New Years Eve

We're having a drink to start the end. Of 2011, that is. Happy New Year!

Day Two - Chicago

Mmmm, Chicago. Delicious.

Bear and I love cities. We lived in Chicago for about a year back in 2006. When we got here yesterday, I was so excited to see people, buildings, trains, and all the other things I used to barely notice.  Coming from an island with one [mediocre at best, especially for a vegetarian] restaurant makes the city seem even better.

We went shopping on State Street yesterday afternoon.  It's not so different from going to a mall, except the Macy's is breathtaking and nine stories, everything is outside, and all the stores are six times larger. Actually, it's totally different.  Just the stores are the same - H&M, Forever 21, Old Navy, Nordstrom Rack, and maybe 4 million others.

Oh, we had a pre-shopping cocktail at Rudy's, as seen to your left.

Last night we went to dinner at Japonais, the restaurant where Chris works.

Pause for a background on how we know Chris:

Bear met Chris maybe ten years ago when they were sophomores at Ohio University in Athens. They were roommates in Athens for awhile and Chris was spending the summer on Put-in-Bay in 2005, when Bear and I met. That fall, Chris was planning to move to Chicago with his girlfriend to go to culinary school. When they broke up right before they were planning to move, Chris couldn't afford the rent by himself at the apartment they had rented. Bear offered to go with him and I was planning to move back to California. Bear and I had only been dating for a few months, but in the way only a 19-year-old will do, I decided to move to Chicago with Chris and Bear instead.

There you have it.

Anyway, Chris works at Japonais and Bear took me to dinner there last night.  It was a beautiful restaurant. We ate lots of seafood and Bear grilled a steak appetizer on a hot rock at the table. Love it.

Today we're going to the zoo lights at one of my absolute favorite places in the world, the Lincoln Park Zoo. It's free and wonderful.

It's true, it's New Year's Eve and we're going to the zoo. We're old!

We'll probably go out after that. Maybe not. Maybe we'll go back to Chris's and eat hummus. Whatever.

Here's Chris's cat, also named Charlie. He thinks my computer case is a bed. I'm not a cat person, but I love this cat. He was born five years ago, around the last time we were in Chicago. Super cool kitty. Sorry for the weird photo, it's a Photobooth.

Day One - On the Road Between Port Clinton and Chicago

We're on the road and I just downloaded the blogger app. This means that instead of staring at the turnpike, I can post our adventures as they're happening! Loving it already.

My phone is over a year old and it's still super cool. If anyone is looking for a new phone, I highly recommend samsung, the galaxy series. I love the I phone, too, but I think they're kind of expensive for what they are.

Anyway....

We got on the road at about ten this morning, after a delay with our other car. It's for sale and I had to get the title notarized on the off chance someone would choose to purchase it. My dear mother is going to conduct test drives if anyone is interested in a 2001 Jetta.  Here it is for sale on craigslist. Go ahead and buy it. $3900. Adorable.

Here's Barry putting the last suitcase into the car.  The green machine is full up.

We're heading west on the turnpike to Chicago. I'm hoping we can take some scenic routes later but today we have a deadline. The fellow we're staying with in chicago has to work tonight so we need to get there before he leaves. It's raining but warm. Cross all your fingers for un-icy roads. Un-icy is totally a word.

Charlie seems unfazed so far.

Day Zero - Catawba Island, Ohio

THE ROAD TRIP (IS ABOUT TO) BEGIN

I'm Phoebe and my finance is Barry. We've been together for six years and got engaged in May. We're getting married in September and we're shamelessly avoiding all responsibility until then. 

Starting tomorrow morning we're taking our dog and heading west. Then east. Then north. We're going to be on the road for about three months. We're chronicling it here. Sometimes posts will be from me and sometimes they'll be from Bear. We'll try to keep it updated. However, we're a little flaky. Now, for some ridiculous numbers.

On our route, not counting any driving within our destination cities, we will...

drive 5,336 miles

be in the car for 85 hours

use about 213 gallons of gas

drive through 17 states

need 2 oil changes

We're taking a Buick LeSabre that Bear inherited from his grandmother. In a tiny journal we found in the glovebox, Grandma Marilyn named the forest green car "The Green Machine." Love it.

Tomorrow we're going to Chicago. It's only about 5 hours from us so this will be one of the shortest legs of the trip. Do you want the full breakdown? Here you go!

Port Clinton

-- 5 hours --

Chicago

-- 17 hours --

Colorado 

-- 11 hours --

Las Vegas

-- 5 hours --

San Diego

-- 22 hours --

Austin

-- 8 hours --

New Orleans

-- 3 hours --

Perdido Key

-- 16 hours --

Port Clinton

Sometimes we'll spend a few weeks in one place, sometimes a couple days.

We'll be back with more soon <3