4/20/25
It’s the last day!
We were up and out the door before 7:00 AM. Today was another multi-state adventure: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and finally, Maine. Basically, we played East Coast hopscotch all morning.
Driving was a breeze. Brad had work to do, so I took the wheel. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how amazing East Coast service plazas are? Seriously, West Coast... take notes. Get it together.
We made it “home” around 2:30 PM, did the unpacking shuffle, and powered through some light cleaning (okay, light-ish—this place could’ve used a mop or two). We also tackled a mountain of laundry. Then we wandered over to the local market, which also makes pizza. Multi-talented. The whole vibe reminds me a lot of our old neighborhood in Rhode Island—super nostalgic and cozy.
I’m excited to settle into a new routine here and see what Maine has to offer. Lots of good stuff ahead
And hey—if you’ve been following along with this journal, thank you! I originally brought the blog back to help with my web development skills, but I’m hoping to post more while we’re in Maine.
- States: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine
- Time on the road: 6 hours
- What we listened to:
- Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas
- Up First: NPR
4/20/25
I actually managed to make it to the gym this morning thanks to a shorter driving day. Bob, however, had other plans.
We hit the road around 9:00 AM, which felt ambitious, but then proceeded to stop roughly every 45 minutes. Apparently, Bob was just over the whole experience. Lots of screaming, dramatic sighs, and frantic pacing in the back seat.
The only thing that seemed to calm him down? Chicken nuggets. And then it was nap time.
We did rack up some serious state-hopping today: started in Virginia, cruised through West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and landed in New Jersey. For perspective, it took us two full days to get across Texas, so this felt like fast-forwarding through some of the trip.
Tonight, we’re treating ourselves to a slightly nicer hotel in Morristown, NJ — mostly because that’s what was available with points. We’re leaning into luxury and ordering room service while catching up on Naked and Afraid (because nothing says “vacation” like watching people suffer in the wilderness while eating fries in bed).
I know there’s a ton of historical stuff around here that we should probably go see, but Brad says the entire East Coast is basically a museum, and we’ve got all summer to see it.
One more day of driving! We’re almost there.
- States: Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New Jersey
- Time on the road: 8 hours
- What we listened to:
- Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas
- Salem's Lot by Stephen King
- Stuff You Should Know: Kim Philby: Greatest Liar of All Time?
- Stuff You Should Know: The Death of Charles Morgan
4/19/25
Not much to report today—just another day on the great American road. We rolled out of bed and hit the road toward Virginia. Made a mandatory pit stop at Buc-ee’s and decided to try Krystal for the first time. Why does my stomach hurt?
We landed in Roanoke, VA for the night. Cute little downtown area that we walked around. Grabbed some very tasty ramen for dinner followed by our mandatory vacation ice cream.
At this point in the trip—day 6? 7? I think it’s day 7—we're running on fumes and gas station snacks. Just two more big driving days, and we’ll be home in Maine for the next three months. Almost there.
- States: Tennesse, Virginia
- Time on the road: 7 hours?
- What we listened to:
- Up First from NPR
- Salem's Lot by Stephen King
4/18/25
Nashville – Our “Down Day” (aka: Thank God We’re Not in the Car)
Today was our down day! So nice to wake up and not immediately climb into the car for another multi-hour road trip. We had the luxury of a slow morning—and this was our only full day in Nashville. I know there’s a ton to do here, but weirdly, I kind of had no idea what to do.
I don’t drink. I wasn’t here for a bachelorette party. And if the country music came out after 1960, chances are I don’t like it. (I know, I know—stick in the mud). So, I opted for a tourist run.
If you don’t know, a tourist run is my favorite way to see a city. You literally just lace up and run to the sights you want to see. Bonus: you end up stumbling on cool stuff you didn’t even know you wanted to see.
I ran through the State Capitol, down the riverfront, up Broadway, through the Walk of Fame, and along the Gulch Greenway. The weather was perfect, and Nashville felt surprisingly clean and safe to run through. Gold star, Nashville.
After my run, Brad had a break between meetings, so we grabbed lunch. The night before, we did Prince’s Hot Chicken, XX-Hot, because obviously we like pain. It was insanely good… and also nearly liquified my internal organs. Some friends had recommended Red’s Hot Chicken, but they weren’t open that night andI don’t think my stomach could’ve handled another fire drill.
Another friend suggested Biscuit Love, and bless them, because it did not disappoint. We followed that up with a nap—Bob’s favorite activity.
For dinner, we wanted to escape the chaos of downtown and midtown. (If you’ve seen it, you get it.) Reddit pointed us toward East Nashville, and we landed at Xiao Bao. This ended up being the best meal of the trip so far. Beef fat french fries (yes, really), and hand-pulled noodles so long you need a pair of scissors to manage them. Incredible.
All in all, a pretty chill day—which we definitely needed. After dinner, we lounged around some more, mentally preparing ourselves for the next three days of driving. Honestly… I’m kind of over it.
- Drive Time: 0 hours
4/17/25
Ahhh, I am so tired. Sleep has been playing hard to get this entire trip. So I’m writing this real quick and crossing my fingers that tonight’s the night it finally happens.
This morning, we decided to start the day a little later so we could experience the famous Buckstaff Bathhouse. It’s located on Bathhouse Row and has been around since 1912. They use thermal water from the nearby hot springs for all their treatments.
We went with the whirlpool package. Women are taken upstairs in this amazing old elevator that feels like it belongs in a vintage movie. First stop: the changing room, bathing suits are optional. They wrap you in a sheet like a fancy spa toga and escort you to your personal tub—a classic old clawfoot beauty. If you bought a loofah, they scrub your back and feet (surprisingly not weird, actually kind of lovely). Then they turn on this whirlpool contraption and leave you to bubble away for 15 glorious minutes.
After that, you’re re-wrapped in your sheet and led to a table where they wrap hot towels around your body and a cold one around your face. Bonus: ice chips to chew on. Then it’s off to the steam cabinet—this thing needs a photo because it was creepy cool. You sit inside this metal box with your head sticking out the top like you're in some kind of vintage torture chamber… but like, the spa version. Five minutes there, then onto the sitz bath (yep, picture needed for that one too). Basically, it’s a hot bath for your butt, you just sit in it. No further explanation needed.
All in all, the whole thing took about an hour, and I would 100% do it again.
Right by the visitor center, there’s a place where you can fill bottles and jugs with this “healing water.” People were seriously stocking up—like gallon-jug level commitment. I filled one for Bob and fully expect him to feel 20 years younger by Tuesday.
We finally left Hot Springs around 10:00 AM and made the long drive to Nashville. It was a haul—we’re all wiped. But even in our sleepy state, we rallied and made it out to Broadway for some hot chicken. Like, aggressively spicy. We’ll see how that decision feels tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, we’ve decided we need a bit of a breather. So, we’re spending an extra day in Nashville and then re-routing our road trip a bit for slightly shorter drives—because, let’s be real, comfort is key.
Okay, off to try to sleep. Wish me luck!
Oh, and I got my Maine license!
- States: Arkansas, Tennesse
- Time on the road: 7 hours
- What we listened to:
- This American Life: How to Tell a Dumb American Story
- Up First from NPR
- Salem's Lot by Stephen King
- National Park After Dark: The Loose Buckle in the the Bible Belt. Hot Springs National Park
4/16/25
Off to a late start today… well, later than we wanted. Brad turned off his alarm this morning and we woke up at 7:45—exactly 15 minutes before we were supposed to leave. Not ideal!
Our hotel only had one functioning elevator, and apparently everyone decided today was the day to check out. The elevator came down twice, totally packed. So we did what any tired, slightly-panicked travelers would do—we lugged all our stuff down three flights of stairs like the rugged adventurers we are. Then, in a delightful plot twist, the elevator in the parking garage wasn’t working either. Classic. We finally hit the road at 8:45.
I did most of the driving again so Brad could get some work done, with a few breaks here and there to keep things interesting (and caffeinated). We finally stopped at Buc-ee’s for the first time, mostly because they had a billboard every mile for 60 miles. Resistance was futile. Honestly? It lives up to the hype. Clean bathrooms and snacks galore—10/10 would recommend.
Bob is still living his best life—eating, sleeping, and soaking up every grassy pit stop.
We finally made it out of Texas and landed in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Super quirky national park. We walked Bathhouse Row and grabbed a pizza to take back to the room. Bonus: this hotel has all of its elevators working. We feel fancy.
- States: TX, Arkansas
- Time on the road: 8 hours
- What we listened to:
- Girls Next Level the latest episode — love to hate this podcast
- Up First from NPR
- Search Engine episodes: What Are Teenagers Actually Seeing on Their Phones?
- Every Town: An Active Serial Killer is Stalking Austin
- Every Town: The Mysteries of the Grand Canyon Are Insane
4/15/25
No driving today! Day two in Austin and we’re still trying to sync up with Central Time. In true vacation fashion, we stayed up way too late and slept in. Honestly, sleeping in is a rare treat for me.
Brad had a full day of work, but we still squeezed in a run along the river. That trail—the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail—is what made me fall in love with Austin in the first place. That, and the bats. Obviously.
Post-run, I called the Maine Radiology Board to check on my license status, and—lucky me—I’m stuck playing mediator between them and the New York board about my expired New York license. Because apparently, those two can’t be bothered to talk to each other directly. Just hoping the figure it out and we aren't driving across the country for nothing.
It was overcast and a little chilly most of the day, which ruined my dream of lounging at Barton Springs. So instead, I treated myself to lunch at Aba Austin. Holy wow—highly recommend. 10/10, would lunch again.
Later, we took Bob for a long riverside walk to earn our next round of BBQ, which we of course followed through on like responsible adults
At this point, I’m fading fast and struggling to form coherent sentences. I wondered how long I’d keep this little journal thing going—and just as I was pondering that, Brad walked in with gas station snacks. So... I’ll take that as a sign to wrap it up.
- Drive Time: 0 hours
4/14/25
Brad had a couple of meetings this morning, so we didn’t hit the road right away. I snuck into the hotel gym for a quick treadmill run—yuck. Nothing like staring at a wall while pretending you're going somewhere.
Between his calls, we managed to pack up and hit the road around 9:30. I drove most of the way so Brad could keep getting through his workday, but the cell service out there was non-existent. Pro tip: do not work on the road in east Texas.
Eventually, the scenery started to change—rolling green hills, actual trees, and civilization! We passed through Fredericksburg, which is super cute. I had no idea that place even existed, but now I kind of want to go back and check it out. Apparently, it’s Texas wine country? There were wineries everywhere. My former wine-loving self was drooling a little. I mean, it’s not a drinking problem if it involves swirling a glass in a vineyard while saying things like “oaky finish,” right?
We stopped for lunch at a BBQ joint in Johnson City that let us bring Bob inside. He even got a little taste—living the dream. We rolled into Austin around 3:30, which felt like a delightfully short travel day.
I was in Austin last year for a two-week work assignment and absolutely fell in love with it. I’ve been wanting to come back with Brad ever since. We walked to dinner on South Congress, followed by ice cream and watched the bats fly out from under the Congress Bridge at sunset. First real bit of touristing on this trip—and it was pretty magical.
- States: TX
- Time on the road: 6 hours
- What we listened to:
- Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman — 10/10 would recommend Loki’s chaos.
- Up First from NPR
- Search Engine episodes: Meme Casino and The Russian Cake Switch
4/13/25
We thought we hit the road at 0800 this morning, but about 30 minutes in, I had a realization—I forgot my hydration vest and my running hats. Grand Canyon training kicks off in May, so obviously we turned back. So, officially on the road at 0900. Strong start.
First pit stop: Circle K. We grabbed the essentials—coffee and breakfast—which I tried to make healthy, I really did. But then Dairy Queen at Butterfield Station in New Mexico got me.
Brad and I switched up the driving duties in New Mexico, which—shockingly—made the trip feel less like a hostage situation. I even drove through El Paso, TX. It's kind of crazy looking into Juárez, Mexico right from the freeway. So close, yet border patrol says so far.
Bob did so good! We were a little nervous about how he’d do, but he got out for walks at every stop and even ate a full meal when we got to Fort Stockton. For a dog who’s recently been treating food like it’s optional, that’s a win.
We rolled into Fort Stockton at 2030 after a 2-hour time loss. The trip’s been smooth so far and today was our longest stretch of driving. And now I get to engage in the sacred travel tradition of eating snacks in bed and watching The Office reruns on hotel cable. It’s what dreams are made of.
- States: AZ → NM → TX
- Time on the road: 8.5 hours
- What we listened to:
- Gabriel of Urantia — A podcast series about a Sedona-based cult that now operates out of Tumacacori, AZ. Bonus trivia: my mom accidentally stayed in one of their Airbnbs. Yes, really.
- Norse Mytholog by Neil Gaiman — 10/10 would recommend Loki’s chaos.
- The latest Dateline NBC — because nothing screams road trip like a murder mystery.
- Following The Leftovers Season 2, Episode 5 — we are late to the game on this series.
4/12/25
It has been 3 years since I’ve taken a 13 week travel assignment outside of Arizona and things look different than in 2022. Brad is still traveling with me but not as a tech, just doing his remote job thing. Bob is also coming with but is 1 month away from 17 years old, blind, and deaf. None of this really changes anything, just adds more nerves.
This new assignment is somewhere I’ve been wanting to go for a long time, Maine! For the SUMMER! And the state flower is a PINECONE! (For the tattoo collection). Anyways, tomorrow we start an 8-9 day road trip from Tucson, AZ to Lewiston, ME. I plan on journaling everyday of the trip and posting right here. Please send me all your Maine suggestions if you’ve been.