A Spiritual Pilgrimage

With gas prices at an all time high, my family thinks I am nuts to take a 6,000 mile road trip this summer. Also, they are nervous about me camping alone in a place called the Bad Lands. However, I just tell them it's a spiritual pilgrimage and what can you say against that? Or rather, how do secular Catholic Bostonians argue against that? They can't.

But it's true, I've got two of Eckhardt Tolle's books on tape and a whole ipod full of 12 step meeting podcasts. I am so ready to go! Even though I never tire of reciting my itinerary to people, I have laid out my plans below, for those of you not lucky enough to have talked to me recently. A little tweaking may occur, but this is basically the deal, so feast your eyes fair friends...

Stage 1: The Backward Migration

July 14: Leave Boston, drive to Philly, stay with Patti

July 15: Drive to Ohio, stay with Char

July 17: Drive to Chicago, stay with Abby.

July 20: Drive toward the Bad Lands

July 21: Hike around Bad Lands and camp

July 22: Drive to the Black Hills, hike around, camp

July 23: Drive to Yellowstone, hike, camp

July 24: Drive to Bozeman, Montana: Stay with my old intern Marcus and have a wilderness adventure in big sky country!

July 25: Drive towards Seattle: Spend the night near a lake in Northern Idaho

July 26: Arrive in Seattle, meet up with Tory! We've been invited to stay at Elena's house, even though I haven't seen her for years and she's going to be in Berlin (aren't Antioch kids the best?)

July 28: Drive to PDX, hang with the Meow for a few days

July 31: Drive to Crater Lake, camp for the night

August 1: Arrive back in SF!!!

2nd Part of Road Trip: Hot as Hades

August 9: Drive to the Mojave with Erika!

August 10: Drive to Sedona, stay with Aileen's parents

August 11: Drive to Albuquerque

August 12: Drive to Carlsbad Canyons

August 13: Drive to Austin!!! Stay with the Danish and Cristian and their puppies and kitties!

August 17: Drive to Houston, stay with Macauley and Leah

August 18: Drive to Lake Charles, LA and stay with my old co-worker, Pam-the-wham

August 19: Layafette, LA to stay with my crazy dyke cousin--aw yeah

August 20: Drive to HOTlanta, stay with my old intern Elaine and eat veggie soul food at the crazy cult (back to Africa Zionist) restaurant

August 21: Drive to Charleston, SC and stay with little Lindy!

August 25: Drive to DC, stay with my Aunt

August 26: Drive to Western Mass, where I will collapse into a dirty, smelly, heap on Aleah's front lawn

Now tell me, doesn't that sound epic? Idealist and brave but a little foolish? That's right folks, its got all the main ingredients of a Spiritual Journey, so take that Mom and Dad.