Day 8 - I'm Alive!

I'm Alive!
Dramatic, I know. But I just checked the weather channel for the overnight temperatures and it was 6 degrees Fahrenheit where I slept in my car last night!!
My laptop battery died and for some reason my car wouldn't hold the charge to plug it in. In Rutland, VT I decided to check hotel rates because I could tell by the light of the full moon that the area was gorgeous. I didn't want to be driving through in the dead of night when I spent all this time getting here because I had never been to Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine. Unfortunately all the hotels were freaking outrageously priced ($127 for a night at the Red Roof Inn?!?!).
I then stopped at Denny's thinking I might find some people to talk to. Why is it that Denny's is a local hangout in Southeastern WI, but everywhere else it's where old people go late at night? Where do the kids hang out everywhere else?? Or do they not exist in Vermont? Are there no late night youngsters in New England? I don't even think I would consider the time "late night" as it was only 10:30pm. Maybe that was my problem.

Anyway, a week's worth of being on my own and having a heavy heart (don't ask) finally caught up with me and I just burst at the seams. I found a trail parking area and pulled into it to cry. It was the kind of sobbing that comes from the bowels. I fully needed to emotionally vomit. And like barfing, I felt better afterwards. :)
I was exhausted and decided to sleep where I was at. I figured only a jackass would come and ticket me for overnight parking on Easter. As soon as I got everything situated in the back, I realized I had to pee. Hmmmm... Only snow around. So I squat next to my car and nearly froze my parts. *NOTE TO SELF: Next time you're packing for a road trip, don't throw out your tissue box to make room for ANYTHING.

I don't know what year my dad gave me the mummy bag, but I know it definitely came in handy last night. Thanks dad!! I was HIGHLY grateful that I bought that stupid $25 coat yesterday as well. I almost returned it. Thank fuck I didn't. If I hadn't sleep in my coat in the sleeping bag, I think I may have frozen in the night.

At the moment I'm in this cute little cafe called Half Baked, Fully Brewed. I had a very yummy sandwich with real cheddar cheese (not the orange stuff)! Here are a couple of the pics from yesterday:



WOAH! Surreal moment!! This little girl just walked up to me and said "Do you have tattoos?" And I showed her the one on my wrist that was poking out. She then said "I don't like tattoos because my daddy doesn't like tattoos and I love my daddy." I said, "I'm sorry, I really like tattoos" and her mother said "honey, people like different things." She then looked at me and asked "Do you REALLY like tattoos? I think they're yukky!" and her mother pulled her away from me to the bathroom. Jesus! You'd think I was back in Birmingham, AL in 1997. Fuck. Poor kid. Oh well...

So anyhow, this is where I'm at now...
For some reason the Beta version of Mapquest added a little tail there at Danbury, NH. meh.
I'm on my way to Twin Mountain and then I'll drive over to the coast. Vermont and New Hampshire are amazing and beautiful. The one thing that is bothering me at the moment is that every single person that has come into this cafe since I've been here has been wearing sweatpants. Do you people not care about life?? gah!

Look forward to a second installment of Day 8 later tonight straight from a cozy hotel room!!