Date: 2012-05-29
To: Lord of the Rings
Miles today: 0.0

Driving from Austin, Texas to Paoli, Pennsylvania...my handwritten journal contains the following keywords:Sulphur SpringsWelcome-come see- life is good- 10 amI ate the panhandleJohn Wayne Co.Lord of the RingsMacado's - Sherlock Holmes and The TitanicBooFirstly, only Texas would have a town named Sulphur Springs. I thought it rather funny driving through. One of the only billboards in town read: "Welcome..Come see..Life is good...10 AM". I think it might have been an advertisement for a farmers market...but honestly I can't say for sure. Eric and I stopped just 5 hours outside of Austin at Mount Vernon, Texas. I slept better than I've slept in months from 11pm to 11 am. I suppose moving out of our apartment and then scrubbing it from top to bottom and then hitting the road shortly thereafter will tucker one out a bit. Eric tossed and turned he said...he was up in time to catch the decent continental breakfast and bring some back for me. I woke to "Good morning beautiful. There's fruit loops, cheerios, orange juice, milk and a waffle. In the shape of Texas. Well, it was Texas. I ate the panhandle. Are you hungry?I'm still giggling about that one. Just outside of Mount Vernon, you'll come across the John Wayne Company. It looked to be a hardware supply store. I understand that Mr. Wayne played a darned good cowboy in most of his movies (my all time favorite he plays a sailor...Wake of the Red Witch) but he was born Marion Morrison in Iowa and my question to you, dear reader...is what in the heck is a farm supply store in the middle of buttcracknowhere, texas doing with the name, John Wayne Company?Moving along...Eric and I drive all day and early into the morning 4 am to be exact and stop in Glade Spring, Virginia. We lose an hour entering the Eastern Time Zone...so we wake up at 10, but really it's now 11. We hop in the subaru eager to be on our way. About 20 minutes down the road, I realize I have left my rings on the bedside table in the hotel room. We fly back and find one under the bed. (The other was found later in my bag, yay!) My good friend who I chatted with on the drive the day before mentioned how she was having a Lord of the Rings movie trilogy party...so this entry is named for her We are about 100 miles from Roanoke and I decide to text an old, dear friend out of the blue. Let's call her Boo. For that is her name. Well, it just so happens that she's home for ONLY this past weekend between school and a summer internship so our timing couldn't be more perfect. We meet her and she takes Eric and I to a quaint lunch spot in downtown Roanoke "Macado's" I believe it was called. The sandwich list is beyond impressive and after much debate Eric landed on the "Sherlock Holmes" and I on "The Titanic". Both were amazing. Of course this spawned the mentioning of how Titanic was recently in theaters again, this time 3D. The event was tragic. And the sandwich delicious. Seeing Boo was the highlight of my year. I am so so very glad I got to see her and Eric to meet her. Eric drove most of the way here, to Paoli and to keep him entertained on the road, I read him Sherlock Holmes, which makes his sandwich choice so classic. We arrived in Paoli at about 10:30pm ready to eat and fall asleep at the same time. The family has been wonderful in receiving us. So much love, family and FOOD We are STILL trying to figure out the shoe situation. Pretty pathetic since we start hiking in one week. Eric returned FOUR pairs he was debating between to REI today and I had to return the ones I had sent here. The next size up that I assumed would fit, still did not. But at least I have decided on a shoe. They are on my gear list and they ROCK. Montrail Rogue Racers. But they run very small. I'm about a size 9 and looks like the 10 1/2 or 11 are going to be crowned the winners. They will arrive Friday. That gives me just a few hours to spare before we are again (this time being shuttled by Eric's family) headed north. A short stop in New Hampshire at a Lake House (I know, life is SO hard for us right now ) and then MAINE. So, this exhausted Ottertrack *glances up from the laptop to see Eric passed out on the couch* is off to dreamland. Best of luck to all the SOBOs who are so close to finishing! You can do it!Buenos suenos y'all