What a Long, Not-So-Strange Trip It’s Been

Seven days, almost 3,000 miles, at least 10 PB&J sandwiches, countless cups of bad motel coffee and multiple rest stops later, we are in Baltimore…almost. We are actually in Linthicum which is just by BWI airport. Here is how long Lori and I have been away from the east coast: it took 4-5 rumbles of thunder to realize it was thunder we were hearing and not airplanes.

In West Virginia and western Maryland, there was actually snow on the ground.  we even walked in slush at the 7-11 gas station and Lori made a snowball, but threw it before I could take  a picture. At another stop, the cashier said, “Just a moment, hon’.” To my Baltimore people, that needs no explanation. “Hon” is a term of endearment that is near and dear to Baltimore. It’s currently part of a hotly debated controversy as the owner of Cafe Hon in Baltimore bought the rights to it. It’s a long story, you will have to Google it and/or watch a John Waters film 😉 Anyway, it made me feel at home again. One of the things I like best about driving around this area is the natural beauty you can find here.  In the next month or so, all of this will be green.

Despite our fears, all the people we saw briefly across the country in gas stations, rest areas, motels and other little stops were incredibly friendly and helpful. Except for the one place, all of the motels were clean and bedbug-free. We hit very little rain and wind. It was a long trip, but a relatively easy one. All of your good thoughts and positive energy were with us.

The real heroes of our journey have been Nikkyo and Buster. Every morning, stuffed into the carrier for 7 or more hours, with comparatively little complaining compared to how much they didn’t. They didn’t even get carsick. They didn’t hide all night in the motels. They adapted to and dealt with every day’s travels and every night in a new place. We are so lucky to have them as our furry companions.

It’s hard to summarize the great mix of emotions we are both feeling as we begin this next chapter of our lives. There is excitement about seeing old friends and family and re-forging friendships with those people with whom we’ve recently reconnected. We are nervous and excited about meeting new people at my job – which hopefully I will officially “sign” for in the next week and through the local web geekosphere for Lori. We feel so welcomed by our east coast friends and family. And we are also heartsick for our Oakland home, the Bay Area and for the friends and family that we left in California and other parts way west of here.

Tomorrow we see our new Baltimore home for the first time. Thanks again to Lisa Yacono for finding it! Stay tuned to this site as we begin our Baltimore adventure 🙂