I love ya'll

..."thanks for bearing with us,
...through some technical difficulties" E Crane
..."due to some other difficulties: mental." AD

Boys are HOME

I thought it was a long trip.. just about 3 months start to finish.

"It was an amazing trip that was quick." - AD

Much love,

Over and Out

just the facts

We arrived in Cali on the 16th around 10 PM
Just in time to watch a beautiful meteor shower
We stayed a night parked at Denny's in Needles
Our R.V. had battery trouble the next morning, temporary setback
Quickly fixed
Resumed travel and headed towards Venice Beach
went through LA, landed on a side street next to the beach
spent the night there
amazingly eclectic mix of people
wonderful art
not all sunshine and daisies though...Dr. Dre wasn't exaggerating the danger of some parts
ha
next day we went to the Santa monica pier
Gia picked us up, brought us to the University of Redlands
fun times, stayed the night
and here we are.
now you are all up to date

Here We Are

Here We are, some say far ta come
exit; us,exodus, one way martyrdom
call it what you will,
what you will, call it
pronounce and produce your desire
let action follow thought into the fire
for
the best flame of life smolders
unless breath of strife bolsters
say who you be
be who you say
conviction from the convicted
prescription for the constricted
let loose and just do
just look at us two.

Travel Inspired Urge to Write

I was talkin' to Ethan earlier today while he was charging Adam's phone in a Denny's. They were waiting for triple A to come because the RV they were in broke down (I'm pretty sure he showed up before we got off the phone).

Anyways, he was telling me how he was about to go back to the RV and just write because that's what he really felt like doing. I'm applauding this because not only should we soon have some new material posted up but also because his inner human expression is being led out in such an avenue that enables him to record it, all the while figuring out what all that is inside dieing to come out. When you are just writing, and it comes out as poetry, passionate and decisive and convincing it is a truely self identifying experience- and I think this has a great deal to do with the trip these two have just been on.
And, ofcourse, you are all a big part of that. (pat on the back)

Anyways, in all of the excitement, Ethan revealed to me one of his tricks of the trade, telling me to check out www.couchsurfing.org which is this ridiculously cool website they met a fellow traveler on.

In minutes I was reading profiles of people all over the globe, from Amherst to China to Australia who just offer up their couch and host travelers, mostly for hopes of learning (whether culturally, spiritually) and sharing good experiences with others.

Its awesome

Californ-I-A!

Just got a call from Adam to tell me (and you) they've made it to Cali!

He wasn't sure where they were, just that they crossed the border into California today. They went to Arizona from New Mexico earlier today to see the Grand Canyon, and then headed North into Cali, where according to Adam, the weather that greeted them was much, much warmer:).

It has been a month and 2 days since Adam first contacted me from Virginia (the first leg of the trip).

I'm not sure how much this trip has cost them financially, but I gather they have spent a good amount of money on gas, food and rides.

Hopefully one or the other will be online soon to give you a more accurate update, I have papers to write!

But congratulations guys, you made it!

So.. what's good?

New Mexico!

Ok, so according to my mom, the Winnebago took route 40 through the top of Texas and Adam and Ethan are now in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They're not all the way across the country, but I'd say they're getting warmer!

Right now, they're kickin' back just "chillin, chillin" taking in the beautiful south west sights of the country while waiting to pick up another traveler.

Adam said they stood on the side of the road and held a sign that said, "ran out of money, California bound" for an hour today with a girl and they made 140 bucks, "not even trying, we were just chillin."

Tomorrow they're leaving for Flagstaff, Arizona, staying west on route 40, to go see the Grand Canyon.

Final Destination: Venice Beach, CA! (About half way up the California coast).

Almost in Texas

In the back of a winnebago owned by some people they met through craigslist, Adam and Ethan are about to be arriving in Texas. They left Tennessee to travel south west through Arkansas and Oklahoma. The next stop ( I think ) is the Grand Canyon!
I got a text message image of ethan writing and one of adam cracking a cold canned beverage, and they told me to tell ya'll they said "hi..!":)

Where We Went

From Soldier to Hotel, intently content on new content;

we didn't care

Then left to wander from on patch to another, grassed and paved;

we didn't dare

Stop, wait to see if this patch was greenest only to be found unwelcome;

we didn't wear

Followed a bus to it's origin, then begins the distant travel;

we didn't stare

Arrived in TN 2C KT not much warning, but;

she didn't care

Shocked by the acceptance of propaganda, question;

she didn't dare

We must have stressed the frame of the house, yet;

she didn't wear

Left as we came, a flame extinguished as sparked;

she didn't stare

Met online and introduced through the phone, open new alley of trust;

they didn't care

Out of money and abandoned by crew, go broken thru valley of dust;

they didn't dare

So it is doubly lucky that we fit the cause, "hopIN 2 Cali or bust";

they didn't wear

Win a bagel only if you take the chance, joking about me or us;

they didn't stare

Hello Hallowed Eve

In a night of misfits and tricked tricks, Adam and I found ourselves amidst throngs not of ghouls and goblins but rather scantily clad women and costumed prowlers. Ironic how the holiday which once represented youthful joy and trust in strangers has become one in which we must watch our backs and there are those who prey on the naivety of others. Ha, I laughed as one group of girls blew a whistle every time some guy went to talk to them. Now that I look back on this I realize how precautions such as this aren't quite as funny as I thought; for in some cases it is a necessity to lose trust in those around us. I guess the lesson is that we must all learn to keep our wits about us and our guard up even as we enjoy ourselves; don't shut yourself off to the world, but don't open the door too wide either.

With Adam dressed as "white trash" ( donning a trashbag in a poncho-like manner) and myself laced up with cards, we got dropped off on Broadway St. in Nashville; we had set out to look for a mansion party we had been invited too. We walked around asking for 4th St. and after getting turned around on the bridge which would have led us there,(Adam changed direction to talk to a man with his fingers to his lips) we found ourselves back where we started. Stopping to talk to a man with a guitar in the doorway of a local shop we received our best advice of the night; "whatever you do, don't cross that bridge, there isn't no mansions over there"-J.C. James

Apparently this ManOnTheSideOfTheRoad had been there and done that, and what's more, he was willing to share his experience with us. He had been a cab driver in his former life and knew all about the other side. We were about to willing to walk blindly into a part of the city full of "drug dealers trying to get to you, and undercovers trying to get them";

Once learning this, we abandoned our quest for mansion magic and decided to wander the street we were on; which happened to be teeming with people.

What set us apart from all those around us, besides our cheap homemade costumes, was our Patriots hats which covered our out-of-place heads. The comments began early, ranging from simple statements such as"that's cold, man." and moving onto the confrontational (and false) hollerings of "Patriot's suck"

Of course, Adam simply took these moments as just another chance to strike up a conversation and managed to turn (most of) these comments into an excellent chance to tell anyone he could an abbreviated version of our story. It went something like this "We're from Massachusetts, headed to Cali. We just happen to be in Tennessee for Halloween."

On top of spreading our story, Adam also volunteered me up for magic tricks at every turn; and people were loving it, those willing to take the time to watch any ways.

We ended up being video taped and given money by the third group of people that observed us in our "act" enjoying it so much that they said they were going to put it on youtube. The rest of the night followed the same rough format. It was the best Halloween either of us have experienced thus far.

Clarksville is looking more like bricktown the longer we stay...

A picture is worth a thousand words, is there anything I forgot to mention?

I went to a Farmers' Market today..let's hear it for farmers' markets!... in Springfield to cover the "AGIE" beat for a class and they were all about giving free samples. Good people with good food trying to spread the word. Unfortunately, next week is the last week they'll convene before winter.



Here's a pic of the one I found in the parking lot of the Trinity Methodist church in Springfield, MA...








Are there Farmers' Markets in Tennessee? How''s the food? I'm hungry...

It's Alive!

Traveling across the country, Adam and Ethan may be currently immobile in Tennessee, but they are still soaring around the web, as you can see we've got comments and followers from all over Western Mass (including UMass, Amherst WOOP WOOP!!), Ohio, New Hampshire, Washington D.C., even one guy from Australia! (even though he did discover the blog while in the U.S. ... at my house... haha)! STILL, this is pretty sweet.

To Ethan (or the other), I ask: How far can you go?

To Adam (or the other), I ask: How far will you go?

California reallly the place to be? I heard Real Estate is Real Cheap in Florida these days...

6 am 62°F Feels Like 62°F

9 am 62°F Feels Like 62°F

12 pm 64°F Feels Like 64°F

3 pm 66°F Feels Like 66°F

6 pm 65°F Feels Like 65°F

9 pm 65°F Feels Like 65°F

-Tomorrow's weather in TN, courtesy of http://www.weather.com :-D

New Camera

now that we have gotten used to our camera, I expect that ya'll will be seeing many more pictures of us and that we will start uploading videos to our compadre Nathan.... hopefully they will be up soon so that you will all be able to see the fun we;ve been having. Carpe diem everybody.

Tree free in Tennessee

Around here peoples opinions towards trees are shocking, I myself love climbing them and find the risk of falling for outweighed by the joy of being so high up there. Apparently the people around here simply haven't tried it themselves; I can only assume that growing up in an army town has taught many of the people around here that their bodies should be kept in a certain condition and that certain activities are too risky to be worthwhile. I guess I agree with them in some senses, yet the close minded manner in which they are brought up is somewhat funny to me. I mean...how can you form an opinion without any actual experiences to back it up? O well, I guess I'm just going to keep climbing indifferent of whether or not I get laughed at and suffer the consequences if I fall.

Aldo's in Texas...

I talked to Aldo today, he said he's waiting for you guys to get to Texas so he can give you a ride to Cali. He's stationed in El Paso, which is only a ten hour drive from San Diego, CA. He said Thanksgiving is when he'll be most capable of accommodating you both.. but i don't know, that's a lot of distance to cover in just over a month! Then again.. it's been what, three days?

First day of the rest of your life

The beginning of tomorrow is always begun through the end of today, and it is sometimes difficult to trust in the rising sun while one watches the moon fall. Yet trust in a better tomorrow is what fuels us all to continue, to trudge through the turmoil because we know that triumph may be just around the corner. However, once we have tasted victory it becomes harder to accept defeat; comparably, once we know a shortcut it becomes difficult to enjoy the longer road, often less traveled.
Once we become comfortable with our surroundings we begin to see the shortcut in every scenario, eventually losing sight of where we came from or where we were going, focusing instead on our daily selfishness. I found myself in this situation. I wasn't going where I wanted and I wasn't even sure where I was, all I understood was the mechanics of the world I had created for myself. By breaking free of my own controlled environment I hoped to find some sort of inner peace or greater understanding; unfortunately I neglected to fully realize the role I that I played in many others lives. I deeply regret the callous and abrupt nature in which I left my many friends and family without properly explaining my reasons and desires; even being so selfish as to silence myself,albeit unknowingly, right before I left.
I am sorry. Yet I do not regret. I love those who love me and hope for your understanding and forgiveness.

Aww, a puppy

I just video chatted with these guys a little bit and they informed me Katie lives in the same town as my old friend Sean "Duffy" Dufresne, who left.. it must have been a few years ago, to join the Army.

Adam: If and WHEN you see Sean make sure you show him this blog and tell him we from Western MA said YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! If he wants to come visit UMass while we still run things, he'd better make it quick.

The boys have arrived at my home TN

The stories that my brother and adam were going to come see me seemed to get more and more realistic. But I always new eventually they would get here, however they tend to procrastinate so little did i know i would come home to them in my house today. So here they are, until told otherwise I now have two room mates.

The things we leave behind

All the planning in the world means nothing without proper execution. It takes little to talk, little more to think and much to do. Many scoffed at us as we regaled them with stories of routes we would travel, things we would do, and places we would see. Most said we were just being fools. And you know what? They were right. But in my experiences a fool is has a better chance of succeeding than the "realist" who never tries.
Any amongst us can say whatever we may; and let our imaginations run away with reality. At times I myself felt a little foolish, trying to live a dream from the past; in a world that seems much to modern for such wishful thinking. And yet, as we continued to say "YES, we are going" I felt something inside of myself building. As we collected our gear by day I was left to collect my thoughts by night.

The things we leave behind

bought a knife to wield
boots, so nice a shield
for feet, used to unity field
a sleeping bag, given for free
forgot them all, living like me
do we care? t'isn't likely.

Nashville, headed for Clarksville

For now, they'll be in Tennessee for a while, unless they leave! haha, I'm not sure what their exact plans are (who has plans?) but I can say one thing, I'm jealous!

Let me get this degree and I'll be on my way!



Now that's country!

"Tennessee is AWESOME!"

The boys have made it to Tennessee, Adam says its wayyy better than Virginia, and I think Ethan's talking again because I heard him agreeing in the background.

Adam was excited telling me about the people in Tennessee, and how most of them were the shizznit. He said the first guy he met was looking for a homeless dude named Ben, but after they told him they had just got to Tennessee and were homeless themselves, the guy gave them ten bucks!
Then they met an Army guy who gave them the great advice of going to the Army surplus store and investing in some good socks and foot powder. "Take care of your feet, and you can walk to California" he told them.

They also met some girl from Germany (I failed to get her name) who is in Tennessee doing the same thing they are, but who has her own camera and is in the process of renting a car. And guess what? She's headed for CALI!
Crazy, I know.

Let me, and the boys know what you think! Comment!
Holla:-)

Caught a Bus to Richmond, then Tennessee

I just got a call from Adam, they're on a greyhound bus headed for Richmond, with a 3 hour layover, and then the rest of the 21 hour bus ride to Tennessee where they hope to eventually meet up with Ethan's sis Katie.


I'm working on editing some footage to put this into perspective for all of you who don't know Adam and/or Ethan, it should be up soon.

For now, here's another arrowed map with the thumbnail the blog follower tagged "Peace"posted up.
I wonder if that is authentic eCrane or what?
If anyone knows where to get a bigger version of that photo online let me know! Add a comment, drop a link.

Adam and Ethan caught a one way ride to Virginia yesterday, with a friend named Cooper going back to his Army base. Now they are in who-knows-where Virginia, and who knows where they'll be tomorrow.

To make it a little more interesting, Ethan has decided (in an act Adam describes as "stu-chotic") not to speak. He explained his silence in a very informally jotted letter the night before he left, in which he stated, "I am not talking for an array of reasons, but it basically stems from our overuse of words in communication." He goes on to say, "I was trying to say something as well. I'm silent, not stupid, Dummy. This is a good learning experience. Our thoughts are governed by the outlet we use to express them."

I have a feeling these two are in for quite the TRIP!

Adam and Ethan's Trip

About a couple of month's ago my younger brother Adam (20) and our mutual friend Ethan (20) decided they'd had about enough of Western Massachusetts and thought they'd try out somewhere new for a change. According to the greatest names in music, film, and hip new culture, California is the place to be. The more they thought and talked about it with their friends and family, the closer this trip came to reality.

At first they were going to walk, then ride bikes, then maybe take trains, or buses. They started to buy surplus military gear off of ebay and over a period of some months they acquired enough supplies (backpacks, sleeping bags, cooking gear, laptop, etc.,) that they believed would be sufficient in order to survive.

I've decided to blog their progress, not only to keep a written, video and audio record of where they're at but also because I want to provide a way for their friends and family to keep track and to provide a resource they can use to connect with people they meet along the way.