Destination: Boston/Salem Massachusettes
Stops: Kenly, North Carolina
Hoboken, New Jersey
New York City
Chester, New York
Boston, Massachusettes
Salem, Massachusettes
We’re young; we have the time, the money, and the vehicle. But most importantly, we have the drive. That nagging thought that keeps popping up while you are diligently appropriating a meager, hourly wage. So after all the years in high school that we spent talking about a longer trip nd making plans, pushing them down the road and making financial excuses, our time finally came. This time it was going to work out. Forget the bullshit, lets rock. We collectively want to do something that inspires us to get through another lecture, another drab evening spent at home with the family and when we’re 40; something to rekindle the spirits we are just beginning to embrace. I talk to a lot of people about this very idea. In fact, in response to a lengthy rant about going out there and living it up, my brother wrote me.... about the need to embrace what we have- our youth:
anyways, i am so proud of you when it comes to your determined sense of adventure.
i dont think anyone can stress enough how important it is to seize every possible
second of your youth. our culture seems so dead set on becoming adults and taking on
cell phone bills and credit cards. it's sick. they are so desperate to weight themselves
down with possessions. you gotta get out there and do it, mix it up, as royal tenenbaum
said.
So why north? Why drive the quickest, easiest path to destinations we almost apathetically decided on, as if they were the only options, when we could have done anything to our fancy? Our reasons to visit nyc were, I think, the most important of the whole scheme. Perhaps the foundation of what drove my demand of my family and friends support: to expose Jennifer to something beyond her life. Of the three, she was least traveled and most sheltered. Just the fact that she was allowed to trek up the eastern coast and go into unknown territory is amazing on its own and definately effected my inspiration to "shake things up," another of Kevin's words of advice. But then take into mind that we also visited Massachusetts, a dream she had had for years, finally realized in an intense, packed 10 days of go, go, go. I found myself just waiting for the day I had Jennifer by my side, walking down soho and meandering in the streets. to take her down into the subway, getting predictably lost at some point. I wanted to live through her, watch her see things for the first time she never believed she would see, perhaps even that she never had the inkling she would want to see. And in return for letting me share something I hold dear, I would take her to Salem and Boston. In return I was able to check off driving cross country with my best friends, driving in new york city, and parallel parking in the birthplace of hellish parking stories. And Kerry, well I think she was just along for the ride. To enjoy the passing scenery with no expectations or worries. She’s been everywhere around the world, but I think, I hope, this was different. To take part in something that was special for her close friends. Seriously, even as I think of why and the feelings I experienced on this trip, I am so proud of every minute of that trip.
I want to share every thought I have about getting in a car and going. Going anywhere with anyone. I want to get feverish about the possibilities and the actualities. I want to cement my memories. I want to show someone else what we are, what we were, where we’ve been, and what we develope into through our own little adventures!