Day 4 - Liars, Tires, and Satire11/16/2015 As mentioned previously, America's roads are in shambles. My front tires were already low on tread and after I left Virginia Beach that morning, I knew something was up. I pulled over and I had fresh nails in the driver side and a strange circular cut out in the other one. I mean it looked like someone cut this thing with a circular saw. I sat in the parking lot of a McDonald's, using their WiFi and searching for reputable tire shops. The local PepBoys had some horrible reviews and an equally how 2.2 star rating. But I figured let me give them a shot. Not everything you read on the internet is true. So I walk in and I'm immediately greeted with anger and disdain. The dude at the counter said he's got nothing available until much later that day or the next day. Then, tries to tell me the tires I need on my car have to be ordered because he doesn't have them in stock and it'll take about a day. THEN he quotes me a price so comical, I decided I had to be pranked. $149 per tire, plus mounting and balancing. As I walked out, he said "you won't find another shop 'round here with the tires you need" and I just smiled and laughed. If I was driving a rare 60's Ferrari, he might have been right. But 235-65-17 tires are insanely common amongst SUVs. Every shop had them in stock. The internet was right this time. So, I whipped (and nae nae'd) into the Merchant Tire around the corner. What a good decision that was. They had much better reviews so I headed over there the kid at the counter was awesome. He came outside, said he had some tires that would work perfect and gave me a decent deal on price. Not to mention a 2 hour turn around - which I was ok with. There was a girl by the name of Leah working there, traveling from corporate, and she happened to be from South Florida so we had a lot to talk about travel, life, and this crazy one-way trip I decided to take. Meanwhile, the manager, Robert Price, was cool enough to let me go in the back of the bay and take some shots of the car being worked after I explained what I was doing. We talked about marketing, sales tactics, and plain old customer service. Earlier, I heard employees saying he was a tough guy to understand but he meant well. My impression was that he really cared about the customer and building relationships. After one of the employees quoted a price to a customer that had just walked in, the customer declined the service and walked out. Robert jogged outside to grab the guy before he took off and make him an offer. After a minute, the both came back in and he handed them the keys. I like that. It's better to shave a couple of bucks off a price and keep the customer, than lose them over a and damage your reputation. Sales like that increase revenue directly and via reputation management. Anyway, so I had plans to go meet up with my friends Jay & Charlene and I didn't want to be too late. so I took off from the tire shop around 1 PM. Colonial Williamsburg as certainly worth the detour. I wasn't sure how that whole tour thing worked. I just parked and took a stroll. What a perfect day it was. Chilly and sunny. After harassing some of the actors and joining a large group for the canon firing, I figured it was time to hit the 'ol dusty trail.
Day 3 - Virginia & Maryland11/16/2015 After leaving beautiful Savannah, I shot up I-95 at a good pace. Or so I thought. People are fucking maniacs on the highway. I forgot that 73mph was an insult no matter what lane you are in. I spent about a hundred miles getting cut off and mean-mugged by aggressive dickbags. However, my numbers were right and I didn't have to get gas until I got into South Carolina. I pulled off the highway and into this little no-name town. Prices were great but the clients could tell I was from out of town. They had that "you sure got a purdy mouth" look on their faces and I knew I had to hurry up and get out of dodge. Upon reaching the NC/SC state line, I had to stop at South of the Border. It definitely hasn't changed in years. None of the restaurants or attractions had wifi. But the burger I ordered was fantastic and the customer service was even better. Maybe I was just starving, but I destroyed that damn thing. I was tempted to pick up a novelty but it seemed like they have the same dated crap from back in the 90's. Which is oddly kinda cool, but I don't have the budget to blow on things that aren't survival related. Once I left SOTB, It was a long and boring trek through the now rough terrain of our dilapidated highways. I implore everyone to take the time to write your local congressman or woman. Take pictures of the potholes, broken walkways, and make it known that our infrastructure is in shambles and you are aware of it. I didn't feel safe on the highway until I got into Virginia and went through the Hampton Road Tunnel. The road is smooth and quiet in there. It gave my kidneys a break from the brutal beating they were taking bouncing up and down on what felt like I was driving over the skull ridden terrain of the landscape depicted in 'Terminator.' Reaching Virginia Beach was a simple after that. I met up with my old friend Christy and we decided to hit her favorite bar - The Yard House. It reminds me of a cross between World of Beer and Ale House. Good beer and great food! Christy's girlfriend eventually met up with us and she was a riot. After chowing down and sampling 3 beers from O'connor Brewing, I settled on El Guapo. I subtle, floral IPA that sits at 7.5% ABV. Since most microbreweries showcase their IPA, I just have to accept that and give up on ever finding the equivalent to a Red Monk from World of Beer. Once we settled our tabs, we headed back to Christy's for some shuteye. I ended up editing images and smoking the best damn hookah I've ever made. Mostly due to the chilly temps on the porch, but Starbuzz's Blue Surfer just hit the spot. I witnessed one the neighbors dragging her dog across the parking lot - an adorable little corgi - and I couldn't figure out if the dog was being a pain, or that lady was just a bitch for treating her dog like that. Corgi's are not a breed of disobedient dogs so I'm sure she was just being a douchebag. Afterwards, I finally hit the sack on Christy's couch. From the stories I heard of that couch, it seemed like it had seen more action than mattress at a shady motel. Hey, at least one of us is getting some action! Day 2 - Jacksonville to Savannah11/11/2015 After spending what felt like the greatest night of sleep of my life on a mattress made of the burned out hopes and dreams of thousands, I got my shit packed and headed north to Savannah, GA. If you haven't been to Savannah, it's an incredible city of history, art, and tree lined streets with streets made of cobblestone specifically designed to destroy your car's suspension and destroy your kidneys in the process. I first visited after my high school graduation in 1998. Long story, short - Arthor, a good friend of mine, wanted to visit the Savannah College of Art & Design - S.C.A.D. shortly after we graduated from high school. He is a talented artist and illustrator, while I was a graphic artist with photography interests. We'd make a powerhouse team so we figured let's check it out and see if we can do it. Turns out the price was just over the top for me and I couldn't do it. But I loved the school, I love the area, etc, etc. Fast forward 16 or so years, and I'm meeting up with my friend Gillian at our favorite low-key, hometown diner - IHOP. I hadn't seen her in years. We had a good laugh and heart-to-heart conversation about this crazy journey I decided to take. In the meanwhile, I annihilated a Country Fried Steak and Eggs combo, fired up on some coffee. and after an hour or so it was time for us to go. Gillian pointed out that Savannah is an open-carry city - so I assumed I could wear my weapon loud and proud! However, she meant drinks and the server then offered me a to-go cup. For a split second, I thought I could get used to stumbling around the streets of Savannah with a beer in my styrofoam cup. Then, I realized that's what all homeless people do and they don't need a city ordinance to approve of their life choices. We then parted ways and I found myself in historic district of Savannah. I quickly remembered why I loved that place. Damn. The culture. The street art. THE CRIME! Wait...no I mean the diversity. Just so much history to absorb. One cannot do this in a couple of hours, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I turned off Victory Blvd and right onto Bull Street when I spotted this and had to stop and check it out. Very trippy. Cosmic enlightenment if you will. I loved it. I envy anyone with that level of artistic vision. I can draw some pretty sweet stick-figures doing unconscionable things to each other. But that's about it. My mother - the ageless vampire that she is - is also an incredible artist. As I'm heading up that way, I am creeping in second gear and see this Bob Ross look-a-like strolling away from me. I had to capture it. I wanted to yell "PRETTY LITTLE CLOUDS!" but I figured I didn't want to make a complete ass of myself within the first few minutes of my arrival. After reminiscing down memory lane, finally go to my destination and realized I've never parked down by water before. If I hadn't figured out that you have to drive on the trolley tracks for the smoothest ride, or you'll destroy your car. I parked Sabrina (my Kia Sorento) and waited patiently for easily 10 minutes while this super hot, albeit reading-impaired young lady, struggled to jam her credit card into the fucking parking meter. I swear I lost valuable time in my life waiting for this and I ended up daydreaming about food. I was seconds away from saying "FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT HOLY!" but god was on her side and that card was finally accepted. After dropping my 4 quarters into the machine, I turned around and I realized I totally parked like a douchebag. I took a long slow walk around, enjoying everything. For some reason, everyone was freezing. I was the only one in a t-shirt and I swear it was like 70 degrees. Pays to be chubby sometimes. I tried bribing the bead dealer into helping me steal the U.S.S. Savannah ship fountain, but in a Dom Toretto voice, he mumbled "I'll die before I go back." Referring to going his time in prison. I must have laughed for 5 minutes straight. One of my goals on this trip was try some really good local brews. The awesome barkeep at Fiddler's Crab House recommended a Southbound Brewing Co Double IPA called Picture of Nectar. For a Double IPA, I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed it's slight nectar taste and smooth hop flavor. It wasn't like most Double IPAs that make me wince at first. The pour was dark orange and it was very aromatic. If you like floral and fruit scents mixed, this is something you should try. It's not pungent or overbearing. Once I paid my bar tab, I was ready to see the Riverwalk a little more. The bartender offered me Bloody Mary to go. I laughed at the idea of drinking, walking, and shooting. Reluctantly, I turned down his offer and hit the street. That's when I met this awesome musician who was waiting on a brick layer to finish working on his repairs so he could start playing. We started chatting and he asked me "man, where are you from?" I responded "New York and Florida." He laughed and said "I always thought New Yorkers were dicks" and I didn't want to ruin his perception of us so I karate chopped him in the throat. Surely, I jest. Actually, he asked me what's my favorite song and I pointed out that I'm a Wynton Marsalis fan and he nearly bludgeoned me with his Saxophone. He is much more of a Bradford Marsalis fan and can completely agree. Even though they are brothers, they have two completely different styles of composition and most jazz lovers like either one or the other, but never both. I told him I sold all my belongings and decided to take this epic road trip up and across the country. He thought it was brilliant and said "I think we all need to ake this journey at some point in life. Safe travels, my brother." We shook hands and parted ways. I hopped in the car and dialed in Laurel, MD and hit the road. I did nearly smash that shitty Galaxy Core Optimus Prime into the beautiful cobblestone walkway after it had the damnedest time finding a GPS signal. But I took a deep breath and blamed it on the clouds. And Satan. Stay tuned for more updates and check out my gofundme campaign! If you've got a couple of bucks to spare, help support this awesome trip. I am offering drunken lap dances and foot massages to top donors. It's definitely a Monday. Rainy, gloomy, and I'm now in Jacksonville, FL. I'm not saying that Jacksonville is where all zombie apocalypse scenarios play out, or that the driving technique here must have been borrowed from elite Mossad defensive driving school in a land where roads do not have lane markers, but I nearly died several times today. I left the bustling metropolis of Deltona, FL around 6am. With the help of my trusty sidekick and brother, Danny, we made an absolute fucking mess of unpacking and repacking my car full of only the essentials. Like water bottles, a rape whistle (you never know, someone might have a fetish for this medium stack of Puerto Rican lava), bunch of camera gear, and only the clothes I truly planned on using. Moving makes you realise how much shit you have that you honestly will never use again but you keep it because it occupies space in your closet and makes you feel safe and warm. Screw that! I donated 4 big bags of clothes to the Goodwill on 434 in Longwood. The night before, we gave a ton of stuff to my mother's friend whose family didn't have anything in their home. They got a new bed, coffee table, end tables, vacuum, dishes, pots & pants, and whatever I knew I couldn't use on the road. She really appreciated and it felt good to give directly to someone in need. I think all families go through rough times and some point. And we as a community need to always be there help each other. Now, one of the things I realized I needed was good road-trip music. This is going to be a 3500 mile journey across the country and I need some theme music. Not to mention, the month I drove Uber and Lyft I seriously considered driving into a ravine after being subjected to hours and hours of Fetty Wap and other scholarly musical proteges. I will admit, that dude "Future" isn't too bad. And like most teens these days, I am addicted to The Weeknd (pro. week-und). I am not ashamed to admit that. But this first leg of the trip is all Beck, Sublime, and Cake. Making the decision to spend the night in Jacksonville was not planned. However, I didn't want to wrap my car around the tree. I thought going to Taco Bell for a breakfast burrito would help wake me. I ended up to nodding off in the parking lot, only to be awaken by an employee having a colorful conversation with whoever was on the other end of circa 2004 Bluetooth headset, followed immediately by the thermonuclear war going on inside my belly. Remember - say no to sour cream before noon. If you enjoyed this, brace yourself for some awesome times. Please help support this comedic photographic journey across the country by going to: https://www.gofundme.com/stevesfreshstart and donating a couple of bucks. Meet Newborn Gavin1/31/2013 One of my best friends just had a baby and I promised I'd do a newborn session with her when she was ready. Well within a week she was ready to go and so was I. Meet Baby Gavin. He's so cute, I warned all my lady friends to stay away or we'd be making one just like him. Not even kidding. After passing another birthday, I realized the idea of kids doesn't scare me at all. Kids freakin' love me. They think I'm Shrek or something. Which makes sessions go by smoothly and we always have a great time. So enjoy a few more images from this session and if you just had a baby congrats! Now,let's book your session ASAP!
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