Hey, yes, the Desoto Appeal did a really great story about the project today. The link is here. I think it turned out really well. I'm also working at a Starbucks here in Tallahassee today which is good because I have reserves that need to stay reserves. Jason and Kathyrine and I went dancing at this club last nite for a few hours- it was so much fun. I had to get pretty well-buzzed beforehand to do it, but once I was in there, I was just moving and doing it. I'm actually kinda proud I just let loose and did it. I've got to go get showered if I'm to work in about an hour. I'm gonna hang around with Jason for a little while more until it is time to excurse Florida a little more. We shall soon see. I could easily just stay here for the rest of the summer. I can see why so many people vacation and retire here. The roads are amazing here too, which is good for me now. I don't think I could live here cuz no mountains and real humid, but I'm enjoying the flow for now. Sorry if this is all over, I just woke up and read the story and wanted to put it up.

Still here in Tallahassee. Becoming kinda withdrawn from people, don't know why. Can barely hold a conversation without finding something to do. I'm becoming obsessed with doing this and building more and now that I have an internet connection I can use all day without interruption, I'm getting all the Tori stuff I've missed and it's like super-concentrated. I'm trying to replace all I lost when my computer crashed. I don't know, I'm still in familiar territory, I'm not moving right now and now that I'm settled for a few days... I should have time. But I can't really say much about anything right now. A lot goes on all the time; it's hard to talk for more than a few minutes. Going to the movies now, will post some more later on. Feel like I've been kinda shitty to a few people. Le sigh.

New new new and sexy sexy sexy!...

I added new pics of both Water Valley, MS and Mobile, AL (they're great!), put up a bio of Tyler and an article archive, and brushed up a few other things. In the next few days while I'm in Tallahasse, I'll try to make the site as content-rich and interesting as possible, cuz I know all of you want to read my stuff on here for HOURS on end. Expect pics from around Florida to start popping up. I'm just gonna simmer here and spend a few days with my absolute best friend in the world, Jason, whom I only get to see like once every two years. Yes. Feedback and guestbook signings on the Contact Me always encouraged, I need to know you like it. Keep calling and sending stuff in- I love it! I think I'm gonna add some of my artwork and writings soon, as they start to emerge. My idea sheet is growing. I'm turning this into inspiration. Thank you all for everything... the site traffic, the emails, the phone calls to check in. I know I've been distant, but I'm always doing project stuff all the time, every day. Get this out, please. Give the link to all. Alright, I'll be tweaking around for the next little bit. Peace out. Love, J.

In Mobile, AL right now, but I'm gonna leave for Tallahassee in about an hour or so, so will post more here and on the pics page when I get there. Keep looking in every so often, esp. for the Northeast part.

Hey hey, I'm in Memphis, TN. Texas pretty much sucked really hard. As I understand the I-20 isn't the most scenic route through the state, however, I did not see it improving much more from that. There were just a lot of plains, then a few gentle rolling hills which was nice and all, but by that time, I was in the hy00j Dallas metro region and you know how I feel about cities. Then I realized I had slated Texas as nothing but cities, which is no good no good. So I got through it. I got through Louisiana, then hopped the I-55N to Memphis, TN where my grandmother lives. Yes, I did this all in one day. I am not drawn particularly to the Southeast. I am ready to get out of this region. First, I will visit my best friend in Tallahassee, FL, then head north north all the way to Acadia in Maine, then eastward again to make my final round back again into Phoenix. I have a feeling that what I've done up to this point is nothing in comparison with what I'm about to do and see. Wow. I am really looking forward to the northeast. So a couple more days with my Mama (real beds are nice), then Jason in FL and on and on. When I'm out there driving, the only one on the road and the sun setting in front of me, even when I don't know where I'm going to sleep that nite, it still totally feels like living. I'm having such an awesome time. Kinda wish I could do this forever, but alas, the real world is knocking on the window while I sleep. :(

I'm just going to take a few days to recoup and regroup here in Memphis before I set out again. My Mom's giving me a few bucks for two nites in a hotel for when it gets too unbearable to sleep in the car or tent again, which will be a good backup plan in those rural places. Keep checking back for more pics soon. I expect a gusher of pics in the Northeast leg of the trip. Oh, and the Elephant Butte pics are linked wrong on the pics page. Click here until I can fix it. Keep on checkin' in ya'll, while the South assimilates me.

My loyal fans: I'll try to update tonite sometime. I'm in Abilene, TX and expect to be in Dallas around sunset. More then.

Hey again. I'm in Truth Or Consequences, NM. It's really hard to take decent pictures out here, because the towns are so fucking dumpy! And when it IS pretty, you're on the highway, and it's hard to stop, but not really. I am almost always the only car on the road. Last nite, I figured I could refuel in NM with half a tank of gas coming out of Springerville, AZ. This was not the case. After passing thru a string of oddly-named ass-ugly little NM villages, I finally stopped at a campground in Pie Hole, NM to sleep. I wish I'd taken more blankets in the tent with me, cuz after I got zipped up, coyotes started howling and wild dogs were barking in all directions. I thought it better to freeze, and it was freezing. It was exactly 32 degrees when I woke up today. There was frost all over me from what got into the tent overnite. Very cold J I was. So I took a shit in an outhouse and rolled everything up and turned on the heat until I got to Dilat, where I shaved for the first time, shit more (lol!), and washed up in the bathroom. I've been cruising around NM since about 6am looking for cool places to stop, but honestly there's not much here. I will post what few pics I have on the So Far page, so always check there for pic updates.

Also drove past some creepy satellite things, rows and rows, in Socorro county. Made me think of the movie "Contact". I felt totally cosmic! Sleeping in tent or car is a compromise between hurting my hip (tent) or legs (car), so I know now to pick my injury nightly. Almost to El Paso, but I think I'll take some more crazy NM highways to get there though, cuz it shares a border with Mexico, and that's just way too close for a non-violent J. like me. Peace out, ya'll. I gotta write some in the book.

I'm in Flagstaff now, in a Barnes & Noble. I ended up sleeping in Munds Park in Pinewood, AZ last nite. I attempted to sleep in Sedona because there was another trail I wanted to hike today, but a cop tapped on my window and there were FOUR cop cars behind me. Is that really necessary? So they told me to go to the Basha's plaza down the road, which I did, and when I got there another (different) cop was waiting for me to see if I was coming. Whatever. Five cops for someone taking a little siesta? So I said fuck it and started heading toward Flagstaff. There is a beautiful mountain that overlooks the whole city, but I doubt I can take a picture of it without getting power lines and businesses... so no. Anyway, glad to be updating one more time. Give everyone you know the link to my site! And freaking donate, ya'll! Gas is expensive out here.

I'm in Flagstaff now, in a Barnes & Noble. I ended up sleeping in Munds Park in Pinewood, AZ last nite. I attempted to sleep in Sedona because there was another trail I wanted to hike today, but a cop tapped on my window and there were FOUR cop cars behind me. Is that really necessary? So they told me to go to the Basha's plaza down the road, which I did, and when I got there another (different) cop was waiting for me to see if I was coming. Whatever. Five cops for someone taking a little siesta? So I said fuck it and started heading toward Flagstaff. There is a beautiful mountain that overlooks the whole city, but I doubt I can take a picture of it without getting power lines and businesses... so no. Anyway, glad to be updating one more time. Give everyone you know the link to my site! And freaking

I'm out, ya'll! I'm writing this tonite from Sedona, AZ. This will be my first nite having to sleep outside in my car. I'm eyeing this little metaphysical shop I saw down the street. It had a huge sign that said, "VORTEX" next to "Metaphysical". Can't be all that bad with signs like those. Sedona is cute. There is one main little strip with lots of cute little shops. Other than that, it's stretches of windy road connecting little churches to one another. As soon as I got here, I took a long hike and got lots of good pictures. Click here to see pics from today. I'm gonna get busy making the first on-the-road entry for the book. It's 8pm. I'll do that for about an hour, then go find a place until tomorrow. Let's see. Tomorrow, I'm going to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, so I may not have access again til New Mexico. Every few days, look for more pics, cuz they sure will be here. Good nite everyone, Good nite Jake. See you all on the laters.

Firstly, thank you so much to Kay Gabrielson for being the first to donate to the project. I feel so incredibly supported, and there is so much positive energy around this. It all helps, so thank you.

Then... I think I have a start date(!). I'm planning to leave Tempe on either Sunday the 24th or Monday the 25th. It's been hard getting everything to work around this, but I only have the edges to trim and there's no stopping now. I just hope the quality of photography and writing is up to the standards I've already set for myself. I want to produce tons of beautiful images to choose from and set them among really thoughtful journal-type entries. I feel I know everything I need to know to be smart, intuitive (that means safe), and to keep my wits about me until my planned return to Tempe on August 2nd. Hopefully things will work out better than I expect, and I can stay out there longer. Gonna go paint a bit before I rest. Next week will be a lot of running around, so it's best I sleep while I can.

Later,
-J.

Things are finally starting to feel final. My lease is being overtaken, I got my money shit as together as it's going to be, made the lists, budgeted time, money, and everything, and just need to do a few more things before I can go. Which I hope will be soon because it was 89 today here in Tempe. I need to go before it gets much hotter.

My friend's Mom was telling me how the bees start making honey in Southern Texas and slowly move north throughout the summer until they get to Canada, which is the exact route I'm taking. With the new Tori CD and all the new knowledge about beekeeping, I thought it was appropriate.

I need now to get a storage facile, gather monies, and move my shit out of here. Load up what I plan to take and... load the cameras. I thought about getting a little tape recorder for ideas I get out there or when I talk to an aboriginie.

Had a really good conversation about everything going on with Steve the other day. It made me think about a few things, made me a little anxious, too. Thought about getting a little gun just so I don't waste my psychic energy on any kind of fear. I have yet to check into that. Need to go ahead and contact papers along my first leg of the trip to Memphis.

I would've liked to update this sooner and more often, but fucking work has been ruining my every day for planning and painting and thinking through this. Like today I worked from 5am-1:30pm, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. I am so sick of work. I am disengaging from that place. My thoughts are totally elsewhere, and I would love to devote my preceding few weeks to nothing but planning, but money is my biggest issue here. Anyway, my back is getting slowly better. A couple of trouble spots remain, and my upper back is still really sensitive, but I think I'll be out of here by April 23 or so.

Really ready... and maybe that car crash prevented me from leaving too early. There may be something I'm not supposed to miss.

My back is getting better all the time, and everything is coming together with some ease.
I need to be sure someone is taking over my lease, get storage, an oil change, and tons of food to take.

I got a road atlas and was looking at Canada- my main feelings were of uncertainty and desperation. I really want to do northern Canada as much as possible, but many of the roads up that way are unpaved or gravel, and I don't know if my car can take it. I will go as far north as I can, and that's all I can do. The northern Canada part will be by far the most desolate and primitive leg of the trip, and also the last, so by then I will be accustomed to the life.

Also got tons of film tonite and made a list of the places I have so far that people from here and there have offered. It's quite a good list so far, considering the project is embryonic until I actually leave.

I still want/need places in these places:
TX
Boston
NYC
Philly, Penn.
CT or RI
WI
WY
UT
NE
MT
ID
ND or SD

and anywhere else! If you know of anything, let me know. I'm sure I'll be willing to take anything when the time comes around.

I feel really grateful for the support I've already gotten. I still would've gone thru will all this, but it wouldn't be the same without knowing my friends and family are cheering for me. My safety is the most important thing, and I will absolutely do anything to make sure I get thru this and come back to the people I love.

Going to bed now to sleep for many hours. It's my first free morning in days; I will enjoy it.

By the way!... Here's the

article

from the Tribune.

Well, the Tribune article came out and I was really pleased with the whole deal. A few people have been here and have written to me because of the article and I'm so thankful for that. It brings a feeling of comfort which is welcome always, but especially when you're feeling deficient of it.

So thank you.

I think I've found a really amazing couple to take over my lease, which is another big load off my mind. The only things left now are:

Find storage for my stuff, but mostly for all my paintings. I've got 20 now, and don't want them to melt (seriously) in the PHX heat, so I need something climate-controlled.

Figure out what to take and what to store.

Buy food for the first leg of the trip (to Memphis).

Pay down my credit card a bit more for emergencies and gas.

Get the moonroof of the car (Tyler) fixed.

Make sure my neck is better before I even try and attempt this.

Yes. I think this can really be successful. I can't wait to get out there and DO THIS. I've got to make sure my neck and back are OK before I do, though. My little car wreck a coupla weeks ago jolted me and tore some stuff back there. My check today was a lot smaller than what I'm used to due to all the time off work I missed because of the accident.

Pass this site along to other people you know, if you would. What I'd love is a steady stream of people checking in every so often to check out the journal and the pics along the way, and so a lot of people know where I am and where I'm going next, for safety.

I would also love if anyone wanted to donate. I know there are so many worthy things out there to donate to and people who have had fires or tragedies that are in more need than I am in now. So while I'd appreciate all the help I can get, I just want people to be really sure before they do it. However, I will gladly take anyone's hard-earned dollar for gas and other randomness. :)

Maybe I should make a banner to link this stuff up. I think word-of-mouth sites are the best though, which is my hope for this one. So since I don't know how to make banners, tell someone to come here and look at all this. And sign the guestbook on the Contact Me page so I know you were here.

So ready to go!!! As soon as my doctor releases me, there will be tons of pics and entries to come read and see. I've got three cameras now (one is named Asher), and my laptop, Randall, so my guys and me are ready to parlay out of hot place before triple digits hit, which will be soon.

Support me!!!!

Later,

-J.

Got some more LOR stuff today: a better tent, stakes, a shade for my car. Also had an interview with a writer from the East Valley Tribune, so if you're in the Phoenix area, it should run either Thursday or next Tuesday. It was a really amazing feeling being interviewed. Talking about it all made it feel very real, which is good for matters like these.

My Gramma called to check on me, and I see a chiropractor tomorrow about my back and another doctor Friday about my general health. So I will be a healthy J. for the trip. Still a little worried about the money, but fuck it, I want to do this and expect to start right on schedule or at the worst, a week late.

In a few weeks, I can't wait, expect pics from the road and updates from all over. I'll post where I am in the News section. When I get to an area close to you, write to tell me what I should see. For reals. Later ya'll.

I think I still want to try and go through with this. I'm waiting to get my strength back, and I start work again tomorrow. I'm not sure where I am financially since I missed some work, but even if I have to push the start date back a few weeks, I still want this to go forward. Going to get more rest before work tomorrow. Lots of rest now is the best thing for me. Until later, -Me.

To anyone who reads this:
I'm not sure if LOR is going to start on schedule just yet. I was in a car wreck yesterday and may have to wait for my health to recover before I can get out and do this. My face is really swollen and I feel generally dazed so... I'll write more when I wake up again and feel a little better.

It's getting hotter here in Phoenix. I've got my windows open now.
This weekend was really relaxed and fun. I went with Jake to a BBQ and to Tucson. It was finally a weekend away with friends that I've been wanting since I got here in August, and now I'm leaving it to do this project. I don't feel yet like I'm in my last few weeks here, even though that is the case, very much. The main emotion about all this is being afraid of other people, weather, bad luck, money. I know once I get all my things into storage and get the tent and get the car loaded that it will feel real all at once, but for now I'm just going to work maniacally to save all the money I can produce.

I'm gonna go paint a while then go to bed; I have to wake up before the birds again. Sign the guestbook if you're reading this. It comforts me, thanks.

A List

I need to get a to-do list together, so this will be an update and that.

To get:
Tent
Food
Tires
Cot
Camera cable
Another camera
Tons of film to start with
Better backpack (Army surplus store)

To do:
Storage for stuff
Either France visa or ASU application (details about residency and aid)
Pay down credit card
Subscribe to Boing
Car payments
Call Kia
Call PHX papers
Find someone to take over lease
Put together a list of books to take
Buy book about Icelandic language
Call Memphis Sbux about working
Make mega-mixes of most pertient music
Find a way to put outlet in car