Asians in Wyoming?

It's true, there is one, and she is on this billboard.

But seriously, the road trip is almost over and it's been great. Yesterday we were in Laramie, WY and stopped at the University of Wyoming campus to place flowers on a bench dedicated to Matthew Shepard. I'm so brain dead from driving that I don't really have anything funny or witty to say but here's some good pictures...

Ominous Wyoming sky

Flowers for Matthew Shepard

Buford, WY

For the Western part of the trip, we decided an extra few gallons of gas may come in handy on the long stretches of nothingness (haven't had to use it yet).

A fine example of the KOA "Kabins"

A cool railroad overpass in Laramie

A leaf bug in Mountain Home, ID

Wind turbines

Cool rocks in Utah

Lancaster, Terre Haute, Omaha

Miles from Boston: 1,817.3

States driven through so far: Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska.

Current city: Omaha

Current Time Zone: Central

Other important fact: I now have a co-pilot, Sarah.

Here's just a few pictures from the trip so far. Most are of the dogs because, honestly, there's not much to look at in the middle of the heartland, other than some classic religious posters, and lots of adult super stores.

It's a little cramped but Max and Maddy are doing fine.

Below are the many positions Max finds in the car. Always very funny to turn around and see him like this.

I got this fortune before I left Seattle a little over a year ago...it came true!

Giant cross on the side of the road, I think in Illinois.

Ready to go. Thanks Barb and Tom for making Lancaster a blast!

The entire rig: trailer, bikes, roof-box. Can you believe there's a couch in there?!?

Boston to Elmira

361 miles

I've driven this stretch before. Albany to Binghamton on I-84 is quite possibly the most annoying stretch of interstate in the U.S. It is misleading though, because the first 20 miles are beautiful rolling farmland and quaint up-state NY towns. But then it just continues on for 70 miles. And there's construction...a lot of it. Even after dark when no one is working on the road, the lanes are still cut off and then merged into oncoming traffic and then you've got people shining their brights in your eyes and tailgating you and it's just a mess. New York, if you could finish the construction on I-88 that's been going on since I moved to Boston last summer, that would be great.

Other than the drive, the stay in Elmira has been great. Grandma and I went to Watkins Glen today for lunch and then to a winery and a distillery. We've also, naturally, been eating a lot. More to come tomorrow. After my stay in Elmira, it's off to Lancaster, PA for a few more days of rest and relaxation before the real road trip starts. I'll be sure to take a picture of the u-Haul before then, including the inside, which is a real masterpiece if you ask me (thanks Jay!).

I had to include this because sometimes Max falls asleep like this. Not kidding.

The Finger Lakes Distillery with re-claimed wood floors and a tin bar.

The distilling machinery from Germany.

Grandma and Me

The Oregon Trail

Okay, so maybe we should change the name of the blog to something about Oregon. Yes, it's true. After only one year in Boston, we are headed back to the west coast. This time, Portland, Oregon, or as the locals call it, PDX (Portland's airport code).

Karin is now attending Lewis and Clark Law and loves it! We have a cute little condo right in the Hawthorne neighborhood and are looking forward to being close to pubs, coffee shops, and restaurants. And of course, only 2.5 hours from Seattle!

Meg will be leaving Boston on Sunday to make her way across the country with a u-Haul trailer and two dogs. After stopping for a few nights in Elmira and Lancaster, Meg will drive 5 days to PDX. Luckily, Meg and Karin's friend Sarah will meet Meg in Columbus, OH to help with the long drive. This time, Meg will be taking a more-southern route, driving mostly on I-70, I-80, and I-84. Just like last time, Meg will try to make daily updates on the progress of the road trip. Until then, here are some of our favorite pictures from our time in Boston.

Karin's new bike!

The famous Boston Marathon

Mom and Grandma visited in March

Maximus and a stelle

Acadia National Park, Maine

The State House

The Longfellow Bridge into Cambridge

The Tall Ships Festival

The Fam in Gloucester

Beautiful old homes in Marblehead

The Arnold Arboretum, a quick walk from our apartment - we will definitely miss this!

Stay tuned for pictures from the Oregon Trail...

Boott Cotton Mills

I got to go on my first 4th grade field trip to Boott Cotton Mills in Lowell, MA.  It was a pretty cool visit and one that merits an return trip...without 4th graders.  Part of the town is now a National Park, preserving some of the dormitories and famous industrial revolution factories that were first home to Massachusetts farm girls, and then to immigrants - first the Irish, then Greeks, Colombians, and Cambodians (and many more).  Here are a few pics.

the two pictures below are the exterior with the canal system running by the factory.

lots of windows...a lot of the old factory buildings are being turned into lofts...

this is a clip of one of the looms running.  imagine 200 of these in one room!

St. Patrick's Day Parade - Southie Style

Today was Boston's famous St. Patrick's Day Parade. People from Ireland come to this, it's that legit. Most of the groups marching are local, but we saw a few from greater New England and New York City. They don't dye the Charles River green, but they do have about 600,000 people wearing green within a 5 mile section of Broadway.


These people are getting off the T with us. Some are sober, some won't know the meaning of that word until tomorrow morning.

Irish flags abound in Southie, Boston's Irish neighborhood.

Where else in America would you find a mural that says, "Ireland unfree will never be at peace."

We made the epic journey with our friends Peter and Laura. Don't we all look festive?

The parade begins with mounted police, which coincidentally are being disbanded due to budget cuts.

Lots of men in kilts playing pipes. A truly amazing sound. Most of these "pipes and drums" bands are police and fireman units throughout Mass.

I thought this was the Wells Fargo dudes that they have at all the SeaFair parades, but alas it was not.

More pipes and drums.

The famous DUCKS.

If you weren't marching with bagpipes, chances are you were in period costume with a musket, many of which were fired every 50 feet or so. So awesome.

These old men were adorable. The Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick from New Bedford, MA.

No parade is complete without firetrucks, especially in Boston.

One big bagpipe band leader.

Of course Guinness was there.

Leaving the parade, a sea of green.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!