Monday, August 18
Sadly, the final day. The Return Trip.
View photos on my Facebook album, or my Google gallery – click here.
7:23am
Wake up to the sound of ducks quacking. There are dark brown ones in the pond just feet from my tent, and some white ones in the smaller pond about 100 feet away.
Finding I don’t want to go back at all.
I’m still kind of lonely, and I miss my friends, but I miss my life. Like, I should have one that I fully enjoy… I think that’s what I miss. I don’t feel at home anywhere. Not in the house where I lived for 20 years, not in the apartment I rent, not anymore. Obviously this is a tough feeling, but it is also good to know that my emotional retardation does not leave this as a “tricky gray area” like other things.
7:33am
Ok, listening to the fountain has triggered my bladder.
Also: Camping – Large Amounts of Rain = More Funnage.
Bathroom/breakfast/shower/pack a little…
9:18am
Tried to slip into the place I applied for a job up here, but they say they aren’t ready to see anyone yet… So I guess the pdfs I was pulling/making on my laptop for portfolio purposes this morning was just for fun.
Oh well, that means I will just stop by Providence again, WOOO!
Also, now that I am an expert at the main roads here from my little experience last night, I will have no trouble finding 95 South!
Always have a little sadness every time I leave a campsite. This one was very nice – and yes, I was in the wrong site, haha. I couldn’t see the T-7 sign in the dark! But no one came so it was fine. Wish I could have stayed here longer, although my car is sap covered now.
To a DANGEROUS degree, I have LOVED living out of my car and being a spontaneous vagrant. I realize that this is the complete opposite of my Monday-Friday life. Heavy thoughts on this continue, as well as longing looks at any conversion van or motorhome that I see, for the next ~400 miles.
10:30am
Wow, in Providence already. Continuously surprised at the smallness of states and closeness of things in New England. It’s cozy, homey, something. Yet another two seamless drives. And this time I found unlimited free parking just blocks from the RI School of Design (RISD) campus (possible grad program).
First order of business is a 20 minute walk around the residential area near the RISD and Brown U campuses. Gorgeous.
I decided to break out my brass ovaries and march into the admissions building of RISD. I chat with an admissions rep about deadlines and application processes, and get contact info for the MFA graphic design program coordinators. And a snazzy book about it, and a map.
I spent another half hour roaming the campus area and slipped into the design building when someone came out. Not a whole lot to see at this time of year but I drooled over their supplies store.
Noonish
I break the habit of eating at local places when I spot a Quiznos. Sweet wonderful long lost Quiznos. I can’t even finish a whole Quiznos meal anymore, but chips and drink I can transport.
This Quiznos is in the west-of-the-canal part of downtown Prov, which isn’t as nice as the side with the colleges. The part I saw was by no means creepy or dangerous, just not the quiet, groomed blocks of college-frontage.
I opened my wallet for my debit/Visa card and… it’s not there.
Crap.
Crappity Crap Crap Crap.
I paid with another card, and sat down to search my purse. Nothing. I must have lost or left it at the campground. Hopefully. Luckily this doesn’t ruin lunch. Mmmm.
12:51pm
It must be my confident street crossing skills that make me look like a Prov resident. I am again asked for directions, but this time I actually know what the person is talking about – the front gates of Brown, just a few blocks down.
It’s too hot for climbing the steep hill back to my car/RISD. I don’t enjoy sweating.
A woman with a thick New England accent answered the phone at the campground, and has my debit card. I left it on the counter when I checked in. No, this is a good thing. While I was still on the phone, she ran it “through the shreddah” for me.
1:01pm
I let my photographic memory, numerical memory, and a few road signs lead me out of the wildly confusing Providence back to the highway. Sadly… all that’s left is about 380 miles of road.
2:48pm
Starting to get tired of my iPod music… stopped for a bathroom/leg moving break just inside the state of New York. Only a couple of horrible tailgating drivers who did not appreciate either my ignoring them and not going any faster (I was already speeding by 10mph and passing people) or my blinking my brake lights at them. My favorite part was when I easily passed them later, while they were horaciously tailgating someone else but having to slow down to get off at an exit. I felt like beeping and waving merrily, in an annoyingly cheerful way, but just kept on ignoring them. Also have never had anyone flash their high beams at me several times, then leave them on, in an attempt to get me to drive faster. If you were wondering, they were NY drivers.
I’m surprised how long I can spend with my own thoughts. Just me talking to me in my head.
5:48pm
Driving was only tedious around Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, surprisingly. Although I guess it was rush hour. Back on the good old PA backroute, one of my last roads. Lady looked at me funny while she dug in her backseat while her SUV blocked both gas pumps on one side. Like I would want to pull in and I’m not just sitting here because I FEEL LIKE IT. Then there was the person who pulled in after me, and kept rolling forward when I tried to back up and get on the other side of the gas pump.
Forget it, I can’t take anymore of this crap. I’ll get the next gas station.
6:36pm
Pulled into the Wegman’s parking lot. Because I will run out of food before my iron-clad schedule allows me to take half an hour to run in here and buy more. Sigh. Trying not to let it weigh me down already, when I’m not even back into it yet.
7:28pm
Just a few minutes after I pulled in, my welcome committee of one popped in and helped unload yay!
7:58pm
Screw unpacking. It’s making me feel stuck. Only the smelly and/or essential will be unpacked tonight.
10:58pm
Very unhappy with Facebook photo uploader. It does not work well anymore. Grrrr.
11:26pm
Really need to go to bed. Dreading work. Dreading the return of constant neck and back and elbow cracking from inability to move and constant tension. My body was nearly silent this weekend, and I did a lot of sitting. It is so obviously that awful office causing all of my problems. Sigh.
I hate money.
But I love road trips!
that’s funny what you said about how you liked living out of your car. that’s how i felt at the grand canyon (where i actually slept in the car for several days). it was cool just to have everything right there…and you drive around everything you need is still with you!