From Brooklyn to Black Rock, an American Dream road trip has officially commenced.

I type this from the back seat of my extended cab pickup after having left NYC and the island of Manhattan, crossing over the George Washington bridge into NJ.

As the rain pours, I learn that it streams into the cab down the nylon strapping used to hold a luggage carrier to the rackless roof. Wow. I have my own private indoor waterfall. How special. [note to self: fix this].

Even though I knew for a week that I was leaving today, procrastination crept in just enough to allow for the proper spark of spontaneity that I prefer.


Skipping the Wednesday night pre-packing routine in favor of a surprise birthday party on a rooftop led to a late night of revelry. Who can pass up the sunset, a moonrise, dreamy djs, birthday balloons that swallow whole humans and more fire than you can burn a stick with? Not I.

Sleeping in for one last night atop a comfy bed, I roll over to soak and snooze in the sheets a little extra before I gobble some eggs. A last look around, and off to get the rest of my gear.

My travel partners arrive at my storage in Dumbo ready to jump in the Chevy and roll. The scene grows a little tense during my ninety minute load in. Patience was tested. We wanted to leave at four and now it's six o'clock.

The doors are shut and the car started moments before the downpour of the day. So much rain at once resulted in spectacular streaming pillars of water spilling down from the Manhattan bridge above. After waiting out the rain, the sun streams it's way across the Brooklyn bridge with a truck full of road hungry travelers. We are met on with crawling traffic along the east river on the FDR. So much for the wide open highway. Soon enough though, we are out of the jungle and cruise controlling along at 75 mph.

An hour later, laughter fills the truck cab when we realize that the can of whip cream that was to go with the raspberries has fallen between the front seat and center console and has been releasing it's creamy goodness all over the floor.

2500 miles to go. And so it begins....