Happy Ohio! By crossing the Ohio river today we’re crossing into territory we haven’t been to since the Before Times and there’s a deep, complicated emotional component to that. Highway dissolving beneath us, the radio playing whatever it’s going to play. Blue skies and tracks eating up the miles. Last night we ran our first Live from the Lair from the road at Brad Yoder’s Hospitality House with him and OrangeG, and tonight we’re playing an open mic with a guy we met years ago at an open mic, Eric Nassau.
Since the Pandemic struck our road wandering a near-fatal blow in 2020 we’ve slowly stretched our legs: driven North till the air conditioners gave out, driven South till the palm trees started. Tomorrow we’ll drive West till the horizon meets the sky, something you can’t see till you’re well West of Columbus, OH, where we’re staying tonight. Moments of truly open road where there’s nothing between you and the edge of the world, literally seeing as far as the eye can see.
I instantly feel lighter. Heather feels it too. It’d be fair to say that really that just means we’re back to a Lifestyle of driving away from all of our problems, but nothing’s pressing down on us enough to make us turn around and face them.
Since the last time we were OUT Heather’s become a true mom, I have a mortgage. Madness. We broke out in Growed-Upness. At least for the next couple of weeks it’ll be good to feel 20-somethin’ again…. just with better gear.
Going West is the true romance. I-70 threatens to sweep you all the way to California, and it’ll probably hurt to turn back around in Columbia, MO. We’ll have almost covered the distance from my brother’s home to the war in Ukraine.
Kristen stayed home with Prince for this trip. For the moment, at least, that adds to the nostalgia of this wandering. Adding to the feeling of the Way It Was. Nice not to have to bring an inkjet printer and CD burner though. Fine to not have a book of CDs and a folder of DVDs. Nice to be able to afford a hotel for a couple of nights. Nice to play a webstream rather than a bar last night. Still listening to Underfoot tho.
Nice to be ouuuuut.
Upon arrival to Columbus we tried to identify old haunts. Most are gone. COVID and time have come together to make this all feel like we’ve never done it before. For better and for worse.
Mostly for better. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the release of the pressure with the house purchase complete and immediate work on it being DONE and just being away from it all in any case.
It feels incredible.
