Day 8

So on the last day of my trip I got on the road not a moment to soon. I loved being out on the road but you do eventually get home sick (Plus I was running out of money.) I also had the feeling Mercedes* was looking for her/my car. So I figured t was time to head out.

Now overall I have to say my GPS has been invaluable on this trip. But on occasion I have argued with it. I mean I know shortcuts that it doesn't but never having been to Ocean City before I had only the vaguest way to go back. It wanted me to take a ferry. I originally didn't want to take a ferry. So when I changed the settings on the GPS and told it no ferry it refused to give me a route.

Wilson: What’s wrong?
Eric: When I change the setting to no ferry it freezes...
Wilson: So can't we just pick up a map and figure it out ourselves.
Eric: A good map costs us about ten to twenty dollars. We loose a half hour to an hour by looking for a map and on top of that. On top of that if we don't take the ferry It will take another hour to 2. So screw it we will take the ferry.
Wilson: So you have given up all free will to the little box.
Eric: When the robot apocalypse comes I can either be a house slave or use as a battery. I'm listening to the GPS!
Wilson: You need help.
Eric: You have no idea. Yesterday morning I tried to use Ax body spray as shaving cream.
Wilson: WHAT?!?
Eric: I was so out of it that after I took my shower I grabbed the Axe and sprayed it into my hand like it was shaving cream.
Wilson: Than what happened?
Eric: I shaved my armpits.

So after a nice ride on a ferry we headed to Atlantic city because I still had a few hundred dollars to burn. Now I like to gamble but I'm not very good at it. But today I was up a little than down a little for over 4 hours. Normally I win big or loose big with in an hour and than I’m done. This time I broke about even but while I’m gambling I get a message telling me there is a huge storm coming at 8 o’clock and that I should find some place to crash instead of driving home. I figured I would just wait till late to drive home and solve the problem that way.

So afterwards we hit up the boardwalk and I take some pics. I love AC for 3 reasons. All you can eat buffets, gambling, and all you can eat buffets… I like food. So obviously while walking the boardwalk I got some food and checked out the girls in bathing suits (I’m still a guy).

After a couple of hours of killing time and loosing whatever money we had left we head home. Now I hate the GW bridge I will normally take the extra hour it takes ad go by the Tappan zee than deal with the GW. I should have done the same thing instead I took the GW I was 2 exits away around 12:30 AM figuring that I would be ok. Too bad they closed the lower level.

I didn’t get home till 3:30 in the morning.

Overall I had a great time. I was very lucky the only bad time I had was one bad hotel night, considering that I was doing most of this by ear it worked out well. My car was able to take it, I drove 1156 miles hit New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware & Virginia. I saw some great sites and met some very nice people, because of this I have decided to do mini trips like this. Instead of covering so many places in a week every month or 2 I will pick a place and go away for a weekend. In a few weeks I am taking my older brother to the Philly for the cheese steak challenge. The Cheese steak challenge is when you hit Pat’s have a sandwich and than head to Geno’s and have a sandwich and decide which is better. My older brother never got a chance so it will be nice to see what he thinks.

Check out my pics at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=103757&id=528577688&l=0d4aece623

*The stripper from Day 1. If you haven't read that blog go here.

Day 6 & 7

So after I woke up and took a shower I ran out of that hotel from hell, but before I left I put everything on. Every light, the TV and I even the put the sink on a slow leak. I was going to cost them as much as I could, I didn't damage anything but I was bumping up there utility bill for the day. As had become our habit we headed to a mall so I could check what hotels were available in Ocean city. Since I did not have a full itinerary and was playing things by ear I needed to see what I could get. I lucked into this decent hotel called the Thunderbird that was only a few blocks from the boardwalk. I booked us for 2 days and than drove into OC.

After checking in I had to take a nap because of the horrible sleep I had in the room from hell. I have no idea what happened with Wilson I know I passed out till about 10. Just in time to go to a club called the Party Block. We had a great time the drinks were cheap the women were hot and the music was great. It was a little disturbing that the music seemed to be off of my I-pod. I actually checked the car to make sure it wasn’t stolen.

Now some of you may not know but I am not a heavy drinker, I have a beer here and there and I if I plan to drink a lot it usually tends to be “Bitch” drinks like Pina Coladas, Strawberry Daiquiris & don’t get me started on Jell-O Shots. I was surprised how hard my “Bitch” drinks were hitting me till I realized my stomach was empty and I was still off from the missed nights sleep. After a little while Wilson & I went to go check the dance floor. Eventually I headed to the bathroom, when I came back Wilson is missing. Now he’s a grown man so I’m not too worried about it especially in my inebriated state so I grab another drink and head back to the dance floor. After a while I notice that Wilson is on the dance floor surrounded by hot chicks.

Let me explain something Wilson is a great guy but he is not what you picture when you say the phrase chick magnet but every now and than he just attracts babes. I don’t know if it’s the Artists mystique or if he bathes in Catnip for women but some how women are drawn to him. I am not putting him down, actually I’m jealous I have to buy drinks for women and crack every joke I can, once the ice is broken it’s not a problem but to get that initial meet takes work. Wilson just stands there and sends out vibes and women just come a running. Son of a Bitch!

Overall I had a really good time at the Party Block and the end of the night was a little hazy. I remember stopping at a sub shop that was open late saying something to the affect of the following:

Eric: I have money, can I have food.

Counter guy: Sure what do you want?

Eric: Food.

Counter guy: What kind?

Wilson: Give him a sausage hero.

Eric: Ohh that sounds good can I have one too.

Wilson: Yes you can.

Eric: You’re a great friend; if I were gay I would marry you.

Wilson: Uhm I’m not gay Eric.

Eric: I don’t think you are trying that hard.

Counter guy walks away laughing.

Wilson: You’re not really that drunk are you?

Eric: No, but I’m funny.

The next day we wake up around 1 in the afternoon and head to this cool restaurant/club called Seacrets. It’s on the beach and you can actually grab a table in the water. It was really cool place and the spicy shrimp was great, messy as hell but the food was great. I would recommend the place to everyone families during the day party at night.

After eating I hit up the boardwalk while Wilson went swimming. I have to tell you the boardwalk in OC beats Virginia Beach. See what I like are small shops to look at stuff and find knickknacks, my brother and I both have Silver yin & Yang medallion on a chain that my father made for us. My dad based them off a cheap silver plate one I got in Virginia Beach 16 years ago. He used that one to make the mold for the one I wear now. When I was in Virginia I noticed all the stores were one block over but in OC the boardwalk had the kind of little stores I was looking for. There was even this really cool kite shop with all these huge kites staked down in front of the shop. At one point I was so hot from walking that I just walked into the ocean cooled down than continued walking down the boardwalk.

The only drawback with all the walking I did and Wilson going swimming is we fell asleep around 7 and woke up the next day. We had missed a chance to go to one of the other clubs that the girls told us about. But we had a blast and I hope to go back soon.

If you want to see some pics go to:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=103755&id=528577688&l=f5ed327a44

Day 5 August 18th (this one’s a short one)

So the day before I get a text from Nando telling me a mutual friend, Jade*, would like to meet up. So I text Jade and after a few texts back and forth we decide to meet up for dinner. She is about 2 hours from where I am but she would cook for Wilson and I. We headed out of Virginia Beach a bit too early so we decided to kill some time near her house just walking around one of the malls because it was raining hard.

Malls are a great place to kill time for me because most of them have bookstores. I can kill an hour just reading some graphic novel and if they have current comics Wi Fi and a Star Bucks I’m good for hours. The other cool thing about malls is that they are climate controlled. So you can walk all day and not be too hot.

After hanging for a little while I had a great time talking to Jade and her friend. Jade is amazing, the number of things she has gone through as a single mom and only came out stronger for it. Maybe some day I will tell some of her stories. She has only one problem, actually it’s my problem When I am sitting talking to some one who is interesting this weird time phenomenon happens where we talk for 5 minutes and suddenly 3 hours have gone by. I have had to over tip a few times at restaurants when I realized I took up one of their tables for 3 or 4 hours.

So Jade and I start talking around 6 and magically it turns into nearly midnight and we still have 2 hours to go. Before we make it to Ocean city. I finally get out of there about an hour after I said we should get out of there. We finally get out of there and I was good for a half hour but than all of a sudden I started drifting asleep.

Eric: AHHHHH

Wilson: What happened?

I rip the GPS off of my dash and hand it to Wilson.

Eric: Find us a motel now.

Wilson: Are you tired?

Eric: Not after the little nap I just had but I think we should stop the car before I take another one.

Wilson: WHAT DID YOU SAY?

Eric: I SAID FIND US A MOTEL BEFORE WE DIE!!!

Wilson: Geez you are cranky after a nap!

On this trip we discovered that my GPC also provides a phone number for the local hotels. SO Wilson called every hotel & motel with in a half hour and there was only 1 room available. It was a smoking double but I figured what the hell I needed sleep plus it was the first one we found that was within a half hour.

We got into the room and it was like walking into a flaming ashtray. The AC was broken and the room reeked of smoke. Both Wilson & me had survived summers in the Bronx so we figured we could tough it out. But there seems to be one big difference between the Bronx and wherever the hell we were in Maryland. In never got cooler, In the Bronx at around 2 or 3 it gets cool enough to sleep. It never got cooler and I tried every trick I knew. Wet towel on my neck, cold shower, putting the mattress on the floor. I honestly don’t think I fell asleep I think I passed out.

*If I have not heard back from a friend or forgot to ask them if I can use there name I will use an alias. Different people have different feelings about their name being listed on the web so I will use aliases for now.