we pulled it out of the wall, that is.

Feb 10, 2014

Our final day we headed back to Killington, both a little less than excited about it. How can you follow up the day we had yesterday? Plus today was cold, snowy, and gray. There was fresh powder and that was a new experience where I was skiing and couldn't see my skis or boots at times. It also made turning a little more difficult. We did sections of the mountain we had not even been to on the first day. There were no crowds and few moguls this time around, but it still felt a little less fun. We did some good trails but ultimately ended up heading out early.

It was freezing! My hands were so cold when I got back to the car to take my boots off. We got some coffee at our first opportunity and then began the drive home. I had this delicious bean and veggie salad.

The drive home always seems longer. But this time it didn't seem so bad. Maybe because I wasn't driving this time. Either way we had a good drive home and I had to take my stuff out of Ryan's car and put it in mine. Obviously when I got home I only brought in the stuff that needed to come inside. The rest could stay in there for a while.

Feb 7, 2014

I got to sleep in a bit today because I wasn't subbing. I had to be in Philly by 1 to get ready for Temple University's winter graduation. I got a nice free parking spot and met Derrick, NaTaza, and the new guy whose name I've forgotten now. We got set up, I went to do PR shots in the garage and then ran in to get ready to shoot the degree/handshake. The president and the other hand-shaker were annoyingly moving around the whole time making it so hard for me to get my shot right. They totally ignored their marks on the floor and kept getting in my way. Come on!

After finishing work I came home, packed up all my ski stuff in a short time, and went to Ryan's to head to Vermont. After getting snacks we headed north. We didn't hit much traffic through Jersey so that was nice. It was also nice not driving. We did take a weird back road route to get there, but we did eventually make it to our hotel. We were happy to lie down and get to sleep once we got there.

Oct 25, 2013

I got to sleep in a bit in the morning, but I still was not looking forward to the drive to the Legacy office. I got there on time, but, as I figured, everyone wasn't there or ready yet. We had to wait for Derrick to get there, and then we had to wait for Dave to get there with his car because he didn't realize we were leaving that early or something. Once all our gear was packed, checked, and stowed in the back of Dave's Volvo though we were ready to hit the road. After a stop at Wawa of course.

The drive wasn't bad. I enjoy conversations with Derrick so that helps the time go by much more quickly. Plus I can occupy myself on my phone when there is nothing being said. That's the nice part about being a passenger. We picked up Rena at her place in Maryland and continued down Route 13 to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. I remember being much more enamored with it in the past. I think the idea of it was always cooler than the actual experience. Or maybe I just want to see it from above or on the water. You can't see it that well when you're driving it.

We stopped briefly at the rest area in the middle of the bridge as the sun was going down. Kevin and Max were right there with us in their car somehow. I thought they'd be way ahead. When we got to the Aloft Hotel, I was eyeing up my coworkers, wondering who I'd be rooming with. To my surprise I saw five keys being handed to Derrick and then he distributed them at random. I had my own room! A wonderful surprise. Too bad we weren't really staying long enough to enjoy it. We headed to our respective rooms, which are super nice, and took a short time before we headed out to get dinner.

We went to Carrabba's, where I got a tasty Sam Adam's Oktoberfest at the bar while we waited to be seated. Beer tastes better when it's paid for by the company card. So does the food. We had some great food and good conversations at the table. Rena and I have a lot in common, especially when it comes to skiing. She told me about how different skiing in Colorado is on fresh powder. One day I'll find out for myself. Maybe this year...? We hung out there for a while after we finished our meals and then spent a little time at the hotel bar before retiring to our rooms for the night. The bed was really comfortable and I wish I didn't have to set an alarm...

Sep 16, 2013

We began our long drive home from the rest stop parking lot after washing up and eating. It was mostly a straight drive from this point on, stopping at a few random rest stops and a Sheetz, until we got to Penn State where we went to the hotel that Joanna's future travel-mates were staying at. I met Sidney, who seemed really nice, and got a much-needed shower in their room. It felt so good to wash off the dried sweat and mud from yesterday. After a long goodbye I was on my way to Thorndale, PA to meet Jeff.

I got to the Applebee's before Jeff somehow and helped him carry his Quizzo stuff inside. He showed me how to set up the PA and laptop and then ran through the motions of starting the quiz and handing out answer sheets so I'd know what to do when I fill in for him Wednesday. It was all pretty simple, but I'm glad he gave me the rundown. He ran through his fast and easy sports Quizzo game and then we were breaking down before I knew it.


We headed over to Victory Brewing for last call even though we were a little early for it. We each had a couple of beers and had a good time talking since we rarely get to catch up or chat anymore. We talked about the weekend at Riot Fest for me and having a child, wife, and two jobs for him. The lives we have chosen. We did have a really good time and I wish we got to spend more time together these days. I really don't know how he does that drive all the time though.

Sep 13, 2013

We picked up where we left off in Ohio and finished the long drive to Chicago into the afternoon. Once we found the train station we wanted to park at and figured out which tickets to buy we got on the train and headed into the city. Our first stop was Chicago Diner for some delicious vegan food. I had to go with the reuben to start. It had been too long. It was wonderful. After we were stuffed we walked the mile to Humboldt Park, passing empty parking spaces all along the way. I guess we should have driven in.

We got to the entrance to Riot Fest at the park and there was no line to get in, so that was nice. We wandered around inside for a bit, getting a feel for the layout. It had been quite a while since I was at a festival. We watched a video at the FARM truck and they gave us a fresh dollar bill and talked to us about vegan living for a while. We watched a little of the Smoking Popes before we went to the Riot Stage to see Yellowcard. I never know how the first band at a fest will be, especially in the daytime with a cold crowd that just showed up. Yellowcard killed it and really kicked the weekend off right. They played an awesome set; so much better than the last time I saw them. Everyone was super enthusiastic and Sean even did two backflips! Fantastic.

Bad Religion was up next on the Roots Stage and that was quite a change in atmosphere. Older crowd, big mohawks, kilts, and a real mosh pit like they used to have back in the day. It was pretty sweet being in that crowd. I felt slightly more at home even if I'm not as into the faster punk music anymore. Regardless of my general leaning, I do love Bad Religion, and they played a kick-ass set. They blaze through songs like a chainsaw through butter. They must have played about 30 songs in their hour slot, including "Atomic Garden," "21st Century (Digital Boy)," and "I Wanna Conquer the World" back to back. It was pretty insane. They still know how to rock a crowd.

After Bad Religion I wandered for a while, watching GWAR for about a minute before I realized I didn't want to watch them. I met Joanna in the intersection and we went over to see Masked Intruder play the small stage. They were actually really fun and entertaining. Definitely a band I'd like to see live, but can't imagine getting into otherwise. The park looked pretty cool lit up at night. We didn't take advantage of any of the rides, but I guess we probably should have.

The crowd was huge already for Fall Out Boy. No surprise, but I squeezed up about halfway as they started the set. It was a very similar set to the show they played in Philly, but it was mostly enjoyable. A lot of songs from the new album again, so I felt like that slowed things down a little, but I was into while I was there. Once the last screams of "Saturday" were finished we filtered slowly out and I went to our meeting place by the merch booths which turned out to be a lot of other people's meeting place as well.

It seemed like a very long walk to the car, and once we found the Metro station, it seemed like a long train ride back to the car. Being tired didn't help. We got to the car and had a bit of drive ahead of us to the hotel where Joanna stayed when she was on tour in Chicago. This time she had to sleep in the back of the car with me though instead of having a nice bed. At least we had a safe, free parking spot.

Jun 19, 2012

We were up a little early for the Ben & Jerry's tour so we did some of our own touring of the area. We stopped at Cabot and tried way too many cheeses for any time of the day, but even worse because it was morning. So many good ones. We went to the chocolatier next door and had some small samples. They aren't stupid; they don't give away so many. Then we went to the little general store market where they have mustards and jams. We got a sample of freshly pressed apple cider as we watched the press at work.

Not a bad morning already, but then we went over to the Ben & Jerry's factory tour. It's always interesting even if I know what they do. We got our tasty sample at the end of the tour and then went out to the Scoop Shop to get some more samples before heading out.

Since The Alchemist doesn't exist as a brew pub anymore we went to their brewery/cannery where they brew one beer: Heady Topper. This is constantly trading places with Pliny the Elder as the number one IPA in the world. It's pretty good. I'm not sure why I didn't get a six pack.

Our next stop was Magic Hat's silly, circus brewery. We did the self-tour and then went down to the bar for a few samples of things we hadn't had. For lunch, it was to the Vermont Pub for a beer and a sandwich before heading to Zero Gravity brewing. There are so many on the passport that it gets hard to follow them all.

One of my favorite little places we stopped was Fiddlehead Brewery. It was off the beaten path-ish, and they were really friendly. While we sampled, the bartender offered to let me try a pickled fiddlehead. I accepted, of course, and it was really good. Most pickled things are, but it was nice little quirky thing.

We took a break from beer and hit a couple of wineries since there were a few in the area. We got plenty of small samples, being sure to keep our BAL up while we were off the beer trail, I guess.

Our last Vermont brew stop was Otter Creek. This place has a huge selection of amazing beers. It's probably good we finished here. We got a bunch of samples and some more food to soak it up. We hung out here for a while before heading out.

On our way home we stopped at Willow Park DGC before we left the state. It was mostly open with a few wooded holes. Only 9 holes and none of them too extraordinary, but it was nice getting out of the car and enjoying the weather for a while before sitting in the car for several more hours.

We drove through Albany on the way back, and we couldn't pass up the Albany Pump Station Brewery for dinner and another flight. We were almost burnt out on beer, but they had a good flight and some good food as well.

The rest of the drive home was long and a little sleepy, but we made it back.

Jun 15, 2012

We had a nice sleep in the tent after our long day of hiking, but then we had to go home. We packed up the site and got on the road.

It was a really nice day, and we stopped a couple times to get food and gas. We didn't hit much traffic except for near DC.

Just back into New Jersey we got pulled over because Steph didn't yield the left lane to a cop that was behind her. She was worried because the right blinker was out. In hindsight she probably should have just moved without the blinker.

When we got home I went home and chilled out for a while. Later I met Ryan for a neighborhood run and then a walk and talk.

Apr 11, 2012

We started heading north in the morning and headed through North Carolina to Virginia. We stopped at a small brewery to try a few samples and then headed on our way to the next one quite a while up the highway. Blue Mountain Brewery had an amazing selection of brews including the Evil 8 Dubbel. I wanted to stay here.

After searching out several vineyards, Barren Ridge ended up being the one we stopped at. They offered 8 free samplings and they had a nice selection of wines. Kate got a bottle to go.

As we neared DC it rained a bit and a rainbow came into view for a little while. We found an Olive Garden to use our gift card at and had a nice dinner. It's been some time since I've been to the Garden.

One last brewery before the home stretch, we stopped at Mad Fox Brewing, where We had one of the best arrays of beer I've ever had. The place was classy too, with high ceilings and a nice set up. This led me to believe it would be a run-of-the-mill sports pub with some in-house brews. I was quite wrong. We got two growlers here. There was a Black IPA that was fantastic and their Wee Heavy was amazing. We need to make a return trip here.

The next three hours on the drive home went pretty quickly. As always, it was nice to be back home to lie down in my bed and watch some tv. It was a good trip and we came back with a lot of beer!

Apr 7, 2012

Kate wasn't feeling well when we packed up to leave at midnight so we put off leaving until the morning. We took 95 South the whole way. The drive was pretty enjoyable overall. It's been quite some time since I've been south of D.C. on 95. Kate slept in the back most of the time trying to feel better.

We made one stop at The Mash House in North Carolina for lunch and to sample their beers. I love the presentation and there was no shortage of delicious beers on this flight. The red and brown were my favorites and the peach blonde ale was amazing.

Once we finally reached Charleston we met Kate's dad at the hotel and put our stuff down before heading out to Red Lobster. It was only somewhat uncomfortable with the hungry family that had been waiting for us to arrive and then Kate dropped her phone in water. After dinner, Jocelyn, who I hadn't seen since high school, picked us up and took us out to Charleston Beer Works downtown. We had a fun time as I sampled beers and we caught up.

After a couple of hours out we had to head back to the hotel. It was a good day and nice catching up with an old friend.