Online Apartment Hunt

Of all of the apartments that I have browsed over the past month this picture really is the best. How do you list an apartment and post a picture of a bedroom with a pole in the middle with no explanation?

I can make all of the assumptions I want, but Virginia definately will have some surprises in store for me!

PICTURES

Now my pictures are all in one place too.

http://picasaweb.google.com/pamela.a.jacobson

ENJOY!

Big Sur, CA with Skinner, Yiming, Jon and Jason

By the end of the day on Monday I was ready to go. It took every bit of my willpower to I went home and packed and packed and prepped food and prepped food...

Friday morning it was a bit more of a rush than I thought. It started with me hacking my finger and so I ran around packing with one usable hand. Jason dropped his tent by and my mom brought over a few odds and ends that I had forgotten in Benicia. Loaded up the car and headed out.

Driving down the coast was amazing. I haven't driven down all the way down the coast in daylight in years. The California coast still takes my breath away. I pulled into a turn out and stood at the edge of the cliff. It only took a moment to be lost in the curvature of the horizon. I have never found another place where I feel like I am standing on the edge of the world. I needed so badly to escape from my thoughts, even if just for a moment. Getting down to the campsite made me smile. Remembering time spent in that very site with Dori, and nearby with Baldwin, Sarah, Matt, Jason and Mark, the gorge with my family, the memories flooded back.

I set up the tents fast and unloaded the firewood etc. It was dark before I knew it and so I sat down to read. The family camping next to our site invited me over for dinner. They were very nice and it was great to have some company.

The rest of the gang showed up around ten. They had some minor car problems that had slowed them down. I was so happy to see all of them. We had finally arrived! Some beers and a few hot dogs around the fire and the stress of the week completely melted away.

The next morning I was up at eight and everyone else soon followed (with some resistance). Jon melted his super-dooper camping fork making bacon and we all sat around the fire eatting eggs, bacon, and crossants friend in butter and honey.

We left soon after for Buzzard's Roost, a three mile hike round trip... uphill. After a couple of weeks without running I was more than game! Racing to the top the view ended up being anticlimatic but the breeze was worth it. The treck back down was easy and we were back at camp before we knew it. Jon took off to get some things that I forgot. Hey, it was bound to happen. When he got back we all decided to go to the beach. It was spectacular. Everyone split off to explore on their own. Of course, I ended up in the water. I rolled up my jeans but my attention soon strayed and I was soaked. There was a great rock formation and tide pools. After a while we all met back up and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a bottle of red. After sunset we drove back and I went for a short dip in the river. I do it everytime I'm there. It being November doesn't change anything. I went to take a shower and came back to a nice big fire.

We cooked dinner. It was damn good if I do say so myself! Chicken and veggies cooked in foil over the fire. Some lively conversation and beers passed the time as the rain moved in and then really started to dump. Around nine we decided to call it a night. Skinner, Yiming and I were in my parents' old tent. It leaked like crazy! I was able to catch a few hours of sleep before getting up to go to work.

In the morning the weather hadn't passed so almost everything that I loaded into my car was wet. The frosting on the cake was Jon's stove not lighting, gah! No coffee!

Three hours later and I was at Earl's for work. Gobbed in mud and smelling of campfire smoke I welcomed a new week.

Back to the grind...

POINT A TO POINT B (and the yummy, gooey stuff in the middle): The plan

CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP AND SOME BALLPARK DATES
Any ideas you can give me would be so appreciated! I want the goods people...

1. San Francisco, CA to Yosemite National Park (5 hours, 195 miles)
8/01-8/04
I haven't been to Yosemite in years so I knew it had to be my first stop. I leave the first of August and it just so happens to be a Friday. (Hoping this will turn into a fun California crew camping trip... or anyone who feels like hiking the backside of Half Dome!)

2. Yosemite National Park to Las Vegas, NV (7 hours, 350 miles)
8/4-8/6
Off to Vegas! But not the Vegas that most go to visit... I'm going to see Custer, Shannon and the twins! Yey Ben and Soph!

3. Las Vegas, NV to Zion National Park, Springdale, UT (2 ½ hours, 158 miles)
8/6-8/9
I can't wait for Zion National Park. I have been hearing about it forever from everyone and am so excited. A side trip to the north ridge of the Grand Canyon... perfection.

4. Springdale, UT to Denver, CO (9 ¼ hours, 634 miles)
8/9-8/10
Hoping that Robbie will still be there (The only time that I have ever wanted him not to move back to California), if not Jeff might have to loan me a couch.

5. Denver, CO to Albuquerque, NM (6 ½ hours, 448 miles)
8/10-8/12
Visiting an old friend. I'm hoping I can find her.

6. Albuquerque, NM to Austin, TX (12 hours, 841 miles)
8/12-8/14
If Mark doesn't move to China I'm hijacking his couch and making him show me around the only (from what I hear for a San Francisco local) tolerable city in Texas.

7. Austin, TX to Fort Worth, TX (3 hours, 189 miles)
8/14-8/15
Where Skinner's folks said I could stay! I am really excited to see where she grew up.

8. Fort Worth, TX to New Orleans, LA (8 ½ hours, 559 miles)
8/15-8/17
I love Louisiana. Jason's mom offered me a place to stay. I would really like to see more of the swamp lands.

9. New Orleans, LA to Memphis, TN (6 hours, 399 miles)
8/17-8/19
One thing sold me on Memphis... and it wasn't Elvis. BBQ!! All of the guide books say it's the place to be for rib joints and I'm all in!

10. Memphis, TN to Nashville, TN (3 ¼ hours, 214 miles)
8/19-8/21
Yee Haw! I'm going to all of the country bars and doin' the town right in my cowboy boots and painted on jeans! Not to even mention how excited I am to see Megan and meet Miss Panama!

11. Nashville, TN to Birmingham, AL (3 hours, 191 miles)
8/21-8/22
So much history. Impossible to pass up but not enough time to do it justice. At least I can get one god day in.

12. Birmingham, AL to Charlotte, NC (6 ¼ hours, 393 miles)
8/22-8/23
It's a good half way point and I've heard some good things. If I feel up to busting out a 13 hour drive I might pass if no one can give me a good reason to stop.

13. Charlotte, NC to Arlington, VA (6 ½ hours, 400 miles)
HOME!