May 1st came and went. This is the legacy?

[TurboJake]

Safe travels! I hope the trip cures what ails you!

Honestly, I have no idea what the trip did for me. Did it cure an ailment? Dunno, but I still can't believe I did what I did.

That's great you went to bisbee. We went there a few years ago. Did you happen to have a drink at the stock exchange? Good stuff man good stuff

Maayyyybbbeeeee

HAHAHA

Jake did you stick around in Tuscon long enough to learn how to pronounce that "correctly" down there ????

They slaughter Houghton down there, they call it How-ton. I think you took that pic not all that far from my brothers house (prolly 4-5 miles give or take)

No, it was like 3 am. Did not get to hear anyone say Tucson. Nor Houghton. However! I did meet a gal on my Travels that lived in Houghton Iowa. And she pronounced it "Huff-ton"

She had the type of voice where you just wanted to grab a ball gag to shut her up.... She probably would've liked it too.

[Farbin Kaiber]

As a true child of the 80's you would have also noted this movie.

And, was that Pinnacle Peak in San Dimas? Did you make it by the sights from Bill & Ted's as well while you were there?

[Tom.]

HAHAHA

Jake did you stick around in Tuscon long enough to learn how to pronounce that "correctly" down there ????

They slaughter Houghton down there, they call it How-ton. I think you took that pic not all that far from my brothers house (prolly 4-5 miles give or take)

Okay.. how do YOU pronounce Tucson (you spelled it wrong..) and Houghton?

[mrsleeve]

Okay.. how do YOU pronounce Tucson (you spelled it wrong..) and Houghton?

sorry my dyslexia kicks my ass some times............................ Tucson is pronounced just like it should be. I was not asking jake about tucson I was asking him about Houghton. Since he lives in a town in the northern U.P. of Michigan that bears the same name. I got the joke about the "lol" above the picture of the road sign that says 5 miles to Houghton when hes a solid 2000 miles from home. Since I am originally from MI, and much of the little woman's family is also from Houghton MI, and my mother and brother live in Tucson I am very well versed in your horrid pronunciation as a city of such a simple word.

Houghton when you use the queens English is Hough-ton if your having issues sounding that out. A more phonetic pronunciation is hoe-ton

[flyboyx]

too-sahn

hoh-tun


what city are you from mr sleeve? ann arbor for me......

[mrsleeve]

what city are you from mr sleeve? ann arbor for me......

No shit. I was born in K-zoo, raised in a little town 1/2 hour south of Jackson in Hillsdale county and for the last 10 years I lived in the state an actual stones throw form the eastern Washtenaw county line outside of Waterloo. I know A2 well, we did most of our business there or in Chelsea rather than go the other way

[flyboyx]

No shit. I was born in K-zoo, raised in a little town 1/2 hour south of Jackson in Hillsdale county and for the last 10 years I lived in the state an actual stones throw form the eastern Washtenaw county line outside of Waterloo. I know A2 well, we did most of our business there or in Chelsea rather than go the other way

sweet. one of my favorite places to hang out is the grizly peak brewery. i was born on the east side of jackson. michigan center if that means anything to you. if you played sports, i think hillsdale was a class d school if i remember right. mine was class c. i graduated h.s. with 95 other people if you could imagine a class that small. here in texas, the average graduating class is about 12-1600 kids.

[mrsleeve]

sweet. one of my favorite places to hang out is the grizly peak brewery. i was born on the east side of jackson. michigan center if that means anything to you. if you played sports, i think hillsdale was a class d school if i remember right. mine was class c. i graduated h.s. with 95 other people if you could imagine a class that small.

Yeah I know Center well, I graduated from North West in 99, but I moved in H/S I actually grew up in jonesville and my class there was 88 iirc. Matter of fact I did a Kayak paddle from center lake put in there at the 5th street park to the park at Little Wolf lake last spring when I was in town visiting friends. If you spent much time in center, I venture to guess we know some of the same people.....

I think we have eaten at Grizzly Peak before, we ate at Creek Side Bar and Grill a lot out on jackson rd just west of Zeeb and West Side Grill a lot.

Wow small internet

[kung fu jesus]

Native Detroiter, moved to Grand Rapids to finish school and landed my first job out of college in Holland. Lived in Grand Haven for a while. I moved out of MI in '03 and have lived on both coasts. Moved back to the east coast last year.

Jake- besides the accomplishment of making a trip like this, it provides some perspective you will carry for a long, long time. Every cross-country drive for me has been different, but the experience and people I met doing them always gave me food for thought for my direction in life. It also removed a lot of the fear of taking a new position in part of the country I had never lived. I think that has also applied to my international travels too.

[E30_Pare]

This is awesome possum.

I'll do this some day. Been feeling Forest Gump-y lately.

[Tom.]

when you use the queens English

because America.

[flyboyx]

Yeah I know Center well, I graduated from North West in 99, but I moved in H/S I actually grew up in jonesville and my class there was 88 iirc. Matter of fact I did a Kayak paddle from center lake put in there at the 5th street park to the park at Little Wolf lake last spring when I was in town visiting friends. If you spent much time in center, I venture to guess we know some of the same people.....

I think we have eaten at Grizzly Peak before, we ate at Creek Side Bar and Grill a lot out on jackson rd just west of Zeeb and West Side Grill a lot.

Wow small internet

this stuff is great. i used to ride by that little park on 5th every day on my way to school. played hookey there once or twice. on your paddle, you passed under two little cement bridges where my grandparents used to take me fishing when i was a little tyke. i also used to fish there with my son when he was really small. my uncle used to own a pizza restaurant in hudson. it was called varga's pizza. that was before your time but perhaps your parents remember? mid 70's iirc.

i studied aviation at western mich. was one of the last to graduate before the program moved to battle creek. i spent 3 years as a bag tosser/ticket agent for northwest airlines there in kazoo. also worked as a salesmen at norman camera and some time served as an assistant manager of one of the video watch vhs rental stores.

Native Detroiter, moved to Grand Rapids to finish school and landed my first job out of college in Holland. Lived in Grand Haven for a while. I moved out of MI in '03 and have lived on both coasts. Moved back to the east coast last year.

Jake- besides the accomplishment of making a trip like this, it provides some perspective you will carry for a long, long time. Every cross-country drive for me has been different, but the experience and people I met doing them always gave me food for thought for my direction in life. It also removed a lot of the fear of taking a new position in part of the country I had never lived. I think that has also applied to my international travels too.

all of my crazy travels have done a lot to shape me as well. i lived in american samoa for a year when i graduated college. my first flying job. that was a culture shock of epic proportions. it was a pretty lonely year being that far from home. i sure learned a lot myself and about mental fortitude in that year.

its kinda like when your parents would send you off to summer camp when you were a kid. when you came home, everything seemed different. after a while, you realize that the only thing that is different is you. i always used to like dating women from other countries/cultures when i was in college. its amazing how much that will change your perspective too.

[TurboJake]

It's high time I finish this off. Lets go.

This is just going to be kind of a picture dump really. Sadly, the lost SD card I mentioned before, is completely gone. I know where I lost it, just no idea how. I used the super handy dandy sticky mat to stick my phone to my rear window at a rest stop. Took a picture of it playing something on netflix (I think it was dexter's lab) with the camera. Next morning, I start driving and the card is missing from the camera. Either I took it out in my sleep or half awake, or when I went inside to take a piss after waking up it was swiped (Although unlikely, because why not just swipe the whole camera? It isn't a cheap one....)

Anyways, I digress.. I have no photos from my camera from Norfolk VA, back to Wisconsin. Including me setting foot in the Atlantic ocean. Completing the coast to coast trip.

If you ever have the chance to do something like this. Do it. You'll never forget it. It's truly something that I recommend everyone on the planet to do. Whether with friends, or completely alone. You learn so much about yourself, your confidence (I never felt like I was in a predicament), and most of all you learn so much more about your own country than you could ever imagine.

For me, including that I have game with ladies everywhere. EXCEPT UP HERE!!!! This place is truly a different planet on every plane of existence. It's just a matter of time until I find someone though. Until then. I plug on. Completely ignoring the "Hey lets catch up" or "Hey, wanna chat?" texts or messages that my ex sends me. I'm truly liberated from her, and couldn't care less if she is in my life or not. So the trip, on thousands of levels was an EPIC success to me.

And that said, I get to go to the Bahamas next month! The whole family is going, and I want to be there with them because chances are my uncle may never see me again. I'll be damned if I'm going to say "I can't go on a cruise that my uncle waited his entire life for, when I may never see him again, just because I'm in college." It's a week. I'll make it work for family.

Without further ado though. Picture time kids!




IMG_1523 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1528 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1534 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1537 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



I really wish my cluster represented my actual mileage. At the time of this photo, it's really at 498,000. I cross 500,000 in Tennessee. ON the dragons tail. Driving the hell out of it.

But in this picture, it's a nearly half a million mile engine, doing 105 with the A/C running, on cruise, for roughly 400 miles. It was AWESOME!



IMG_1541 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

IMG_1543 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1567 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Rolling up to Dallas and met up with a friend.

IMG_1568 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1570 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1572 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1577 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Banana nut bread cookies that friends little sister (Who was 18, and had REALLY big boobs that were as perky as can be), made up and sent me off with.


IMG_1590 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Continuing down the road.


IMG_1594 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1596 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1603 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



I would've HATED to be on the other side. This line was miles long. Sucked to be them.


IMG_1608 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


That said, Arkansas ended fast. There are two things I learned there. 1. They have absolutely no fucking clue how to mate a road with a bridge or overpass. Every time it was like hitting a wall and fearing oil pan destruction. 2. I found NO postcards. Which made me think "They must not like themselves enough to have postcards at truck stops. I'm outta here...." Straight to


IMG_1621 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Where I camped out at the loveliest place after getting bailed on by a friend. And am super thankful he bailed out. Because I found this guy.


IMG_1655 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

At this campground. Which was magical in every sense of the word. Pulled in, turned off the lights, and was greeted by BILLIONS of fireflies. I did not need any extra light to set up my tent. T'was truly magical.


IMG_1667 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1672 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1672 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1674 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Which was next to this cemetery.


IMG_1681 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

That contained the remains of this guy.


IMG_1685 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

That was next to this trail.

IMG_1698 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

and this building.


IMG_1704 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


If you get the chance to go camping. Go here in June. Simply magical.

IMG_1712 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

But do be sure to drive by this guy in the middle of the night, and have to take about 5 looks because you're not quite sure what you saw.


IMG_1713 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Which is an old man holding a TROWEL! WTF?!


IMG_1715 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



And proceed to the DRAGONS TAIL!


IMG_1740 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1741 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

ONLY TO HAVE YOUR PARKING BRAKE PINS FALL OUT AND MAKE MORE HORRENDOUS NOISES WHILE BEATING ON IT!!!

No worries though. I was prepared! (In case you're wondering, the back window says "500,000 miles and still touring America!")


IMG_1742 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1745 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1746 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1747 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

That parking brake on that side now removed, I pressed on after dark (This picture was already getting dark)


IMG_1748 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1751 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Camped nearby, just off of the road.


IMG_1754 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

This was my camping supplies.


IMG_1757 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1759 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

And you'd be amazed at what all I fit in this trunk.


IMG_1761 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



But the views were worth it.

IMG_1767 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1776 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

And after the dragons tail (Which I got gopro video of, but no photos.) I pressed on to the Smoky Mountains.


IMG_1781 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



And ran across something pretty damn creepy.


IMG_1784 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1785 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1806 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1822 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Climbed to the top, at Clingman's Dome.


IMG_1838 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1862 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

And promptly had the oh so wonderful german electronics completely fuck with me. At the base, I had 14l of fuel. Got up to the top, and it dropped down to 3, and 1 mile later I ran out of gas. AT THE PEAK! Thanks fuel level sending unit. Greatest time on the planet to stick.


IMG_1881 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Because it was all downhill from there. I coasted ALL the way to Gaitlinburg. Stopping on the way for a couple things. Only letting out the clutch to build up vacuum for the brakes a couple times. This was good fun actually, I laughed the whole way down.


IMG_1881 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1889 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1892 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1896 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



IMG_1898 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1900 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1901 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_1905 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

WELCOME TO VIRGINIA!


IMG_1914 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Where the sunset was pretty.


IMG_1919 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

And the cops were out to bust your ass like no other.


IMG_1925 by JayDLundin, on Flickr




$124 Tail light out ticket that I HAD to show up in court for, long after I'd left. Fuck Virginia. And fuck I shoulda fixed my lightbulb. For future reference. Shoes on top of sticky pads make fantastic cupholders.


IMAG3224 by JayDLundin, on Flickr




Skip to the coast, that I did manage to get with my phone. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Coast to coast y0!


IMAG3092 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Delish food at Aberdeen Barns in Norfolk.

IMAG3090 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMAG3094 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



And meeting with the family in Philly.

IMAG3107 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


And the awesomeness that is Movie Tavern. Saw "This is the End". Funny movie!


IMAG3111 by JayDLundin, on Flickr




Now we skip ahead to when I got back. What I was treated to when I got back home. An amazing 4th of July party at best friend Kate's uncles cabin, with LOTS of friends and surrogate family.


IMG_2132 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2119 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2122 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2125 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2134 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMAG3123 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2148 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2149 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Brought a couple gals home. They were fun.


IMG_2159 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2170 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMG_2168 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Was treated to finding this when I got back. The snow completely owned this car.


IMAG3119 by JayDLundin, on Flickr




Did some more traveling by 4 wheeler.


IMAG3117 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



Spent the night at the cabin.


IMG_2389 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Stood in awe at how the hood turned out.

IMG_2172 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

And the car for that matter.


IMG_2171 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

Canadian gal I drank with at the Fisherman's Wharf Hostel.


IMAG3170 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



Got crackin on the one the ex abandoned in my garage.


IMG_2175 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMAG3202 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Laugh at this sign every time I see it.


IMAG3139 by JayDLundin, on Flickr

And say "Hey, I've been there!" to this.


IMAG3150 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Toured the mines. Including the world's largest steam hoist.

IMAG3158 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMAG3159 by JayDLundin, on Flickr



Getting the plow truck ready for winter. This time I'm gonna be freaking prepared.

IMAG3214 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


Partied with Saliva.


IMAG3222 by JayDLundin, on Flickr





And enjoyed the final sunset of this summer. On the beach. Which is strikingly similar to the beaches on both coasts.


IMAG3250 by JayDLundin, on Flickr


IMAG3249 by JayDLundin, on Flickr






Just a HELL of a lot colder.

I have so many stories to tell. So many things I can talk about. And quite frankly, TONS of things I actually left out of this thread, purely because I literally could write a book about it.

With the trip to the Bahamas coming. I think it's going to be simply official. If someone decided to make a movie of the last year of my life.

It would be a box office smash.
I even have the soundtrack for it. It's all on my pandora. ;)

List of casualties:
Several markers
One AC condenser (But was fixed in SF. Thanks again AlbeqerquE30!)
Tripod
One gopro
My differential is no longer an LSD :(
Passenger side parking brake
Bitch tube seal
Gas. Lots and lots of gas.
More clothes than I can think of.
A mattress pump. And a mattress...
Power steering rack leaks like a bitch now.
Driveshaft center support bearing (Only reared it's head a week ago. Now replaced)
My old self.

Hope you enjoyed!

[Dj Buttchug]

Ive followed this thread from the start. All I can say is wow. Seriously an epic journey.

[Onizukachan]

I read thrumost of this just now, congrats!

Still stuck on 18 big perky boobs & bakes, but no pics?

Why you do that to me?

Seriously, congrats on the trip.