Toledo Nights

Note: We’re falling about a half day behind on these posts, just because we’d rather spend time with our hosts at night than scurry off to upload pictures and post to the blog. We’re leaving Chicago this morning, and hopefully we’ll have time to catch up in Omaha tonight. -J

Jay and I have just left Toledo and are making our way across the rest of Ohio, through Indiana, and up to Chicago this afternoon. We just spent a fantastic evening with our friend Stu’s parents, the Cubbons, and his brother, Phil, and sister, Jocelyn. I had managed to miss meeting them during our time at Bucknell—despite living in the same house with Stu senior year—but based on his personality I was very excited to make their acquaintance. The Cubbon clan certainly didn’t disappoint.

Nestled in a pretty, green suburb outside of Toledo, the Cubbons’ home resembled a miniature brick castle in the German style, complete with a steeply peaked roof and proud little brick archway over their driveway. Upon crossing the threshold Jay and I were greeted by two adorable dogs and the majority of the Cubbon family, minus Stu and Natalie. We were welcomed with welcoming smiles and introduced to the Yorkie, Winston, and Jocelyn’s beagle mix, Buddy.

Cubbon Haus

It was immediately clear where Stu had gotten his gracious and personable nature as we chatted with his family members and filled them in on our driving plans. As we sat in the living room and were offered drinks, I couldn’t help but gawk at the absolutely gorgeous interior of their home, with everything tastefully but magnificently decorated in a manner that did justice to its fairytale appearance from outside. However, after about five minutes we were reminded of where Stu had gotten his relentless sense of humor when the Honorable Denise Cubbon entered the room holding two Smirnoff Ice bottles. “I promised Stu I would do this,” she said, grinning cautiously. “I’m not sure why. I guess you’re supposed to assume some position and drink them?”

Jay and I had expected to be “bro-iced” upon our arrival, since Stu’s visit with Jay in DC over Memorial Weekend was full of the same prank. But I still couldn’t help but admire his dedication to Icing as a knelt down in his TV room and chugged the soda-like wine cooler in front of complete strangers. Oh well—I had to take it like a bro. If you have not yet heard of this pop culture phenomenon (or cunning Smirnoff marketing scheme?) just Google it. Unfortunately no matter how the game is described, it will always sound ridiculous even to those who participate.

That initial humiliation notwithstanding, we had a very pleasant evening with the Cubbons, enjoying a home-cooked meal with the family and discussing everything from Oregon to our travels abroad to the squalor of off-campus housing at Bucknell. After putting three children through the University, the Cubbons were more familiar with current affairs on campus than we were. Being there with this amazing family, it made Jay and I feel doubly grateful to have attended Bucknell and established such a sturdy network of good friends all over the country to make our journey to Oregon that much more enjoyable and enlightening.

Ray Bucknell!

After a very satisfying meal we had a restful night in the beautiful Cubbon household, admiring the unique but equally charming décor in each room in the house (as well as hysterical photos of a younger Stu). We gave our goodbyes and thanks as they all headed to work the next morning, left with the neurotic Winston as we enjoyed a very relaxing breakfast underneath a chandelier. As one last act of generosity, we were left with a giant shopping bag of snacks for the trip. Feeling adequately spoiled, Jay and I finally took our leave and headed out of Toledo for the two new states ahead for the day.

Driving through western Ohio, it’s surprising how quickly we’ve reached what feels like “middle America,” with expansive cornfields surrounding route 80 and punctuated only by the occasional tree and farmstead. Jay tells me that Nebraska will mostly be this vista for the entire state, except for the trees. So we have that to look forward to.

Just now we passed over the border into Indiana, where the stretches of corn have given way to lush stands oaks and maple and fallow meadows. We are trying to catch a picture of each state sign as we pass, which has entailed me hanging out of the jostling truck window and missing almost every one, frustrating Jay to no end. But we are blaring Mary Jane’s Last Dance and giving a shout out to Rachel Bassler, a very tall girl from Indiana.  The view has now given way to recurring scenes of neat, foot-high corn rows and arches of irrigation pipes.

During our trip up to the next major city, Chicago, we are considering an unplanned stop at Notre Dame to check out the campus. Even though we want to conserve time for the city, it would be great to see the legendary architecture of Notre Dame. From there it will be a short trip on to Chi-town where we will be staying with another Sig Ep brother and fellow Bucknell alumnus, Jeff Day, who is graciously allowing us to stay the night.

-Kim

From Kosas to Cubbons

Day 2

The morning at the Kosa Homestead, my home for almost my entire childhood, began with a tour. In an effort to prepare “Twin Ponds Farm” for sale, my mom and dad recently completed at least a dozen renovations that I was starting to think would never happen. There were enough home improvements to make Tim Allen jealous, including the herculean feat of  cleaning out, partially re-siding, re-painting, and re-enforcing our two barns. My parents also replaced a footbridge to our pasture, remodeled a bathroom, sealed and painted over cracks in the ceiling, and laid the groundwork for major repairs on our dam (in effort to restore the property’s primary pond). It was strange and exciting to think that the house was slowly being returned the way I knew it as a child. I thought it’d be nice if the next owners of the property will have little boys of their own. If so, I hope they’ll get to play hide and seek in the barn, catch frogs in the pond, and have new adventures all their own.

New Bridge

Re-sided Barn

Little Barn

Pond Frog

With a 9 hour trip to Toledo, OH looming, and temperature skyrocketing, Kim and I had no choice but to wrap up my nostalgic 5-acre walkabout. We loaded up, bid farewell to my parents, and began phase 2.

After the tour of the new and improved Kosa estate, Jay and I finally piled our belongings into the truck (including a new bike rack, courtesy of Mr. Kosa!) and took our leave. The 3 hour drive from Pipersville to middle-Pennsylvania was a familiar one for both of us, being the path from his house to Lewisburg, PA and Bucknell University. The ride was relatively uneventful as we chatted away, over-tired and loopy.

We switched drivers around lunchtime, marking my first official stint as Trucker on our journey. At first operating this giant vehicle was terrifying, since it has so much width and potential for destruction while totally lacking a back windshield. Navigating small spaces, and even parking lots, are tricky as a result. But once we were on the road I felt more confident, especially when I noticed that most cars would simply vacate the next lane if my blinker went on. Being such a small person in such a giant truck, it brought me back to the days of driving my old Blazer in high school. I forgot how good it feels to be so high up!

Heading through Lock Haven, PA on Route 80

My three hours driving through western Pennsylvania was also rather boring, especially while Jay caught up on some much-needed sleep. After rolling conveniently over a rumble strip he was back to keep me company and we talked some more about random subjects as we trundled on—namely, how we would find and pick up new furniture once we reached Portland. Jay also studied up for his phone interview with an energy conservation group in Oregon, which he will unfortunately have to conduct from the road on Thursday.

After another pit stop and driver switch we crossed into Ohio around 4pm, excited to be done with our long day of driving and to spend some time with Stu Cubbon’s parents.

Late Night Packing, Truck Loading, and trip to the Zoo (House)

Kim and were up into the wee hours of Friday night-Sunday morning, trying to pack everything as efficiently as possible. We weren’t sure if our belongings would all fit into a 12ft. Penske Truck. After a few hours of sleep, we woke up at 7:00, disassembled the bed, and took our last (for a while at least) Metro ride to grab the truck. Luckily, we scored a next-to-new rental that steers more like an SUV than a 30 ft. RV.

We loaded everything  by 2:00 pm, and were pleasantly surprised to find out that we had more than enough cargo room. We met with our landlord for the first time since the day we signed out lease when he showed up to inspect the places and give us back our security deposit. Thanks John! Kim’s friend Shelley and her boyfriend Tom, immediately began moving in to start their tenure in the Tress House apartment. Kim and I lingered a few seconds to say goodbye to what we saw as the perfect apartment.

I look into the old aprtment...This is wheeere we used to live...

We then drove the truck over to our old apartment, a four bedroom house down the road in Woodley Park where out old roommates and good friends Ryan and Dave were holding an epic pool party. I live band played funk, soul, and rock classics from the living room, blaring heavy bass and wah-wah guitar riffs through the french doors leading out to the pool. The USA v. England World Cup pool play matchup was project onto a sheet on the side of the house. Dave estimated that 90 guests had visited the “Zoo House” over the course of the party. I was happy that I no longer lived there.

The most thunderous of jams

I relaxed my aching back by reclining on a pool float for a few minutes. Then for old time’s sake, I threw down a few last thunderous jams at the pool basketball net.  After a couple hours, we begrudgingly said our goodbyes, and started out for PA.

We made it home in the usual time, had a light dinner, and toured the home improvements my parents had made in effort to prep the homestead for sale. I’ll elaborate more tomorrow, because I’ve got a long day of driving tomorrow (Toledo, here we come!), and I’m in desperate need of sleep. All-in-all, a fine start to the road trip. Phase 1, complete!

Farewell, DC

Last night, Kim and took a break from our frenetic, late-night, last-minute packing spree to attend a Nationals game. The event was a birthday celebration for one of out closest DC friends, Danni (a fellow Delaware River Valley native). We decided one more night of fun and relaxation with our friends would leave us more rested and less stressed in the long run. I couldn’t be happier with the decision. The experience had relatively little to do with the game (is anyone worried that the Nats might lose to the Pirates in early June?); it was more about having one last slice of all things DC, and for that matter, American. My friends and I talked a little about politics, ate hot dogs, had $8 beers, and cheered for home runs and fireworks, all while a blazing orange and red sun set behind Washington Monument.

Obligatory cherry blossom photo to accompany mention of Washington, DC

I expected to feel sad about my time in DC coming to a close, but last night’s overarching tone was one of gladness. I’m glad I lived in DC for three years and made lasting friendships. I’m also glad I’m seeing what other lifestyles, environments, and experiences have to offer. Kim and I don’t always have a comprehensive explanation for why we’re moving to Portland, but we do know that our prior time in the West has filled us with curiosity. I guess that’s not a novel line of reasoning. The American West has long represented uncertainty tempered with opportunity, the very essence of the pioneer spirit. I won’t go as far as to say we’ll be panning for gold or fulfilling our manifest destiny, but I’d like to think we’re propelled by a similar sense of wonder.

To be sure, there are things that Kim and I will miss about DC. This list includes, but is in no way limited to:

Our wonderful core group of DC friends: Most of us were transplants from Bucknell, but we also had some wonderful additions. A select group of us immigrated here together, secretly hoping the wilds of adulthood would be easier to navigate as a pack. Many left before us, and some those remaining have their own exit strategies in motion, as is common practice in this city. Yet in the three years we’ve been here, it feels like we’ve grown up together, and we’re all better for it.

My Job: Another typical DC experience was my foray into the world of government consulting. I had the privilege doing what I loved in two respects. 1. writing, though not very freely or creatively, and 2. ultimately working toward environmental protection. Kim entered two other major DC employment areas, legal and non-profit, and I think gained valuable insight into both spheres. Luckily Kim will be taking job with her.

Cleveland Park: A neighborhood with a small town feel, located in large city. Living on Connecticut Ave provided us everything we could want from a view of the park, to a vintage movie theatre down the street.

The famous Uptown Theater, pride of Cleveland Park

Rock Creek Park: Beautiful in all seasons for running, cycling, and even commuting. Seeing deer and foxes on my bike ride to work isn’t something I expected when I moved down here, I was pleasantly surprised.

Before I start getting too sentimental, I have to mention a few things we probably won’t miss.

The Metro: I’m just glad I’m getting out of Dodge before it costs $16 per trip at rush hour. It’s a good public transit system that alleviates what otherwise a traffic nightmare (instead of just a fiasco, which it is currently). With luck, I’ve spent my last 40-minute train ride fighting for enough room to fully exhale. No more listening to interns in oversized blazers lying to girls about the importance of their role on the Hill. I also won’t miss the “Blackberry Jams”, during which everyone who is simultaneously looking down at their Blackberries anf iPhones clog the train doorways for people who actually understand the concept of courtesy for “other people”.

Smugness: I realize that smugness isn’t really going anywhere, but I’m hoping I can trade DC smugness for a more tolerable level. It’s a gross over-generalization, I know. But it’s also painful to listen after a while. It gets old. I wish I could just assure everyone in this city that they are indeed very, very important, and yes, I really should go sailing on your dad’s boat sometime. I think I just came off as smug with this rant. I’m infected! Another sign that it’s time to go.

And I really can’t think of much else. We’re not leaving DC because we were sick of it. Truth is, it was actually just starting to feel like home. Maybe that’s part of why it seemed like it was time to explore something new. I feel like this is one of those amiable breakups where both sides acknowledges that the thrill is gone, and maybe we’d both be happier going our separate ways. Secretly, we’re found another, newer, more intriguing city. We even snuck out late and visited it back in April. DC, the bachelor that it is, will be just fine without us. I can tell when I go to Adams Morgan, or even look at the new faces in my office, that there are bright-eyed twenty-somethings ready to take our places the second our Penske truck crosses Western Ave. on Saturday.

“Most likely you’ll go your way and I’ll go mine…Don’t think twice, it’s all right.”

-either Bob Dylan or Will.i.am, not sure after watching too many Pepsi commercials.

Au revoir DC.